Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
About the Degree
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s program provides graduate-level training in the art and science of mental health in order to produce Professional Counselors/Professional Clinical Counselors who effectively enhance the lives of individuals, groups, and communities. The degree leads to professional identity founded on a holistic perspective, knowledge about bio-psycho-social causes of distress, and social/occupational impairments, skills related to human development as well as the treatment of psychopathology and competence in advocacy and outreach.
Students will study development of a human growth/wellness approach to diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, counseling culturally diverse populations, legal and ethical foundations for effective counseling, real-world pre-professional training through an in-house training clinic and a wide array of internship placements.
Salary and Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report projects "much faster than average job growth" in the mental health counseling profession. Job growth in Ohio is expected to parallel this national trend.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ reports a median annual salary of approximately $43,000 for graduates, with career advancements and salary increases in Ohio likely within three years after initial licensure (when an independent license is obtained).
6 month post-graduation employment rate is approximately 85%. Approximately 90% of graduates are employed at community mental health agencies, including Greenleaf Family Center, Portage Path Behavioral Health, Phoenix Rising Behavioral Healthcare, Community Health Center. Approximately 10% of graduates work for private practices, employee assistance programs or hospitals.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Why Akron?
Required coursework in addiction counseling, prepracticum (for clinical practice readiness), and coursework on professional identity and ethics beyond accreditation standards. Specialty elective coursework on counseling children, adolescents, and families. Specialty training through a nationally renowned in-house mental health clinic, and a much wider array of internship placements than many similar programs. These qualities result in a very high licensure examination pass rate and post-graduation employment rate.
- CACREP accreditation since 1985 (a founding CACREP-accredited program). (Note: The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is currently accredited under CACREP 2001 standards as a community counseling program. The CACREP 2009 standards combine the community counseling and mental health counseling standards into standards for Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs. The counseling program intends to seek accreditation as a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program when it comes up for reaccreditation approximately 2016.)
- International recognition, including over 23 student/program counseling awards since 1985 (one of the most internationally awarded chapters of Chi Sigma Iota– counseling honor society).
- An average pass rate of 97% on the state Professional Counselor licensure examination (i.e., National Counselor Exam) during the most recent state-wide administration (compared to a 79% national pass rate).
- Clinical training at the renowned Clinic for Individual & Family Counseling.
- A high internship placement and post-graduation employment rate (85%) compared to similar programs in Northeast Ohio.
- A diverse student population (active recruitment of students from differing ethnicities, ages, lifestyles, physical exceptionalities, genders, and nationalities).
- A unique academic focus on diversity, advocacy, and social justice work.
- Faculty diversity, including professional counselors, counseling psychologists, school psychologists, marriage/family therapists.
Contact Information
Contact Information:
Dr. Robert C. Schwartz, Program Coordinator
330-972-8255