Clinical Mental Health Counseling
December 6, 2024 2024-12-20 10:34Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Online Master
of Clinical
Mental Health
Counseling
Make a positive impact on the
mental health of individuals
and society.
30+ Months
20 Courses
60 Hours
$818/CH
The online Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a 60-credit-hour program developed by the OU Department of Human Relations that can be completed in as few as 30 months. Graduates are prepared to become Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)* equipped to help individuals and tackle systemic issues. The program provides a comprehensive curriculum taught through a social justice and multicultural lens.
*This degree is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure and meets the educational requirements to become an LPC in Oklahoma. Licensure requirements vary by state, and students outside of Oklahoma should review their State Licensure board requirements.
Download the Academic Year 2023*2024 Program Evaluation Outcome Report (pdf)
Admissions Deadline
Rolling admissions*
*This program typically has an earlier application deadline than the standard 14 days prior to intended start. Please check directly with the program to ensure your application is received in time.
Program Start Terms
Fall, Spring
Academic Term
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Lead in Today's World
This program creates strong leaders who harness cultural differences and gather perspectives from across age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds while adapting to constant change.
Strong Career Growth
Community service manager jobs are expected to grow 13% over the next decade.* This degree will prepare you for job advancement in the growing fields of human resources, training, and development.
*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Flexible Format
Learn in a flexible, online program designed for working adults. You’ll engage in discussions with professors and fellow students while becoming prepared to take the NCE exam and excel in an evolving field.
OU Online graduates find employment within six months after graduation*
OU Online graduates report earning an annual salary of $75,000 or more*
OU Online students say the skills they gained in their program made them more competitive in their career field*
*Source: OU Online Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2023
Pursue your
Clinical Mental
Health Counseling
Master's degree
The Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling is an online program focusing on a curriculum viewed through a social justice and multiculturalism lens. In addition to asynchronous coursework and live online class sessions, students will attend two residencies on the OU campus. During each residency, students will complete a course by coming to campus and meeting all day for one week. During the program, you can participate in a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship (in person, per state requirements*).
To complete the program, students must complete:
- 51 credit hours of required coursework, maintaining a total GPA of 3.0
- 100 clock hours, 40 of which are direct, for the practicum clinical experience. This includes thorough and timely completion of all deliverables assigned during weekly supervision with the practicum professor. It also includes satisfactory reviews from the onsite clinical supervisor
- 600 clock hours, 240 of which are direct, for the Internship clinical experience. This includes thorough and timely completion of all deliverables assigned during weekly supervision with the practicum professor. It also includes satisfactory reviews from the onsite clinical supervisor
- Successful completion of and a passing score on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE), or other comprehensive exam as approved by faculty on a case-by-case basis
As a graduate of the online Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, you will be able to:
- Prepare to sit for the NCE exam* by earning a qualifying degree, the clinical hours, and the practical skills needed to serve today’s mental health needs
- Keep up with a rapidly growing societal need as the demand for mental health professionals is higher than ever
- Prepare for a growing workforce need as an increasing number of states require counseling services for offenders in the criminal justice system
*This degree is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure and meets the educational requirements to become an LPC in Oklahoma. Licensure requirements vary by state, and students outside of Oklahoma should review their state licensure board requirements.
Mission
The mission of the OU Online program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is to develop ethical and sensitive practitioners with the counseling knowledge, skills, and disposition to work with diverse populations in private and public mental health practices, improving mental health and wellness across communities. The CMHC program’s purpose is to develop students in the following domains:
- Counseling Knowledge and Skills
- Understanding and applying counseling competence across all coursework areas at a level considered proficient for licensed professional counselors.
- Ethical Disposition
- Application of ethical practices, sensitivity, and professional disposition with diverse populations in accordance with the OU Student Rights and Responsibilities Code of Conduct, the 2016 ACA Code of Ethics, and licensing state standards.
The CMHC program mission is undergirded and supported by the overall mission at the University of Oklahoma – to provide the best possible educational experience for our students through excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service to the state and society.
Course Objectives
The objectives of the OU Online CMHC program are based on current knowledge concerning the counseling and human development needs of a multicultural society. Developed in collaboration with current and former students, personnel from cooperating agencies, various accrediting agencies, and colleagues in this and other university settings, the counseling faculty identified the following objectives for providing excellence in counselor education:
- Comprehensive Professional Identity
- Help students establish and enhance a professional identity as a clinical mental health counselor assisting diverse communities in clinical, administrative, advocacy, and leadership roles.
- Mission Components: Counseling Knowledge & Skills, Ethical
- Ethical Practice
- Ensure students adhere to professional counselors’ ethical scope of practice, including knowledge, skills, and disposition, consistent with the Oklahoma State Board of Behavioral Health rules and regulations and the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics to support clinical outcomes and maintain a reflective professional practice.
- Mission Component: Ethical Disposition
- Counseling Excellence
- Equip students with effective counseling knowledge, skills, and disposition across the lifespan, including case conceptualization, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, planning and measuring outcomes, and documentation within individual, group, and career counseling paradigms.
- Mission Component: Counseling Knowledge & Skills
- Empirical Foundations
- Train students to be responsible consumers of research to inform practice, including program evaluation, evidence-based practices, and theory-based interventions appropriate to their designated counseling setting and professional theoretical orientation.
- Mission Component: Counseling Knowledge & Skills
- Theoretical Foundations
- Teach students to incorporate theories of human behavior and mental health through integration with individual, group, and career counseling to help diverse populations’ mental health and wellness.
- Mission Component: Counseling Knowledge & Skills
Course Offerings
- Counseling Theories in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Introduction to the Counseling Profession
- Human Growth & Development
- Diagnosis in Human Relations Counseling
- Ethical Issues in Human Relations Counseling
- Crisis Intervention & Trauma Counseling
- Research for Counseling
- Multicultural Counseling
- Psychopathology
- Group Counseling
- Assess & Evaluation in Counseling
- Counseling Skill in Human Relations Counseling
- Couples & Family Counseling
- Advanced Counseling Skills
- Career Counseling
- Addictions Counseling
- Psychopharmacology (for students beginning before Fall 2024)
- Children & Adolescents (for students starting Fall 2024 and later)
- Clinical Experience comprised of one Practicum and two Internship semesters
Getting Started Today
To apply to the online Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, students must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university (or appropriate international equivalent). Admission is based on the candidate’s potential for graduate study and suitability for the counseling profession. The following section includes high-level application and admissions information.
Applicants must complete the following:
- Complete an online application at https://gograd.ou.edu/apply/.
- Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 or a graduate GPA of 2.8.
- Provide official transcripts from all institutions attended.
- Submit a current resume.
- Submit a personal statement.
- Submit two (2) letters of recommendation.
- Submit two (2) personal statements demonstrating graduate-level writing based on the prompts sent.
- If an international student, a score of 79 or higher on the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 20 scored in each section. (Scores may not be older than 2 years).
- Strong applicants will have some background in mental health or similar fields requiring strong interpersonal skills.
Applicants who do not meet the above criteria may still be eligible for admission on a case-by-case basis.
To apply:
- Fill out the online application form found at the link above.
- Upload unofficial transcripts for an expedited review.
- Upload the appropriate form of identification.
- Have official transcripts mailed to Office of Graduate Admissions, 761 Elm Avenue, Room 318, Norman, OK 73019
- Check your email inbox for further application instructions pertaining to the remaining steps.
- Complete your personal statements based on the prompts provided to you.
- Provide a resume.
- Have two letters of recommendation sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Download and print your application.
- Check the application portal and/or your email regularly for the status of your admissions decision.
Application Timeline
The admissions committee operates under a rolling admissions process, and admissions may continue until two weeks before the start of classes. However, some programs may have an earlier application deadline. The committee strives to respond to all applicants within two weeks from the time a completed application is submitted.
Questions about Admissions?
For more information on the admissions process, please complete the contact form below, and an admissions counselor will be in touch shortly.
Paying for School
If you would like to compare the estimated cost of your program with a typical financial aid package, use the cost calculator on our OU Online financial aid page.
Graduate tuition waivers cannot be applied to OU Online programs. OU Online programs qualify for the OU Faculty/Staff Tuition Waiver & Fee Exemption, and we encourage you to check your eligibility.
Tuition waiver and fee exemption package application
If you have questions regarding financial aid for your online program, please get in touch with the Online Aid office by emailing onlineaid@ou.edu or calling 405-325-2929.
same academic excellence
Earning a Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from OU Online gives you the skills to succeed in a growing and evolving field. It also gives you access to career support and an expanded professional network as part of the global OU alumni community. Stand out where the industry is moving while enjoying the potential for higher pay, career advancement, and new opportunities.
Tuition and fees for the program are $49,080 ($818 per credit hour). Books and additional materials are not included.
Once accepted into the program, students must submit a $350 nonrefundable deposit within two weeks. Deposits are applied toward tuition expenses and secure a student’s place in the upcoming class. There is no application fee for this degree.
Tuition Calculator
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Why OU Online?
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Our Online Programs
Every OU Online program is built on the foundation of world-class faculty mixed with professors of practice providing valuable instruction. By linking industry experts with our online programs, we offer the most advanced curriculum and prepare students for future career success.
Our OU Family
When you graduate from an OU Online program, you’ll join the network of 250,000 OU alumni and be forever part of the OU family. Become part of the tradition of excellence that OU has established in its 130-year history.
