Program Overview
The mission of the master's program in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling at Ohio University is: (a) o prepare highly competent professional school counselors to effectively serve the pre-K-12 population by assuming leadership and advocacy roles to promote optimum development for all students, including those from low income and culturally diverse populations; and (b) to prepare highly competent professional counselors with an integrated counseling style, characterized by the recognition of the need to work with a client in a variety of areas including cognitive processes, feelings, and behavioral processes.
The master's program consists of core counseling coursework in each of the following eight curricular areas: (a) Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice, (b) Social and Cultural Diversity, (c) Human Growth and Development, (d) Career Development, (e), Counseling and Helping Relationships, (f) Group Counseling and Group Work, (g) Assessment and Testing, and (h) Research and Program Evaluation. The clinical mental health and school counseling program specializations include additional coursework in personality assessment, professional school counseling, and counseling children and adolescents. All students must complete a supervised counseling practicum of 100 hours and two additional counseling internships of 600 hours each. A counseling internship for the clinical mental health counseling specialization should be completed in a clinical setting under the supervision of a licensed professional clinical counselor with a supervisory endorsement. A counseling internship for the school counseling specialization should be completed in a K-12 school under the supervision of a licensed school counselor.
Admissions Information
- Transcripts showing a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.9 or higher
- Students with a GPA lower than 2.9 may apply by submitting Verbal and Quantitative scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- Three letters of recommendation written by current or former professors or supervisors, or others in the field who can address the applicant's suitability for a graduate program in counseling.
- Note that letters of recommendation must be submitted online by the authors of the letters. However, if your references prefer to submit hard copies please contact Graduate College to check on how to submit hard copies. Program faculty may contact your references for further information.
- Personal Statement of approximately 3-5 double-spaced typed pages from the applicant addressing specific questions including:
- What are your career goals? What experiences and/or persons in your life have influenced your career goals?
- What experiences have you had that you believe would help you be successful in a graduate program in counselor education?
- Describe your personal characteristics that will be assets and challenges to your study in counselor education. What qualities do you possess that you think would enable you to become an effective counselor?
- Describe your culturally relevant interpersonal experiences with individuals or groups who are different from you (race, gender, age, disability status, etc.).
- Counselor preparation involves a great deal of self-exploration and discovery. How will you manage your personal and professional boundaries in this process?
- What distinguishes you from other candidates for the counselor education program?
International Students
The Athens-based program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.
Opportunities Upon Graduation
Graduates are eligible to apply for school counseling positions, sometime referred to as guidance positions, within K-12 schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, or for professional counseling positions in clinical settings. Graduates may also be eligible to apply for advising positions in two- and four-year universities.