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, Washington DC under the 2009 Standards.
Eligibility for Licensure
Licensure in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia each require a master’s degree in counseling, 60 semester credit hours of coursework, and post-master’s supervised work experience (amount of hours varies from state to state). The 60-credit hour Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program includes the required core coursework for licensure. Students interested in pursuing this licensure will need to complete 12 hours of post-master’s courses and the additional supervised experience. Several options for completing the 12 hours of coursework are available through this program either by taking additional courses prior to or subsequent to completing the master’s degree. Much of the supervised experience may be obtained through employment in the field after completing the master’s degree.
It is the student’s responsibility to determine the requirements for professional licensure in the state they wish to practice. Students are strongly encouraged to become familiar with the regulations governing professional counselor licensure. These regulations are available directly from each regulatory board listed.
Virginia
Board of Professional Counselors
Department of Health Professions
6606 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23230-1717
Phone: 804.662.7328
Maryland
State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
4201 Patterson Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215-2299
Phone: 410.764.4732
District of Columbia
Board of Professional Counseling/Application and Support Division
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Occupational and Professional Licensing Administration
P.O. Box 37200, Room 904
Washington, D.C. 20013-7200
Course Delivery Formats
The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program is intended to make graduate training accessible to professionals who are employed full-time. Courses are offered in multiple formats. The primary course format is the weekend format. In the weekend format, courses are offered on Friday evenings from 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Each course meets on alternate weekends with classes meeting on three weekends and the final examination on a subsequent Friday evening or Saturday morning. Syllabi are made available prior to the first class meeting. Each semester has two sessions. Students can choose to take courses in additional formats to fit their schedules. Additional formats include:
- In-residence courses that are offered on one evening per week for the entire semester (15 weeks/three hours each week)
- Online courses
- Courses and seminars may be offered partially online and partially on campus (in a “blended/in-residence” format)
Training and Training Seminar Requirements
Training experiences are required, essential elements of the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program.
Practicum The practicum is a supervised 100-hour experience over the course of 15 weeks within a community mental health services setting. Experienced clinicians supervise, teach relevant skills, and serve as role models of professional identity and behavior. Students must be on site approximately 8 to 10 hours per week.
Internship The internship is a supervised 600-hour experience over the course of 30 weeks (two semesters) within a community mental services setting. This is a required, essential component of the degree program. Experienced clinicians supervise and teach relevant skills, and serve as role models of professional identity and behavior. Students can expect to spend 20 hours a week on site.
The practicum is completed first, followed by the internship. They are both taken in conjunction with on-campus or blended practicum/internship seminars. Training experiences can begin during the fall, spring or summer semesters. Students must apply for training experiences nine months prior to the expected start date.
Comprehensive Case Conference Requirements
The Comprehensive Case Conference (CCC) is the culminating experience of the training seminar. The CCC provides evidence of the student’s growth and development of clinical competency and assures acquisition of the appropriate skill levels for subsequent supervised clinical practice.
The CCC assesses competency in assessment, case formulation and psychotherapy planning and implementation. This requirement is accomplished through completion of a written case report, presentation of counseling sessions, and an accompanying presentation of the assessment, case formulation, course of therapy, and a critique of the therapy session chosen for the CCC. Students must not have been previously supervised on the particular session chosen for this requirement including specific content, organization or the accompanying case presentation.
Comprehensive Examination Requirements
All MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program students are required to successfully complete a Comprehensive Examination. The information tested by the exam covers the end-of-program learning outcomes required of students in the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program. Students must have successfully completed all required coursework, with the exception of practicum and internship, to be eligible to take the Comprehensive Examination. Additional information regarding registration, qualification, format, and dates of the exam can be obtained from the Master’s Degree Program Coordinator or department chair.
A student who fails the Comprehensive exam is required to contact his/her faculty advisor who will assist in developing a remediation plan. Any student who fails the Comprehensive Examination a third time is automatically dismissed from the program.
Writing Program
Students’ writing skills are evaluated over the course of the program. Students identified needing improvement will be referred to a professional writing course, which can be completed on campus or online through regularly scheduled writing courses offered by Argosy University, Washington DC. In addition to the writing evaluation conducted as part of the first-semester classes, faculty may recommend students for additional writing assistance if the student is not meeting expectations for graduate-level professional writing skills.
Writing competency is essential for successful completion of any coursework at Argosy University, Washington DC. Students who do not demonstrate adequate writing skills may be referred to take a writing skills course at any time during their time in the program. Any student who receives a Writing Course Referral must register for, and successfully complete, a developmental writing course by the end of the second full semester following the semester in which the referral was received in order to continue in the program.
