Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Westminster University

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program prepares students to work as counselors and therapists in hospitals, clinics, private practices, treatment centers, and other community settings. The program provides an important theoretical framework and hands-on professional training for students interested in becoming clinical mental health counselors. With a strong base of ethical behavior, counseling theories, professional counseling identity, treatment planning, counseling research, assessment, and professional development, students graduate with a capacity for critical thinking and counseling effectiveness that can be translated into practice with adults, children, families, and groups from diverse backgrounds. Over two dozen clinical internship and practicum sites are available, providing students with the opportunity to select from a variety of supervised training experiences while cultivating relationships with licensed clinical mental health counselors and other mental health professionals.

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program—accredited under CACREP—offers a broad curriculum that meets or exceeds national standards as well as Utah licensure requirements for clinical mental health counselors, and balances professional knowledge with practical experience and skill development. Based on a scientist-practitioner model, the program helps students understand the relationships between counseling theory, research, and practice as they relate to effective mental health counseling.

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Who the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Is For

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed for students who are interested in becoming a mental health therapist, and specifically a clinical mental health counselor. Students are not required to have an undergraduate major in the social sciences (e.g., psychology). Many students work in mental health-related jobs while enrolled in the program (not required). About 20 students are admitted each year.

Sample courses

completion time

Classes typically run during the fall and spring semesters, Monday–Friday during daytime hours.

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What Are the Benefits of the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Program?

• Fully on-campus program
• Your cohort is an active, collaborative, and interpersonal learning community that fuels learning and growth.
• Small class sizes facilitate active discussion and interactive learning.
• The program’s 8-year accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Education Related Programs (CACREP) is considered a “gold standard” for counselor training.
• Core faculty and adjunct instructors are licensed mental health professionals from the community who are actively engaged in the practice of counseling.
  • Core faculty are seasoned clinicians with experience working in many work settings and serving a wide variety of clients.
  • Core faculty have leadership roles with the Utah Mental Health Counselors Association, National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, Outdoor Behavioral Health Care Center, and International Psychotherapy Institute.
  • Adjunct faculty are licensed professionals currently in practice in a variety of clinical settings, with a variety of clinical specialties.
• Faculty work one-on-one with students to provide training, supervision, instruction, and feedback.
• The small size of cohorts promotes close, supportive peer relationships and connection that lasts long after graduation. Many alumni report that they rely on each other for consultation and professional networking.
• Curriculum is based on the nationally recognized CACREP training standards.
• The program will help you to build a strong theoretical foundation. You'll learn to rely on theory as a way to “think actively” and make sense of the complex issues clients bring to counseling.
• You have access to over two dozen carefully selected clinical internship placements and practicum sites.
• There are opportunities for research, including paid opportunities. You can get involved with core faculty’s research labs and work on the editorial team of a scholarly journal.
• Faculty maintain close connections with agencies in the community, allowing them to connect you with employers and provide a list of job openings related to mental health.
• You will have many opportunities to attend professional conferences at reduced costs and may even be able to present at a conference.

Plan of Study for the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

Students must complete at least 60 hours of graduate course work. The 60-credit hours fulfill Utah licensure requirements as well as CACREP requirements. It is a planned program of study that requires full time enrollment for 3 years (except summers).

Throughout the program, your studies will revolve around 8 core curricular areas:

To complete your degree, you’ll participate in clinical training. During clinical training, you’ll receive supervised training from faculty and other licensed mental health professionals and expand your applied counseling knowledge and skills.

Practicum must total a minimum of 100 hours, of which 40 hours must be completed in direct service. An internship must total a minimum of 900 hours, of which 360 must be completed in direct service. The combined hours from practicum and internship exceed Utah licensure and CACREP requirements.

Westminster has more than two dozen carefully selected clinical internship placements and practicum sites that give you valuable hands-on training and help you build a professional network in the mental health field. Sites are in a wide variety of clinical settings (e.g., hospital, residential, outpatient, private practice, wilderness therapy, day treatment, university counseling center, and state prison) and serve a wide variety of client populations (e.g., LGBTQ communities, children, adolescents, seriously mentally ill, clients with trauma, clients experiencing substance abuse, clients with autism, university students, and clients with co-occurring conditions). Sites include Hope and Healing Child and Family Counseling, Volunteers of America, Rape Recovery Center, Weber State University Counseling Center, Salt Lake Behavioral Health, YouthCare, and other highly regarded agencies throughout the area.

Students are required to take and pass comprehensive exams during their third year. You must earn a satisfactory score on the CPCE exam and write an adequate case conceptualization that follows program guidelines.

Graduate Certificate in Adventure Therapy

The Graduate Certificate in Adventure Therapy is designed especially for already degreed mental health or recreational therapists, or students enrolled in Westminster University’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Through 3 intensive courses between January and June, students will develop the foundational knowledge and skills to implement clinically effective, ethical, and culturally relevant adventure therapy programming. 

Learn more about the Adventure Therapy Certificate