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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog
Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Concentration, M.S.
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The Master of Science in Counseling (MSC) degree provides graduates with the counseling knowledge and skills used in school, clinical mental health, and rehabilitation settings. Students study human development and behavior, individual counseling theory, group theory and dynamics, research methodology, and psychological measurement and evaluation, in addition to courses in individual concentrations-school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and rehabilitation counseling. The Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician/Community (MHRT/C) post bachelor’s certificate program may be taken independently of the master’s degree (applications through Rehabilitation Counseling). The certificate of advanced study in counseling is a post-master’s program for current counselors who are interested in pursuing advanced coursework.
Depending on the MSC concentration, we offer face-to-face, online, hybrid, blended, or any combination of for synchronous and asynchronous course delivery. Course instruction includes a variety of teaching and learning strategies, depending on the nature of the course, such as lectures, group discussion (synchronous and asynchronous), in class exercises, supervised case review, cooperative learning, service learning, guided practice, introspection and critical thinking. In addition to coursework, each student must successfully pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE).
The counselor education program holds accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).
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Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration (63 credits)
The clinical mental health counseling concentration requires a total of sixty-three credit hours of coursework and is designed to allow students to learn skills specifically related to treating clients facing acute problems and developmental life issues, as well as clients interested in enriching their present life through the establishment of greater coherence and well-being. Students’ learning is accomplished through our clinical training courses and specialized electives. These specialized electives allow students to choose an area of interest in which may include: children, family systems (which may also become an area of expertise), use of the creative arts, mind-body approaches, spirituality, substance-use, or college mental health.
New students to the clinical mental health concentration will be in the program’s clinical courses in an interactive, face-to-face, real-time classroom experience on campus with some in blended, hybrid, and/or online formats. Students in this concentration must complete 1/4 (25%) of their courses in a face-to-face format to enhance their experiential, interpersonal as well as counseling skill development during their academic and field placement experiences.
Through our classes, students can expect a comprehensive array of studies which integrate the historical, philosophical, societal, cultural, economic, and political dimensions of the mental health and human service system. The roles, functions, skills, and professional identity of clinical mental health counselors are highlighted. Coursework focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders, psychological trauma, and the general principles and practices for the promotion of optimal mental health. During the final portion of their coursework, students will intern under the supervision of a licensed mental health clinician.
Graduates are prepared to apply (or sit) for the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and prepared to apply to be licensed as a clinical professional counselor (LCPC) in Maine. Those students interested in substance abuse treatment skills may consider earning an area of expertise in Substance Abuse Counseling as part of this concentration to prepare for licensure as a drug and alcohol counselor (LADC). An area of expertise in Family Systems is also available.
Core Courses (36 credits)
Required Specialty Courses (21 credits)
Expertise Area in Family Systems
For those persons interested in working in the area of family systems, the counselor education program offers coursework with a focus on counseling families, and in incorporating systemic perspectives even when counseling individuals. This area of expertise is available for master’s and CAS students.
The following courses are required for this area of expertise:
Expertise Area in Substance Use/Misuse Counseling
For those students interested in working in the area of substance abuse, the counselor education program offers coursework which will enable students to obtain a Substance Use/Misabuse Counseling expertise area within their master’s degree. This expertise certificate area is available as part of the clinical mental health counseling specialty. Students who complete this area as part of their master’s degree will be prepared to sit for the licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) exam in Maine.
The following courses are required for the expertise area:
Transfer Credit Policy
A graduate student in a master’s program in counseling at another university may transfer into our program a maximum of 18 credits (6 - 3 credit courses) from the other institution, under the following conditions:
- The program from which the student is transferring is a CACREP - approved program from an accredited university.
- The students has passed the course with a grade of B or better, and has taken the course within the past three years, a request for transfer credit may be made. Students must submit an official grade transcript including the course(s) for which transfer credit is being requested and a detailed course description or syllabus to verify course equivalency to a HCE graduate course.
- The student is in good standing and comes with the recommendation of the program coordinator.
- The student is admitted and matriculated in USM’s MS in Counseling.
Transfer between Specialty Areas within the USM Counselor Education Program
- Transfer from one specialty to another within the counselor education program is permissible only if re-application and admission is made to the specialty of interest during the regular admissions process. Multiple specialties are permissible upon consultation with one’s advisor.
- Approval for extramural credit must be completed prior to registration.
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