M.S. in Counseling
Clinical mental health and marriage, couples, & 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). The degree leads to the opportunity to become licensed in the state of Montana as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Upon graduation, students must apply for a licensed professional counselor candidate’s license from the State of Montana Board of Behavioral Health. Following completion of a master's degree, the student must complete a minimum of 1500 hours of supervised counseling practice prior to sitting for and passing the NCE exam. 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.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Conceptualize clients and apply concepts from the eight common core areas in their work with clients.
- Provide leadership in educational and human service settings.
- Implement effective counseling programs and interventions for individuals, families, groups, and organizations.
- Enhance the worth, dignity, self-respect, and positive development of themselves and of individuals and groups within their employment context
- Understand the legal and ethical boundaries integral to the professional identity of counseling
- Apply knowledge and skills in order to provide effective counseling interventions in schools, community agencies, and private practices.
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 training experiences in appraisal, individual, group counseling, and consultation in primarily clinical 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- and evidence-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 including but not limited to community agencies, behavioral health hospitals and programming, group practices, and all levels of mental health care.
| Year 1 | Credits |
|---|---|
| Summer | |
| HDCO 502 - Counseling Ethics and Professional Orientation | 2 |
| HDCO 558 - Career Counseling | 2 |
| HDCO 508 - Counseling Theories I | 2 |
| Fall | |
| HDCO 503 - Professional Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 510 - Counseling Theories II | 3 |
| HDCO 521 - Counseling Skills Lab | 3 |
| HDCO 522 - Group Counseling | 3 |
| Spring | |
| HDCO 524 - Crisis Counseling: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| HDCO 530 - Mind-Body Well-Being Self-Care | 3 |
| HDCO 564 - Diagnosis and Mental Health | 3 |
| HDCO 571 - Prof Counsel Practicum | 3 |
| Year Total: | 30 |
| Year 2 | Credits |
| Summer | |
| HDCO 550 - Counseling Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| HDCO 551 - Appraisal | 3 |
| HDCO 598 - Internship | 2 |
| Fall | |
| HDCO 563 - Multicultural Awareness | 3 |
| HDCO 568 - Mental Health Methods | 3 |
| HDCO 598 - Internship | 2 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Spring | |
| AC 501 - Chemical Dependency Counseling I | 3 |
| HDCO 554 - Develop Theory Across Lifespan | 3 |
| HDCO 598 - Internship | 2 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Year Total: | 30 |
| Total Program Credits: | 60 |
Other Electives
| CHTH 405 | Caregiving & Aging Families | 3 |
| CHTH 430 | Mental Health & Social Issues in Aging | 3 |
| EDU 612 | Critical Race Theory | 3 |
| HDCO 525 | Counseling Children & Adolescents | 3 |
| HDCO 526 | Adventure Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 525 | Counseling Children & Adolescents | 3 |
| HDCO 565 | Couples Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 569 | Advanced Family Counseling | 3 |
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 dual-track 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.
The marriage, couples, 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 community clinics and group practices 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 1 | Credits |
|---|---|
| Summer | |
| HDCO 502 - Counseling Ethics and Professional Orientation | 2 |
| HDCO 558 - Career Counseling | 2 |
| HDCO 508 - Counseling Theories I | 2 |
| Fall | |
| HDCO 503 - Professional Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 510 - Counseling Theories II | 3 |
| HDCO 522 - Group Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 521 - Counseling Skills Lab | 3 |
| Spring | |
| HDCO 524 - Crisis Counseling: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| HDCO 564 - Diagnosis and Mental Health | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| HDCO 571 - Prof Counsel Practicum | 3 |
| Year Total: | 30 |
| Year 2 | Credits |
| Summer | |
| HDCO 550 - Counseling Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| HDCO 551 - Appraisal | 3 |
| HDCO 598 - Internship | 2 |
| Fall | |
| HDCO 563 - Multicultural Awareness | 3 |
| HDCO 565 - Couples Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 598 - Internship | 2 |
| Spring | |
| AC 501 - Chemical Dependency Counseling I | 3 |
| HDCO 554 - Develop Theory Across Lifespan | 3 |
| HDCO 569 - Advanced Family Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 598 - Internship | 2 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Year Total: | 30 |
| Total Program Credits: | 60 |
Other Electives
| CHTH 405 | Caregiving & Aging Families | 3 |
| CHTH 430 | Mental Health & Social Issues in Aging | 3 |
| EDU 612 | Critical Race Theory | 3 |
| Take one of the following: | 3 | |
| Counseling Children & Adolescents | ||
or HDCO 526 | Adventure Counseling | |
| HDCO 525 | Counseling Children & Adolescents | 3 |
| HDCO 565 | Couples Counseling | 3 |
| HDCO 569 | Advanced Family Counseling | 3 |
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 dual-track avenue.