Counseling Program Options

Montana State University's graduate counseling program trains students to serve as mental health providers, utilizing a wellness and social justice lens.  Students are prepared to be facilitators of change for individuals, groups, families, and communities. 

The Department of Health and Human Development offers a Master of Science degree in counseling with options in clinical mental health counseling or marriage, couples, and  family counseling and a Master of Education degree in school counseling. All three programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The clinical mental health and marriage, couples, and family counseling programs are 60 credits and require a minimum of two years of study. The school counseling degree is currently 48 credits, and will transition to a 60-credit program by fall 2023. All programs are designed to meet Montana licensure requirements for professional counselors. Students obtain up to 1,500 hours supervised counseling experience and training in core counseling areas. Completed applications must be filed by February 1 as students are expected to begin their graduate program the following summer session. Applications are screened only once each year following the February 1 deadline. A maximum of 28 students shall be admitted into the counseling areas each year.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling Licensure Process

Clinical mental health and marriage, couples, and family counseling students at Montana State University graduate with a master’s degree in counseling. The program is accredited by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). Upon graduation, students must apply for a licensed professional counselor candidate’s license from the State of Montana Board of Behavioral Health. The candidate’s license is a training license while students accrue the required post-master's counseling hours to obtain their full LCPC (licensed clinical professional counselor). This license allows the graduate to practice independently. 

School Counseling Licensure Process

School counseling students at Montana State University graduate with a master's degree in school counseling. The school counseling program is accredited by the Montana Office of Public Instruction and when students graduate, they are eligible to apply for a Class 6 license or a school counseling endorsement on their preexisting Class 2 (standard teaching) license. Upon review of degree completion, licensure applicants are granted an appropriate license to practice as a school counselor in grade levels K-12 throughout the state.

Interested students may obtain more descriptions by visiting the department website.


Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The 60-credit clinical mental health counseling option prepares counselors to apply principles of human development, counseling theory, learning theory, group dynamics, and the etiology of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior in their work at a variety of mental health facilities.  While a student’s clinical focus can expand following graduation, the primary focus of your training in the program will be on working with adults, 18 and older.

The clinical mental health counseling area of study provides students with 700 hours of supervised experience in appraisal, individual, group counseling, and consultation in primarily clinic and community agencies. The goals of the clinical mental health counseling program are the following: to enhance students' personal and professional development as counselors; to increase their ability to understand the characteristics and concerns of various client populations and their environments; and to develop their knowledge and skills in use of theory-based counseling model.

The clinical mental health counseling option meets educational licensure requirements for a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the State of Montana. After licensure, graduates of the clinical mental health program work in a variety of mental health counseling contexts where they see adults.
 

Year 1Credits
Summer
HDCO 502 - Cnsl Ethic Prof Orient2
HDCO 558 - Career Counseling2
HDCO 508 - Counseling Theories I2
Fall
HDCO 503 - Prof Issues in Counseling3
HDCO 510 - Counseling Theories II3
HDCO 521 - Counseling Skills Lab3
HDCO 522 - Group Counseling3
Spring
HDCO 524 - Crisis Counseling: Theory and Practice3
HDCO 530 - Mind-Body Well-Being Self-Care3
HDCO 564 - Diagnosis and Mental Health3
HDCO 571 - Prof Counsel Practicum3
Year Total: 30
Year 2Credits
Summer
HDCO 550 - Counseling Research and Evaluation3
HDCO 551 - Appraisal3
HDCO 598 - Internship2
Fall
HDCO 563 - Multicultural Awareness3
HDCO 568 - Mental Health Methods3
HDCO 598 - Internship2
Electives3
Spring
HDCO 523 - Theory and Practice of Addiction (can be taken 1st or 2nd year)3
HDCO 554 - Develop Theory Across Lifespan3
HDCO 598 - Internship2
Electives3
Year Total: 30
Total Program Credits: 60


Partial List of Electives

CHTH 430Mental Health & Social Issues in Aging3
CHTH 435Human Response To Stress3
EDU 612Critical Race Theory3
HDCO 525Counsel Child & Adolescents3
HDCO 526Adventure Counseling3
HDCO 556Sexuality Counseling3
HDCO 565Couples Counseling 3
HDCO 569Advanced Family Counseling3
HDFS 451Trauma and Recovery: A Lifespan Perspective3


Addictions Counseling (AC rubric) courses offered through the Addictions Counseling certificate program can also be taken as electives. These can count toward becoming a Licensed Addictions Counselor in the state of Montana post-graduation. Please talk to your advisor if you are interested in pursuing this avenue.
 

Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling

The 60-credit marriage, couples, and family counseling option prepares counselors to address mental health and relationship problems with individuals, couples, families, and children from a family systems perspective. Students are taught a conceptual framework for assessment and intervention which focuses on the multiple systems and family context of individual development. Emphasis is on a positive, competency-based view of individual and family strengths. This approach examines the larger environments in which individuals and families interact and the plethora of influences (i.e., social, cultural, and economic) that affect human growth and development. Interpersonal issues between family members and the family and outer environmental systems are highlighted.

In addition to family systems theory, students are well grounded in individual and group counseling theories. Collaboration between marriage and family counselors and other mental health care providers is emphasized.

The marriage, couple, and family counseling option meets educational licensure requirements for a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the state of Montana. After licensure, these graduates work in a variety of counseling contexts where they see children, adolescents, individuals, couples, and families. In this program track students are prepared to work with individuals, as well as with couples and families. This extended focus beyond individual counseling provides a well-rounded training experience.

Year 1Credits
Summer
HDCO 502 - Cnsl Ethic Prof Orient2
HDCO 558 - Career Counseling2
HDCO 508 - Counseling Theories I2
Fall
HDCO 503 - Prof Issues in Counseling3
HDCO 510 - Counseling Theories II3
HDCO 522 - Group Counseling3
HDCO 521 - Counseling Skills Lab3
Spring
HDCO 524 - Crisis Counseling: Theory and Practice3
HDCO 525 - Counsel Child & Adolescents (recommended by not required)3
HDCO 564 - Diagnosis and Mental Health3
HDCO 571 - Prof Counsel Practicum3
Year Total: 30
Year 2Credits
Summer
HDCO 550 - Counseling Research and Evaluation3
HDCO 551 - Appraisal3
HDCO 598 - Internship2
Fall
HDCO 563 - Multicultural Awareness3
HDCO 565 - Couples Counseling 3
HDCO 598 - Internship2
Spring
HDCO 523 - Theory and Practice of Addiction(can be taken first or second year)3
HDCO 554 - Develop Theory Across Lifespan3
HDCO 569 - Advanced Family Counseling3
HDCO 598 - Internship2
Electives3
Year Total: 30
Total Program Credits: 60


Partial List of Electives

CHTH 430Mental Health & Social Issues in Aging3
CHTH 435Human Response To Stress3
HDCO 526Adventure Counseling3
HDCO 530Mind-Body Well-Being Self-Care3
HDCO 556Sexuality Counseling3
HDCO 568Mental Health Methods3
HDFS 451Trauma and Recovery: A Lifespan Perspective3


Addictions courses offered through the addictions certificate program can also be taken as electives.  These courses can count toward becoming a Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) post-graduation.  Please talk to your advisor if you are interested in pursuing this avenue.
 

School Counseling

The master's degree in school counseling is a 60-credit program designed to prepare students to work in public or private schools as professional counselors. Upon completion, students are eligible to apply for certification as a school counselor with the Montana Office of Public Instruction. School counselors in Montana can be certified with a Class 6 (specialist) certificate (for those without a Montana teaching certificate), or certified with a school counseling endorsement on a Montana teaching certificate.

School counseling students take a common core of counseling and human development courses. This core of course work provides all students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a professional counselor and follows the standards developed by CACREP. In addition, students in the school counseling major also study aspects of counseling germane to the school setting. The program focuses on a comprehensive and developmental approach to designing and implementing a school counseling program, and strives to provide the necessary self-awareness, knowledge, and skills for counseling students to become competent and capable professional school counselors.

Summer
HDCO 502Cnsl Ethic Prof Orient2
HDCO 508Counseling Theories I2
HDCO 558Career Counseling2
Fall
HDCO 505Prof Iss in School Couns3
HDCO 510Counseling Theories II3
HDCO 521Counseling Skills Lab3
HDCO 522Group Counseling3
Spring
HDCO 523Theory and Practice of Addiction can be taken 1st or 2nd year3
HDCO 524Crisis Counseling: Theory and Practice3
HDCO 525Counsel Child & Adolescents3
HDCO 564Diagnosis and Mental Health3
HDCO 571Prof Counsel Practicum3
Summer
HDCO 506School Counsel Programs3
HDCO 550Counseling Research and Evaluation3
HDCO 551Appraisal3
Fall
HDCO 563Multicultural Awareness3
HDCO 598Internship3
Directed Elective3
Spring
HDCO 554Develop Theory Across Lifespan3
HDCO 598Internship3
Directed Elective3
Total Credits60