Home Counseling Curriculum

Marquette’s counseling curriculum is designed for your success.

Our online Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling offers the same course work as our on-campus CACREP-accredited master’s program. Grounded in the foundational skills and expertise gained from our experienced faculty, our online curriculum combines academic rigor with the flexibility of an online program. After earning your degree, you will be prepared to meet the educational requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin and in many other states.

To introduce you to the online learning platform, Desire to Learn (D2L), you will be required to complete a 0-credit hour, self-managed orientation. This required course will be available before the start of the program and will help familiarize you with the tools and resources available to you in D2L.

Courses for counseling degree programs

Most coursework can be completed on your schedule, but our online program includes five courses with synchronous components. Every week, students and their instructor will meet virtually to discuss and develop impactful counseling skills, including live response and interactive role play.

Clinical mental health counseling students will complete 60 credit hours: 15 core courses, 2 electives, 1 practicum course and 2 internship courses.

Students pursuing the child and adolescent counseling specialization will be required to complete the same number of credits: 15 core courses, 1 specialization course, 1 elective, 1 practicum course and 2 internship courses focused on child or adolescent treatment.

Learning through action

Counseling students are required to complete both their practicum and internship during the program. These opportunities provide students with hands-on experience in assessment, diagnosis, intervention, prevention and consultation.

Our team will help you find and connect with sites in the Milwaukee area or your region. Students pursuing the child and adolescent counseling specialization will need to choose a clinical mental health counseling site that aligns with their focus.

In the past, students have worked at outpatient centers, children’s hospitals, community centers, and other agencies and clinics. During their practicum and internship, students will meet weekly with a faculty member and a site supervisor. Usually students will complete both field requirements at the same clinical site.

The practicum is usually taken in the second year. Students must log a minimum of 40 hours of direct client service and 60 hours of indirect service, including paperwork, seminars and staff meetings. Students will complete their internship courses in their third year, completing 600 hours total. They should expect to spend 20 to 25 hours on site every week.

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Our program detail sheet is your guide to our online master’s in clinical mental health counseling.

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Core courses

COUN 6000: Introduction to Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Introduction to the philosophical bases, history and development of counseling as a profession. Includes an emphasis on ethical and legal issues, as well as a focus on counselor roles and functions in various settings and current issues in professional practice. Addresses active listening and provides training in entry-level counseling skills through a laboratory experience.

COUN 6003: Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Introduces the roles and perspectives of clinical mental health counselors. Focuses on the professional knowledge base, skills and practices that are essential for counseling in a wide variety of clinical mental health settings. Introduces mental health delivery models and concepts, prevention strategies, interventions with target populations, crisis intervention, disaster responses and interventions for clients with mental disorders and their families. Prerequisite: COUN 6000

COUN 6012: Professional Ethics and Legal Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Covers the ethical foundations and standards of the counseling profession. Focuses on how to apply ethical standards and legal and professional guidelines to situations faced by counselors in clinical mental health counseling settings. Discusses issues relevant to training, credentialing and professional issues in the field of counseling. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6020: Life-Span Human Development (3 Credit Hours)

An examination of the interaction among biological, psychological, social and cultural factors that influence human development over the life-span. Reviews theoretical frameworks describing optimal human development, as well as the developmental etiology of problematic behaviors. Discusses educational and counseling implications of these issues.

COUN 6030: Theories of Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Reviews and critically analyzes the major theoretical systems of counseling, as well as current research about counseling and therapy. Focuses on applying theoretical approaches and techniques to client conceptualization and counseling practice.

COUN 6040: Multicultural Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Covers current theory, research and practice approaches within the field of multicultural counseling. Explores the topic of cultural diversity across multiple aspects of identity, with a focus on implications for professional practice, including advocacy work. Prerequisites: COUN 6003 and COUN 6030

COUN 6050: Research Methods in Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Reviews theories underlying various research methodologies and the research process. Methods for needs assessment and program evaluation are considered. Includes development of a research proposal including the identification of a research problem and preparation of a research plan. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6060: Psychopathology and Diagnosis (3 Credit Hours)

Covers concepts of psychopathology and introduces methods of assessment and diagnosis for children, adolescents and adults with major mental disorders and personality disorders. Multiple perspectives of clients’ emotional and psychological distress, disturbances and behaviors are considered. Focuses on the development of students’ knowledge and skills to use the DSM diagnostic system while including acknowledgement of client strengths and resilience and the social and cultural context.

COUN 6070: Assessment in Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Introduction to the basic concepts and methods for the psychological assessment of individuals in school, work and mental health settings. Testing and assessment is presented within an ethical, social and cultural context. Students’ knowledge and skills to select, use and interpret selected standardized tests, checklists and rating forms are developed. Measures for assessing intelligence, achievement, personality, vocational interests and mental health issues are covered as is the use of clinical interviews to identify client issues. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6080: Career Development and Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Reviews theoretical approaches of career counseling and programming, as well as psychological, social and cultural factors that influence life-long career/vocational development. Components of career development programs and services are considered, as well as sources and uses of occupational and educational information. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6120: Group Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Purposes, functions, types and principles of group counseling. Dynamics of group interaction. Leadership of groups. Understanding of and ability to engage in and evaluate small group processes and relationships. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6130: Family Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Introduction to theoretical approaches and methods of family counseling. Overview of the history and current issues in family counseling. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6150: Addictions Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Introduction to theory and research about the prevention and treatment of substance abuse disorders. Emphasizes research-supported strategies and counseling skills designed to meet individual client needs. Prerequisites: COUN 6000, COUN 6030 and COUN 6060

COUN 6170: Trauma Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Examines the theories and research regarding trauma, trauma response and trauma counseling. Reviews the psychological and physiological effects of various types of trauma. Focuses on case conceptualization skills and a trauma informed perspective and approach to counseling. Prerequisite: COUN 6965

COUN 6180: Advanced Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling (3 Credit Hours)

Explores advanced counseling diagnosis, treatment planning and intervention skills based on evidence-based practice. Students learn how to implement a structured diagnostic interview, engage in differential diagnosis and develop treatment planning. An emphasis is placed on the application of cognitive-behavioral interventions for disorders identified in DSM-5, as well as student demonstrations of treatment interventions. Prerequisite: COUN 6965

Elective courses

COUN 6160: Counseling with Children and Adolescents (3 Credit Hours)

Those pursuing our child and adolescent counseling specialization are required to take this course as one of their electives.

Developmental stages and tasks of children and adolescents; theories and techniques of developmental and remedial counseling with children and adolescents; warning signs, possible causes and prevention and intervention strategies of behavior problems. Focuses on the assessment and integration of strength-based counseling approaches in counseling children and adolescents and addresses collaboration and consultation with families, schools and communities. Prerequisites: COUN 6000, COUN 6030 and COUN 6060

COUN 6090: Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Disabilities (3 Credit Hours)

Medical and psychiatric care and rehabilitation; physical restoration; etiology, prognosis and therapy of common disabling conditions. Theory of psychosocial, cultural and contextual aspects of disability and the effect on disability management and quality of life. Psychiatric rehabilitation interventions address community assertive treatment, independent living and the club house model. Prerequisite: COUN 6003

COUN 6986: Internship in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 Credit Hours*)

If their state requires 900 clinical hours for licensure, students can choose to complete a third internship course as an elective. Prerequisite: COUN 6965

Practicum and clinical courses

COUN 6965: Counseling Practicum (3 Credit Hours)

The supervised counseling practicum experience requires a minimum of 100 clock hours (including 40 direct hours) and leads to the development of counseling skills. Students are placed in settings that provide clinical training that is aligned with the general clinical mental counseling program or that is focused on their identified specialization (child-adolescent counseling). The practicum addresses clinical mental health counseling practice and professional issues relevant to each specialization. Prerequisites: COUN 6000, COUN 6003, COUN 6012, COUN 6020, COUN 6030, COUN 6060 and COUN 6120

COUN 6986: Internship in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 Credit Hours*)

Supervised counseling experiences in assessment, diagnosis, intervention, prevention and consultation. Students engage in the internship activities at approved sites. Three credits of internship require a minimum of 300 clock hours of practicum activities. Students are placed in settings that provide clinical training that is aligned with the general clinical mental counseling program or that is focused on their identified specialization (child-adolescent counseling). Addresses clinical mental health counseling practice and professional issues relevant to the specialization track. Prerequisite: COUN 6965

*Two internship courses are required (6 credit hours total).

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