M.S in School Mental Health Counseling
Program Facts
College: College of Education
Major: Master of Science in School Mental Health Counseling
Degree Level: Master's
- On-Campus
Credit Hours: 60
Duration: 3-4 Years
How To Apply
Application Deadline
Priority deadline: December 1 Final deadline: April 1
Tuition & Fees
Estimated costs available via the calculator.
Overview
The Master of Science in School Mental Health Counseling meets the educational requirements to become a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Certified School Counselor. The program equips students with the skills to support K-12 students’ academic, emotional, and social well-being, while emphasizing the role of mental health counseling in school and community settings. The curriculum is aligned with 2024 CACREP Standards in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and includes courses in counseling theory and techniques, assessment procedures, crisis intervention, and multicultural competence. Graduates are trained to provide individual and group counseling, collaborate with educators and parents, and develop programs that foster a positive school environment....
The program also emphasizes ethical practice, mental health advocacy, and prepares students to be moral and ethical practitioners in school and clinical settings.
Program Benefits
- Dual Credentialing Advantage: Graduates meet the educational requirements to become both a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Certified School Counselor in Texas, significantly expanding their career opportunities across school and clinical settings.
- Specialized Training for K-12 Impact: The program equips students to address the emotional, social, and academic needs of children and adolescents, preparing them for immediate impact in elementary, middle, and high school environments.
- Career-Ready Fieldwork: Students engage in specialized field experiences that strengthen their clinical and school-based counseling skills, enabling them to market themselves competitively for employment in school systems and mental health agencies.
- Aligned with 2024 CACREP Standards: The curriculum reflects the most current accreditation standards, ensuring students receive a high-quality, nationally recognized education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Note: This program is not CACREP accredited, but will be seeking accreditation in the future.
- Holistic Counseling Skill Development: Coursework includes counseling theory and techniques, assessment, multicultural competence, and crisis intervention—preparing graduates for individual, group, and systems-level counseling.
- Commitment to Ethical Practice and Advocacy: The program emphasizes ethical decision-making, professional responsibility, and mental health advocacy in both school and community contexts.
- Addressing a Critical Need: The degree directly responds to the statewide and national shortage of mental health professionals equipped to support child and adolescent populations, particularly within educational settings.
Courses
Learning Outcomes
- Acquire techniques and interventions for prevention and treatment of a broad range of mental health issues relevant to school mental health counseling settings.
- Facilitate strategies to advocate for people with mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental conditions within school systems.
- Apply clinical skills relevant to intake interviews, mental status evaluations, biopsychosocial histories, mental health histories, educational achievement histories, and psychological assessment for treatment planning and caseload management in a school mental health counseling setting.
- Examine legislation, government policy, and regulatory processes relevant to school mental health counseling.
- Evaluate mental health service delivery modalities and networks within the continuum of care, such as primary care, outpatient, partial treatment, inpatient, integrated behavioral healthcare, aftercare, and particularly school mental health counseling environments.
- Construct strategies for interfacing with integrated behavioral healthcare professionals.
Career Outcomes
- School Mental Health Counselor
- School Counselor
- Licensed Professional Counselor
- Child and Adolescent Counselor
Certification and Licensure Preparation
- National Counselor Exam
- Texas Certification Exam for School Counselors
Admissions Requirements
- 3.0 GPA or higher on last sixty (60) hours of undergraduate or graduate course work.
- Participate in on-campus interview process.
- Program orientation
- Program application