University of Redlands
The CMHC degree provides students with the clinical skills and expertise necessary to provide life-changing mental health services through counseling and consultation through the lens of social justice.
Graduates come away from the rigorous curriculum of this program adept at providing culturally responsive mental health counseling and consultation through supervised clinical experiences tailored to their career goals.
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree program provides graduate students with a transformational learning experience that empowers them to embark on careers serving others through mental health services and counseling. Centered in a tradition of academic excellence with a focus on social justice, this program combines clinical experiences with cutting- edge educational techniques to produce exceptional graduates fully equipped to adapt to the needs of this diverse field.
Students are afforded the opportunity to acquire a comprehensive body of knowledge, professional skills, ethical foundations, and cultural competencies required for success as counselors. With an embedded emphasis on social justice and advocacy, this carefully structured training program prepares students for ethical practice, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning in the field of clinical mental health counseling.
The rigorous coursework of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program fully prepares students to pursue careers in the field of mental health counseling through a broad curriculum that covers a diverse range of themes and practicalities. With courses such as Sociocultural Counseling and Intervention, themes of social justice and cultural sensitivity are woven seamlessly into the more traditional counseling-focused courses. Students will participate in a study abroad trip as part of the program.
With our robust clinical training program, every student will complete at least 450 hours of practicum in a clinical setting, including at least 280 hours of face-to-face counseling by graduation. Students who select a specialization pathway will complete additional clinical hours. Through faculty guidance and self-reflection, students gain the confidence and skills to enter the field as mental health practitioners.
As part of our commitment to delivering an education that is both personalized and comprehensive, we offer two specialization options, enabling you to customize your education journey to aligin with your individual career goals.
Our Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) specialization is designed to provide students with specialized training in therapeutic intervention applicable to a broad range of relational systems. Graduates with this specialization are prepared for California state licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).
Our Child and Adolescent Intervention specialization is tailored for students who wish to delve deeper into the behavioral health conditions in childhood and adolescence. The specialization equips students with the preparation required for early identification, collaboration, advocacy, and evidence-based intervention across settings.
For a deeper insight into this transformative degree, and to explore how it can meet your specific needs, we invite you to request more information today!
Important Deadline Information: Please refer to the Application and Enrollment Calendar for deadlines.
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree draws students from a variety of backgrounds, including psychology, education, and sociology, preparing them for rewarding careers as licensed mental health professionals. The 60-unit program intergrates coursework, clinical supervision, and a social justice emphasis to nurture counseling competence and commitment to responsible citizenship.
Our mental health counseling students forge a supportive academic community marked by mutual respect and affirmation. From day one to graduation, we foster a cohort approach, encouraging students to build close relationships that will prove invaluable in their careers. Our commitment to this community of learning and respect is reinforced by our university's emphasis on small class sizes and strong academic connections between students and faculty.
Upon graduation, our students are not only prepared for diverse careers as counselors but also have the opportunity to specialize in areas such as Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or Child and Adolescent Intervention. Graduates of the program work in a broad spectrum of settings including community agencies, mental health centers, and private practice.
Graduates of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program will be able to:
1. Evaluate clients' biopsychosocial functioning using appropriate assessment procedures.
2. Specify how a range of the best-established, evidence-based individual, group, and family treatments might be used with diverse populations across settings.
3. Utilize both self-awareness and sensitivity to their interpersonal impacts when interacting with whom they serve.
4. Use the ethical standards of the American Counseling Association to identify and resolve ethical conflicts.
5. Draw from the research literature to inform their professional practice.
6. Demonstrate identity as a professional clinical counselor in the manner in which cases are conceptualized and in the corpus of literature used to inform their work.
7. Identify clients affected by inequities and advocate for them as appropriate.
The coursework and field experience segments of the program are delivered in a prescribed sequence. Pathways are recommended for timely program completion.
For course descriptions, please view the most recent university catalog.
The comprehensive exam is an exit examination required of all counseling students at the University of Redlands. The purpose of the exam is to assess the student's knowledge of counseling to ensure minimum competence in the field. The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE) will provide collective feedback that can be used by the program in developing/adapting curriculum.
The coursework in this 60 credit degree program prepares students for California licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) with the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Additionally, the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Specialization within the program equips graduates for California state licensure as Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT). The program also qualifies students for licensure eligibility in most other states. Prospective students are encouraged to become acquainted with the licensure requirements in the state in which they plan to practice.
A graduate of the program can apply to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences to become a licensed Associate Clinical Counselor Intern (APCCI.) This 3,000-hour internship is required for California licensure and must be completed under an approved clinical supervisor. APCCIs, with appropriate supervised experience, can apply to the Board to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC.) An LPCC can engage in the independent practice of professional counseling in California.
Furthermore, the CMHC degree fulfills the National Board of Certified Counselors educational requirement to sit for the National Counselor Examination for National Counselor Certification.
March 01, 2022
September 14, 2021
December 12, 2019
April 10, 2019
May 08, 2018
