Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MHC)

MHC 610. Life Planning & Career Development. 3 Credit Hours.

Assists counselors and others in various work settings to attain knowledge and skills essential in helping individuals to consider possible careers and lifestyle options. Approaches to career development, sources of informational materials, and the life planning needs of a particular clientele are emphasized.

MHC 620. Principles of Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

The purposes of this course are to provide students with an understanding of the major theories of counseling and their related techniques and apply theoretical material to case studies. Students will be exposed to an overview of current approaches to psychological counseling, including psychodynamic, existential-humanistic, cognitive behavioral, and systems approaches. Emphasis is on both theory and practical applications of the various approaches. Through lectures, class discussions, readings, videos, writings, experiential exercises, and role-play situations, students will be encouraged to examine the various theories and to integrate them into their own style of counseling.

MHC 630. Multicultural Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course serves as an introduction to the field of multicultural counseling. It is designed to allow students to explore ways in which their own culture forms their worldview and how the worldview may impact the counseling process. Students will also learn about impact of culture on behavior and how to use that knowledge to increase effectiveness in counseling individuals from other cultures.

MHC 640. Advanced Counseling Theory & Practice. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a supervised experience in counseling through role-playing, recorded interview, observation analysis, evaluation of interviewing techniques.

MHC 650. Group Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides a basic introduction to group process and group counseling. The class will blend theory with practice during the semester by meeting as an experimental group. The course will explore various theoretical approaches to group practice as well as the four group work specializations developed by the Association for Specialists in Group Work: task, psychoeducational, counseling, and psychotherapy. Ethical codes for group counselors will be reviewed and issues explore.

MHC 660. Counseling Special Populations: Children And Adolscents. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides specialized knowledge and skills training in counseling children and adolescents. Students will learn to assess behavior and incorporate developmentally, ethnically, legally, and gender-appropriate strategies and techniques to meet the need of counseling children and adolescents. Students will examine various theoretical, behavioral, and play therapy techniques for counseling children and adolescents.

MHC 670. Professional and Ethical Foundations of Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to provide students with an introductory view into the counseling profession. This course will provide an understanding of aspects of professional functioning in counseling including history, roles, organizational structures, ethics, standards, and credentialing.

MHC 680. Foundations of Mental Health Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the issues of mental health service delivery in a mental health setting. The course will focus on knowledge of the principles and practices of ethical standards and codes of the counseling profession, as well as the role and function of the mental health counselor within a community agency setting. Students will be exposed to current professional issues within the field of counseling and psychology.

MHC 690. Practicum Mental Health Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a student's first experience in a counseling placement where a student can integrate coursework and theory into a therapeutic setting. The goal of the practicum is to learn about the counseling field, to practice basic counseling skills, and to develop self-awareness as a counseling professional. An additional goal of the practicum is to learn from each other in an educational group setting. The practicum course provides the setting for learning from peers. The weekly seminar is an opportunity to develop your skills and resources through the experience of other students. Additionally, students will focus on their own self-care and professional development.

MHC 710. Internship in Mental Health Counseling I. 6 Credit Hours.

This is the first course in the two-semester internship sequence that is part of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. This course complements the 300 hours of supervised practical experience to be gained concurrently at the student's fieldwork placement in a mental health counseling setting during the fall semester. The course will focus on the integration of didactic learning with the actual experience of counseling in a practicum setting by addressing specific topics, practicum experiences and counseling and culture of the internship site; the professional role of the counselor; developing one's identity as a counselor-in-training; the role of supervision, the counseling relationship, ethical and multicultural issues; and other topics relevant to the field setting in which students are placed. As the semester progresses and students begin to counsel individual clients and groups, supervision of cases will focus on counseling skills, case conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention strategies, and termination. Students spend a minimum of 16-20 hours a week in a college of community agency setting approved by the Program Director. Permission required for registration.

MHC 720. Diagnosis & Treatment Planning. 3 Credit Hours.

This course examines the diagnosis of mental disorders through extensive review of the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR) and related information. This course provides a framework for understanding the range of personality and behavioral disorders as presented in the DSM-5-TR. Emphasis is given to the principles and practices that relate to psychopathology, DSM-5 diagnosis,etiology and assessment, systematic treatment planning, interviewing, and short- and long-term interventions.

MHC 740. Internship in Mental Health Counseling II. 6 Credit Hours.

This is the second course in the two-semester internship sequence that is part of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. This course complements the 300 hours of supervised practical experience to be gained concurrently at the student's fieldwork placement in a mental health counseling setting during the spring semester. The course will focus on the integration of didactic learning with the actual experience of counseling in an agency setting by addressing specific topics, internship experiences, and counseling cases. Topics addressed will include assessing and negotiating learning needs; understanding the nature and culture of the internship site; the professional role of the counselor; developing one's identity as a counselor-in-training; the role of supervision, the counseling relationship, ethical and multicultural issues; licensure requirements and other topics relevant to the student's field placements. As the semester progresses and students begin to counsel individual clients and groups, supervision of cases will focus on counseling skills, case conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention strategies, and termination. This internship can be a continuation of the internship placement from Internship I. Students spend a minimum 16-20 hours a week in a college or community agency setting with the required weekly supervision and approved by the Program Director. Permission required for registration.

MHC 750. Crisis Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on the small- and large-scale crises in our current society. Crisis theory and intervention strategies will be explored. There is a special emphasis on suicidology, natural and man-made disasters, and crisis management in the schools. The course reviews issues related to response teams, government, non-profit and individual approaches.

MHC 760. Research and Statistics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will introduce students to applied human research and enable them to understand counseling, psychology, and education-based research. Students will study common research designs and critically analyze published research. Students will learn to develop relevant research questions, design appropriate research paradigms, search applicable literature, and write a preliminary research proposal [CACREP.2.K.8] Additionally, students will identify various measures, identify statistical concepts as they relate to assessment including scales of measurement and computer-managed or assisted methods. Students will also identify and describe the impact of demographic characteristics like age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, language, and beyond as these relate to assessment. Students will learn the IRB process as well as the proper administration of survey and research materials. Students will identify their area of interest for their thesis project and begin a literature review. IRB applications will be submitted.

MHC 770. Assessment in Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the principles, concepts, methods, and applications of assessing human experience and behavior for counseling purposes. Topics included for study in this course include the history and philosophy behind measurement and assessment in counseling, statistical concepts, and common assessment formats for measuring constructs such as personality, pathology, achievement and aptitude, and career interests. The required assignments focus on the themes of assessment critique, administration and interpretation of assessment results, and incorporating assessment results into work with clients and students. Additionally, by the start of the course, students will have submitted their IRB application for their thesis project. After approval from IRB, students will construct surveys in paper or digital format, including informed consent and debriefing forms. Students will then recruit participants. The use of digital platforms to collect data are acceptable. Types of data collection include running a focus group, qualitative interviews, or questionnaires. Middle and end of term will require analysis of findings. Once students have collected data, they should analyze the data and write a draft of the projected results and discussion in consultation with the instructor. Students will then present findings from their thesis projects at the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Graduate Research Expo.

MHC 775. Life Span Development. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for professionals who are intending to enter the counseling field. This course will help students to view their clients from a developmental perspective with the understanding that development does not take place in isolation' rather human development is deeply embedded within and inseparable from the context of family, social network, and culture. This course is also designed to help counselors recognize the importance of individual and systemic influences on human growth and development and emphasizes the role of service to others as essential to a sense of wellbeing and self-esteem.

MHC 780. Introduction to Family Counseling. 3 Credit Hours.

Course will introduce students to a family systems perspective regarding client issues brought to the counseling setting. Students will be introduced to the family development framework and common family issues across the family life cycle. The course will also include an introduction to theories of family therapy along with counseling strategies and techniques as well as research in family counseling and family functioning. In addition to other expectations of the course, students will address how their research findings from their thesis projects impact families. Optional: Students who wish to continue developing their thesis project will identify a respected outlet, like a counseling periodical, to which they plan to submit a research paper. This can include a journal, magazine, conference, or other approved outlet. Students will develop a research manuscript that follows the standards of the periodical. Students will submit their manuscript to the instructor for feedback. Then the student will submit to the periodical for consideration.

MHC 790. Topics in Counseling: Dual Diagnosis: Substance Abuse and Mental Illness. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will address a significant counseling issue, dual diagnosis. The focus will be on substance use and mental illness. This course will address an overview of the topics and then specifically investigate how dual diagnosis should be assessed and treated.