Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.)

Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.)

Important: This degree plan is effective for those starting this degree program in fall 2025 through summer 2026. This degree plan will remain in effect for students who do not break enrollment or who do not change degree programs, concentrations, or cognates.

Program Courses
Early Core Courses
COUC 500Orientation to Counselor Professional Identity and Function3
COUC 501Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling3
COUC 502Human Growth and Development3
COUC 503Gate 1/Counseling Foundations: Orientation to the Program0
COUC 504Multicultural Counseling3
COUC 505Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship 13
COUC 506Integration of Spirituality and Counseling3
COUC 508Gate 2/Field Placement Preparation and Professional Readiness0
COUC 510Theories of Counseling3
Advanced Core Courses
COUC 512Group Counseling 1,23
COUC 515Research and Program Evaluation 33
COUC 521Assessment Techniques in Counseling3
COUC 522Career Development and Counseling3
COUC 546Psychopathology3
COUC 601Theories of Family Systems3
Specialization Courses
CEFS 670Comprehensive Exam - CPCE 40
CEFS 671Comprehensive Exam - Integration 40
COUC 604Crisis Counseling3
COUC 650Gate 3 / Practicum Application and Fieldwork Readiness0
COUC 667Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning3
COUC 685Gate 4 / Internship I Application and Career Readiness0
COUC 690Gate 5 / Internship II Application and Future Planning0
COUC 691Substance Abuse: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention3
COUC 692Counseling Practicum3
COUC 693Counseling Internship I3
COUC 694Counseling Internship II 53
Elective Courses
Elective 63
Total Hours60
1

Course offered in Intensive Format.

2

A background check will be required

3

Student must successfully complete three hours of undergraduate coursework in statistics. Those who did not complete this course during their undergraduate program may fulfill this prerequisite requirement during the first two semesters of the program.

4

Counseling Comprehensive Exam prerequisites: COUC 500, COUC 501, COUC 502, COUC 504, COUC 505, COUC 506, COUC 510, COUC 512, COUC 515, COUC 521, COUC 522, COUC 546, COUC 667.

5

COUC 694 may be taken a second time.

6

Choose one of the following courses: COUC 791, COUC 792, or any 500-700 level CEFS, COUC, CRIS, or SUBS course.

All applicable prerequisites must be met

Graduation Requirements

  • Complete 60 total hours
  • A maximum of 50% of the program hours may be transferred if approved and allowable, including credit from an earned degree from Liberty University on the same academic level
  • 3.0 GPA
  • No more than 2 grades of C may be applied to the degree (includes grades of C+ & C-)
  • No grade of D or below may be applied to the degree (includes grades of D+ & D-)
  • Successful completion of Comprehensive Exam
  • Liberty University course work that is more than 10 years old may not be applied towards this degree. Students are required to repeat the course if it has exceeded the age limit
  • Degree must be completed within 7 years
  • Submission of Degree Completion Application must be completed within the last semester of a student’s anticipated graduation date

Program Offered in Resident & Online Format

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
First SemesterHours
COUC 500 Orientation to Counselor Professional Identity and Function 3
COUC 501 Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling 3
COUC 502 Human Growth and Development 3
COUC 503 Gate 1/Counseling Foundations: Orientation to the Program 0
COUC 504 Multicultural Counseling 3
 Hours12
Second Semester
COUC 505 Counseling Techniques and the Helping Relationship 3
COUC 506 Integration of Spirituality and Counseling 3
COUC 508 Gate 2/Field Placement Preparation and Professional Readiness 0
COUC 510 Theories of Counseling 3
COUC 515 Research and Program Evaluation 3
 Hours12
Second Year
Third Semester
COUC 512 Group Counseling 3
COUC 521 Assessment Techniques in Counseling 3
COUC 522 Career Development and Counseling 3
COUC 546 Psychopathology 3
COUC 650 Gate 3 / Practicum Application and Fieldwork Readiness 0
 Hours12
Fourth Semester
COUC 601 Theories of Family Systems 3
COUC 667 Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning 3
COUC 685 Gate 4 / Internship I Application and Career Readiness 0
COUC 691 Substance Abuse: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention 3
COUC 692 Counseling Practicum 3
 Hours12
Fifth Semester
COUC 604 Crisis Counseling 3
CEFS 670 Comprehensive Exam - CPCE 1 0
CEFS 671 Comprehensive Exam - Integration 1 0
COUC 690 Gate 5 / Internship II Application and Future Planning 0
COUC 693 Counseling Internship I 3
 Hours6
Sixth Semester
COUC 694 Counseling Internship II 2 3
Elective 3,4 3
 Hours6
 Total Hours60
1

Counseling Comprehensive Exam prerequisites: COUC 500, COUC 501, COUC 502, COUC 504, COUC 505, COUC 506, COUC 510, COUC 512, COUC 515, COUC 521, COUC 522, COUC 546 and COUC 667

2

COUC 694 may be taken a second time

3

Choose one of the following courses: COUC 791, COUC 792, or any 500-700 level CEFS, COUC, CRIS, or SUBS course

4

COUC 602, COUC 603, COUC 610, COUC 611 and COUC 620 can be used to fulfill the 60 hour requirement for LPC in VA. These courses can be taken after the 4th semester (as long as COUC 601 is Completed by this time), and may or may not be one-week intensives

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