Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Specialization leading to a Master of Education degree.
Sixty credit hours leading to a degree in mental health counseling.
Introduction
The main goal of the program is to prepare counselors for roles in community agencies. Graduates who successfully meet educational requirements are eligible to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE). After successfully passing the examination, graduates are awarded the Professional Counselor (PC) license until they have acquired two years of supervised experience in counseling, obtained after the award of the master’s degree. After successful completion of this supervised experience, they are awarded the Professional Clinical Counselor license (PCC). The program emphasizes a clinical orientation, focusing on theory and skills in counseling (individual, group, and family), assessment, human behavior and development, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, intervention methods, lifestyle and career development, legal and ethical responsibilities, and service-delivery systems.
Clinical and Field-Based Experience
There are two separate clinical, field-based courses. The first is CNS 680 - Counseling Practicum . This is a one-semester course requiring 100 hours of clinical field experience. Counseling Practicum is offered in the fall and spring semesters. The second clinical, field-based experience is the two-part Internship in Agency Counseling (CNS 686 and CNS 687 ). This is an intensive, two-consecutive-semester learning experience of supervised counseling in an agency setting. Internship is offered as a fall-spring sequence only. Prerequisites for Practicum and Internship are listed under the course descriptions in this Catalog. Counseling faculty strictly enforce prerequisites.
Eligibility for Counseling Practicum (CNS 680 )
Students plan their programs so they can apply for practicum two semesters in advance of the term in which they wish to take it. Applications are available in the CASAL Department office, Julka Hall 275. In addition to the application, there is a mandatory practicum-orientation meeting. Applicants for practicum will be notified of the meeting date and time after they turn in their practicum applications to their advisors. To be eligible to register for practicum, students must have passed the following courses: CNS 617 , CNS 620 , CNS 622 , CNS 623 , CNS 624 and CNS 629 .
Eligibility for Agency Counseling Internship (CNS 686 and CNS 687 )
Students plan their programs so they can apply for internship two semesters in advance of the term in which they wish to take it. Applications are available in the CASAL Department office, Julka Hall 275. In addition to successful completion of the practicum (CNS 680 ) and all practicum prerequisites, to be eligible for internship students must have passed CNS 706 .
Program Admission Eligibility
All students who are admitted into either the School or Clinical Mental Health programs at Cleveland State must enroll in and successfully complete the CNS 523 Small Group Laboratory course during the first semester of study along with other recommended courses, including CNS 604 , CNS 611 , EDB 601 , CNS 620 , CNS 624 and ALD 603 . It is strongly recommended that admitted students complete CNS 523 and CNS 620 concurrently during the first semester of enrollment. Students are required to receive an evaluation of “Satisfactory” in order to be officially admitted into the Counseling program and to enroll in advanced coursework beyond the courses described above. Students will be evaluated in CNS 523 on a variety of academic benchmarks, including course content knowledge and interpersonal competencies, that are a requirement for advanced coursework in the program and for field experiences (Practicum and Internship). If a student does not successfully pass the CNS 523 course, he/she will have the opportunity for a concerned conference with faculty members and a member from the University Judical Affairs Office and appropriate recommendations will be provided, including program withdrawal, probation and remediation or career and/or individual counseling services.
As of the Fall 2015 semester, CNS 523 is a prerequisite for enrollment in CNS 622 .
It should be noted that non-degree students who complete courses in the Counseling program are strongly encouraged to complete CNS 523 during the first semester of study in order to help faculty assess students’ overall fitness for the counseling profession.
Program of Study
(60 credits)
Research in Behavioral Sciences
Cultural Foundations and Social Issues
Cultural Human Development
At least one of the following:
Intervention and Prevention of Mental and Emotional Disorders
Psychopathology and Personality
Diagnosis of Mental and Emotional Disorders
Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders
Clinical and Field-Based Experience
Elective Credits
The remaining seven credits are elective. Students pursuing PCC licensure in Ohio should fulfill these seven elective credits with courses from the clinical course-work offerings in counseling. These are listed on the department Web site at http://www.csuohio.edu/cehs/casal/casal.
For further information about the Counselor Education Program, contact the Department of CASAL at (216) 687-4613 or go to the department Web site at http://www.csuohio.edu/cehs/casal/casal.
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