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Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Degree Requirements
Department of Applied Psychology, 2007-2008
Special Requirements for All Programs in the Department of Applied Psychology
Because these are programs of professional preparation, students must meet professional as well as academic standards. The Department of Applied Psychology adheres to the code of ethics of the following organizations: The American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy, The American Counseling Association, the American Mental Health Counselors Association, and the American Dance Therapy Association, and also requires that students manage their personal issues so as not to affect their work or their clients adversely. Questions about personal/professional competence or ethical conduct will be discussed with the student before any administrative action is taken. If resolution cannot be made at the departmental level, the issues may be referred for more formal resolution through the Student Grievance Procedure.
Policies and procedures employed by the Department of Applied Psychology in evaluating academic, clinical, interpersonal effectiveness, and professional behavior can be found in the Department of Applied Psychology Handbook.
Certification and Licensing
Graduates of the Department of Applied Psychology may apply for professional credentials, recognizing their level of training and experience. Credentials may be granted by national professional boards/organizations or by the regulatory boards of individual states.
Generally there are three levels:
Licensure
is a legislatively established form of regulation. It may protect the practice of an occupation as well as the title. This makes it the most desirable, both for public protection (its primary purpose) as well as for members of that profession. Only states may grant licenses. State licensure establishes standards for insurance payers to use in identifying qualified practitioners. Examples of titles under current usage are licensed clinical mental health counselor, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, substance abuse and addictions counselor, or creative arts therapist.
Certification
is a process of verifying one’s professional qualifications. State laws may establish certification; national professional organizations/boards may also certify. Most often this includes a written examination of one’s knowledge in the field. The National Board of Certified Counselors offers certification as a National Certified Counselor and several specialty certifications. Certification for drug and alcohol counselors is available both through professional organizations and through state certifying bodies. Certifications, memberships, and registries are not generally recognized by insurance payers, but are useful to the public in assessing a practitioner’s qualifications.
Registry or Roster
usually refers to a listing of those using a title or providing a service. Registries can be with the profession or with the state. Some states require rostering in order to practice. Clinical Membership in AAMFT and Registry through the American Dance Therapy Association (American Dance Therapists—Registered) are examples of this level of credential. Vermont maintains a roster of unlicensed practitioners.
The legislature in each state establishes the criteria for licensure and an appointed board determines an individual’s eligibility for licensure. The Department has designed its programs to be consistent with the standards of the representative professional organizations. Individual states, many of which base their legislation on professional organization standards, vary as to specific coursework, number of hours of supervised practice, supervisor qualification, and other required criteria.
The Department of Applied Psychology recognizes the importance of licensing and certification as part of the preparation for professional practice and offers coursework and internships that allow students to achieve a licensable portfolio. However, because licensure is the sole province of the state regulating bodies, the Department cannot guarantee that students will be licensed or certified.
It is the students’ responsibility to obtain their state’s regulations and to meet specific state requirements. This is especially important since some states require that all coursework be completed within the graduate degree program, and will not allow courses to be added at a later date. Additionally, board membership changes and new legislation may alter licensure requirements or interpretation of these requirements during a student’s program. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and to meet these requirements. The cost of any coursework over and above that required for the student’s program is the responsibility of the student, including the cost of meeting any future changing regulations.
Membership in state professional organizations and ongoing contact with licensing boards in their respective states will assist students in assuring their own eligibility for professional licensure. Core faculty of the Department are available for advice and counsel on licensing matters.
Changing State Licensing Requirements
ANE, while not responsible for actions of external licensing agencies, does intend to support both current students and graduates in meeting changing requirements. In doing so, we strive to be fair and consistent to all students. Therefore, if licensing requirements enacted by an external agency exceed the current degree requirements, the following options are available:
- For current students: additional coursework to satisfy licensing requirements (either existing courses or SISs). Current students may use elective credits, or if necessary, study an additional semester at an “extended rate” of tuition.
- For graduates: the opportunity to enroll as a Special Student in either the appropriate course or, as an exception, in an SIS, at the following rate: 50% of the Special Student masters per credit fee plus a comprehensive fee. This charge is less than the current per credit fee for matriculated masters students.
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
MA—62 credits
Students may enter the program in the Fall or Spring semesters. As a result of varying entry dates, the sequence of instruction for the first two semesters (for Fall enterers, fall and spring, for Spring enterers, spring and summer) varies somewhat, although the degree requirements for both entry points are the same.
The first year of the program is an introduction to the foundations of Mental Health Counseling theory and practice. In the second year, students continue to study the fundamentals of the profession, adding a professional seminar and a 600—hour practicum/internship experience which should include a supervised experience in individual, group, and systems interventions. This field experience requires a commitment of about twenty hours per week over the course of two semesters. Students who wish to use their current employment as a practicum or internship must consult with the director of clinical training for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.
In the third year of the program, at least three concentration seminars are taken. Research and Evaluation is required and the remaining two are selected from a variety of focused treatment or population courses such as: Cognitive behavioral approaches, advanced multicultural counseling, child and family counseling and expressive approaches to mental health counseling. Students also take professional seminar and complete a 600—hour internship to meet their more advanced training needs.
Required Courses are Listed Under Each Competency Area
Level One Requirements |
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Behavioral Science
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7 credits |
Individual Assessment and Intervention
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13 credits |
Group and Social Systems Assessment and Intervention
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6 credits |
Substance Abuse Counseling
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1 credit |
Professional Identity
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9 credits |
| Supervised Practicum | 2 credits |
| Supervised Internship | 3 credits |
| Total credits Level One | 41 credits |
Level Two Requirements |
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Major Areas of Concentration
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9 credits |
| Professional Seminar in Counseling | 6 credits |
| Supervised Internship | 6 credits |
| Total credits Level Two | 21 credits |
Total Credits for MA in |
62 credits |
60 credit minimum if any required courses are waived.
All waivers must be submitted to the Registrar’s office in writing.
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a Specialization in Substance Abuse/Addictions Counseling
MA—62 credits
Students may enter the program in the Fall or Spring semesters. As a result of varying entry dates, the sequence of instruction for the first two semesters (for Fall enterers, fall and spring, for Spring enterers, spring and summer) varies somewhat, although the degree requirements for both entry points are the same.
The first year of the program is an introduction to the foundations of Mental Health Counseling theory and practice. In the second year, students continue to study the fundamentals of the profession, adding a professional seminar and a 600—hour practicum/internship experience which should include a supervised experience in individual, group, and systems interventions. This field experience requires a commitment of about twenty hours per week over the course of two semesters. Students who wish to use their current employment as a practicum or internship must consult with the director of clinical training for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.
In the third year of the program, three concentration seminars are taken. Research and Evaluation, Integrative Approaches to Addictions Counseling, and Family Counseling Approaches to Addictions. Students in this concentration must also complete a weekend course in psychopharmacology of substance abuse in addition to the required psychopharmacology for counselors. Students also take professional seminar and complete a 600-hour internship to meet their more advanced training needs.
Students must secure a different 600—hour internship to meet their more advanced training needs. One of the two internship/practicum years must be completed in a substance abuse treatment setting. Another year of Professional Seminar is completed, with emphasis in different professional issues such as understanding of licensure and legal and ethical issues, and making the transition to the professional role, as well as a focus in addictions counseling. Two weekend courses in psychopharmacology are required.
To earn the MA degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Substance Abuse/Addictions Counseling, a student must successfully complete a minimum of sixty-two credits, distributed as follows:
Required Courses are Listed Under Each Competency Area
Level One Requirements |
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Behavioral Science
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8 credits |
Individual Assessment and Intervention
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13 credits |
Group and Social Systems Assessment and Intervention
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6 credits |
Professional Identity
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9 credit |
| Supervised Practicum | 2 credits |
| Supervised Internship | 3 credits |
| Total credits for Level One | 41 credits |
Level Two Requirements |
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Major Areas of Concentration
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9 credits |
| Professional Seminar in Counseling | 6 credits |
| Supervised Internship | 6 credits |
| Total credits Level Two | 21 credits |
Total Credits for MA in Clinical Mental
Health |
62 credits |
60 credit minimum if any required courses are waived.
All waivers must be submitted to the Registrar’s office in writing.
Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy
MA—65 credits
To earn an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy, you must earn 65 credits, (a minimum of 60 credits if any required courses are waived), as distributed below. Students will complete a 250—hour practicum in the Fall and Spring of the first year of the program, and a 12-month, 1,000—hour internship, starting in May and extending through the Spring of their second year. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting agency for the accreditation of clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy at the master’s, doctoral, and postgraduate levels.
Required courses are listed under each Standard Curriculum Area Requirement as outlined by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
Level One Requirements |
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| Area I: Theoretical Knowledge | 6 credits |
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| Area II: Clinical Practice | 6 credits |
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| Area III: Individual Development and Family Relations | 3 credits |
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| Area IV: Professional Identity and Ethics | 3 credits |
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| Area V: Additional Learning | 12 credits |
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| Total Credits for the First Year | 30 credits |
Level Two Requirements |
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| Area II: Clinical Practice | 6 credits |
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| Area III: Individual Development and Family Relations | 6 credits |
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| Area V: Research | 6 credits |
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| Area VI: Additional Learning | 20 credits |
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Note: By the conclusion of the practicum and internship requirements, the student must have provided a minimum of 500 therapy hours including no fewer than 250 relational hours under approved supervision at the approved sites, and received no fewer than 100 hours of approved supervision, 25 hours of which must be live or videotaped therapy sessions and 25 of which must be live, videotaped, or audiotaped sessions directly observed by the supervisor. All COAMFTE clinical requirements must be adhered to by the sites and supervisors. The director of clinical training will provide current information and will assist MFT students to obtain an appropriate clinical site placement and supervision. |
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| Total Credits for the Second Year | 35 credits |
Total Credits for the MA in |
65 credits |
60—credit minimum if any required courses are waived.
All waivers must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office in writing.
Master of Arts in Dance Movement Therapy
and Counseling
MA—61 credits
The program typically takes two-and-a-half to three years to complete, entailing two days per week of classes. In your first year, you will take core classes in dance/movement therapy, two semesters of practica in dance/movement therapy as well as counseling courses.
During your second year, you will take advanced dance/movement therapy courses and additional counseling courses. You will also spend nine months over two semesters in a supervised counseling practicum/internship sequence, for 12 to 15 hours per week totaling 450 hours, and take a concurrent 6-credit Professional Seminar sequence.
You will begin your six- to nine-month dance/movement therapy internship (700 hours) during the fall of your third year. Internship sites range from the local New England area to locations throughout the country; international sites are also a possibility when supervision is available. (The internship must be supervised by an ADTR.)
Before graduation, each student must have taken a 3-credit course or its equivalent in Anatomy & Kinesiology. Documentation of this requirement must be submitted to the Program Director in order for degree requirements to be satisfied.
Graduates of the MA program are eligible for DTR registration from the American Dance Therapy Association. They must apply directly to the ADTA.
To earn the MA degree in Dance/Movement Therapy you must successfully complete a minimum of sixty-two credits, distributed as follows:
Required Courses are Listed Under Each Competency Area
Behavioral Science Foundations
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12 credits |
Individual Assessment and Intervention Strategies
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15 credits |
Group & Social Systems Assessment & Intervention Strategies
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6 credits |
| Professional Seminar | 12 credits |
| Practicum and Internship | 14 credits |
| Research and Evaluation | 3 credits |
Total Credits for MA in Dance Movement Therapy |
62 credits |
60— credit minimum if any required courses are waived.
All waivers must be submitted to the Registrar’s office in writing.
Please Note: An MEd in Dance/Movement Therapy is also available. Course requirements are the same as for the MA, but there is more flexibility in the type of internship and supervision allowed. Internships not supervised by ADTR’s, however, do not qualify the graduate for DTR registration. (62 credit minimum program)
Post-Master’s Certificate of Respecialization in Dance/Movement Therapy (Certificate)
32 credits
The Certificate Program is completed over two academic years (fall and spring semesters only). In the first year, you take core classes and practica in dance/movement therapy. During your second year, you take advanced dance/movement therapy courses. In order to earn the certificate, students must earn 32 credits, distributed as follows:
Required Courses are Listed Under Each Competency Area
Fall Semester, First Year
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11 credits |
Spring Semester, First Year
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11 credits |
Fall Semester, Second year
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6 credits |
Spring Semester, Second Year
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4 credits |
Total Credits for Dance Movement Therapy Certificate |
32 credits |
Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program
12 credits
The Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program is completed over two academic semesters starting in the fall. In the first semester students take six 1-credit introductory courses in autism spectrum disorders. During the second semester students take three additional 1-credit courses and take one 3-credit advanced specialty seminar.
Required Courses are Listed Under Each Competency Area
Fall Semester
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6 credits |
Spring Semester
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6 credits |
Total Credits for the Autism |
12 credits |
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