Program Overview

Online Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Online Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a 60-credit-hour program designed to prepare students for a career in clinical mental health counseling. The program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is offered entirely online.

Program Overview

The program is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to become a professional clinical mental health counselor. The curriculum includes courses in human growth and development, social and cultural foundations, helping relationships, group work, career and lifestyle development, appraisal, research and program evaluation, and professional orientation.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Cumulative undergraduate grade point average: GPA > 3.0
• A current resume or CV
• Personal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• Application fee of $80
• Virtual Interview with enrollment advisor
• Background check

Curriculum

The program consists of 60 credit hours, including:

Foundation Courses

• CNS 721 Research and Statistical Analysis in Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 740 Professional Orientation to Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 741 Theories and Models of Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 748 Life Span Development: Implications for Counseling / 3 Credits

Core Courses

• CNS 737 Basic Counseling Skills and Techniques / 3 Credits
• CNS 739 Advanced Counseling Skills and Crisis Management / 3 Credits
• CNS 742 Group Procedures in Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 743 Career Development and Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 747 Cultures and Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 773 Family Counseling / 3 Credits

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration Coursework

• CNS 738b Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum / 3 Credits
• CNS 771 Clinical Mental Health Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 786 Consultation and Technology in Counseling / 2 Credits
• CNS 736 Appraisal Procedures for Counselors / 3 Credits
• CNS 744b Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship I / 3 Credits
• CNS 745b Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship II / 3 Credits
• CNS 762 Case Formulation and Treatment Plan in CMHC / 3 Credits
• CNS 765 Addiction Counseling / 3 Credits
• CNS 770 Classification of Mental & Emotional Disorders / 3 Credits
• CNS 780 Professional, Ethical & Legal Issues in Counseling / 2 Credits
• CNS 790 Professional Identity Capstone Course / 2 Credits

Transfer Credits

Students can transfer up to six credits, subject to approval by department faculty. Evaluations are completed upon acceptance into the program by the Wake Forest University Office of Admissions.

Tuition and Fees

The tuition rate for the online graduate counseling programs is $1,700 per credit hour, for a total tuition of $102,000 (60 credits x $1,700) for the Master of Arts in Counseling program. Tuition increases are typically between 3% and 6%. A deposit of $250 is required to confirm enrollment, which is nonrefundable and credited to the student's charges for the semester.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program can pursue careers in:

• Mental Health Counselor
• College Counselor
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Family/Marriage Counselor
• Career Counselor

Faculty

The program is taught by a nationally recognized faculty of thought leaders who are passionate about serving humanity and have written standard academic texts used in master's in clinical mental health counseling programs across the nation.

Accreditation

The online MA in Counseling has been accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a CHEA-recognized accreditor of counseling programs in the United States.

Licensure

Wake Forest University MAC graduates have an average pass rate of over 90% on the National Counselor Exam.