Jan 29, 2026

2015-2016 Argosy University Academic Catalog—Graduate Programs | Volume 6, Issue 1

2015-2016 Argosy University Academic Catalog—Graduate Programs | Volume 6, Issue 1 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Program—Argosy University, Sarasota

Program Overview and Mission Statement for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program are consistent across the Argosy University system. Please refer to the introductory pages of this program section for detailed descriptions of both the program overview and the mission statement.

Programmatic Accreditation

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) has granted accreditation to the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Argosy University, Sarasota under the 2009 Standards.

Eligibility for Licensure

Licensure eligibility requirements for Mental Health Counselors vary by state. It is the student’s responsibility to determine the requirements for professional licensure in the state he or she wishes to practice. Further information may be obtained from the American Counseling Association (ACA) Directory of MHC Licensure and Certification Boards.

Program Formats

Argosy University, Sarasota strives to provide an educational experience with the highest academic quality in a variety of flexible formats designed for the convenience of adult students from various geographical locations. In that respect, regular in-residence, blended/in-residence, tutorial, and online courses are offered during 15-week and 7.5-week academic semesters throughout the year. In-residence courses may also be available in intensive intersession formats that incorporate a combination of distance learning and intensive one-week or two-weekend meetings on-campus in Sarasota. The current course schedule outlines available courses for each semester.

Residency Requirement

Students must complete 51 percent of the program coursework in an in-residence format.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to the graduation requirements stated previously, students must also meet the following requirements:

Completion of 60 semester credit hours by the end of the fifth year of matriculation. The total credit hours must include:
- 48 credit hours of core courses
- 6 credit hours of elective courses
- 6 credit hours of practicum and internship
Successful completion of the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Evaluation (CPCE)

Program Requirements

The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program requires the satisfactory completion of 60 semester credit hours, distributed as follows: core course requirements, 48 credit hours; elective requirements, 6 credit hours; and practicum and internship requirements, 6 credit hours. 51 percent of coursework must be completed in an in-residence format.

Core Course Requirements — Students Are Required to Take the Following

Core Course Requirements — 48 Credit Hours

Practicum and Internship Requirements — Students Are Required to Take the Following

Practicum and Internship Requirements— 6 Credit Hours

Elective Requirements

Students identify appropriate electives in consultation with their advisors. Students are required to take 6 credit hours of elective courses.

Practicum Requirements

The beginning practicum/internship for students in the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program requires that students complete a separate practicum of at least 100 clock hours at the beginning of Practicum/Internship (C6601 ). Students are required to complete the practicum, which is the first part of a 1000-hour practicum/internship experience.

All practicum students are expected to complete a minimum of 40 hours of direct service with clients including experience in individual counseling and group work.

Students are expected to maintain weekly clinical journals of all aspects of the practicum experience and to log these hours. It is expected that both faculty and site supervisor will regularly read, discuss and sign the journals. Students are expected to participate in weekly online and telephone seminars with a designated seminar leader. Evaluation of the student’s performance will occur throughout the practicum and will include a formal evaluation at the completion of the 100-hour practicum.

Internship Requirements

After successful completion of all practicum requirements students are permitted to move on to the internship, which requires an additional 900 clock hours. All internship students are expected to complete a minimum of 500 hours of direct service with clients.

During the internship, students will continue to develop and refine competencies related to clinical reasoning, relationship skills, assessment skills, and interventions skills. In addition, students will continue to increase their knowledge base of core counseling competencies, as well as improve abilities to write clear, well organized reports, and refine communication skills. Internship students will be expected to display enhanced recognition of the rights, responsibilities and ethical guidelines of the profession. They will also be required to demonstrate knowledge of, and sensitivity to, diversity issues in interactions with clients and other professionals.

Capstone Examination Requirements

Students are required to take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) for the first time at the mid-point of the graduate study or as soon as they complete the ten core courses on which it is based. All students must successfully complete the CPCE no later than the semester before the one in which they plan to graduate.