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Capella’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is an online degree program that equips learners with a strong theoretical foundation in mental health counseling. You’ll gain knowledge and skills in wellness theory and research, relationship building, assessment and treatment, cultural competence and ethical practice. Focus your career path even further with a program specialization.
This program emphasizes the fundamental knowledge you need to help you succeed in clinical mental health counseling and the professional skills to put that knowledge to work. You’ll develop a specialized knowledge and a practical skill set that can prepare you to deliver culturally and ethnically sensitive counseling services to your clients.
In the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, your core courses help build a foundation of knowledge and strengthen your skills in key areas of clinical mental health counseling. From there, you’ll move into the coursework for your chosen specialization to grow your expertise as you prepare for your practicum and internship.
Graduates of this program will have an ability to:
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Accreditation and recognitions provide assurance that we meet standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, learner services and fiscal stability. See all our accreditations and recognitions.
*The FlexPath option for the project management specializations is not accredited by PMI-GAC.
Applicants to the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program must provide the following information for admission:
GRE and GMAT are not required for admission.
View full admission requirements for each Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization: Addiction Treatment and Recovery, Child and Adolescent Counseling, General Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
The total cost of your MS in Mental Health Counseling program will depend on your specialization, scholarships and finances, transfer credits, academic performance and other factors.
Find detailed tuition information and cost scenarios for each specialization: Addiction Treatment and Recovery, Child and Adolescent Counseling, General Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Every professional journey is different. Your chosen specialization can help you leverage your unique passions and interests for a career in clinical mental health counseling.*
The Addiction Treatment and Recovery specialization in the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed for graduate counseling learners who want to increase their knowledge of substance-related disorders and addictive behaviors.
Learners will expand their knowledge of addiction theory and treatment and intervention for individuals and groups. The curriculum also emphasizes developmental and multicultural considerations and ethical and legal issues associated with providing treatment or interventions for diverse populations.
Learners complete two foundational addiction courses and choose two out of three other courses specific to work with addiction and recovery.
Specialization outcomes
The Child and Adolescent Counseling specialization in the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed for graduate counseling learners who want to expand their knowledge, theory and best practices needed to support the social-emotional growth and development of children and adolescents.
Learners will gain more extensive knowledge of developmentally appropriate interventions related to play therapy, family therapy and treatment and intervention planning for typical childhood and adolescent disorders. The curriculum also emphasizes developmental and multicultural considerations and ethical and legal issues associated with providing therapy for diverse child and adolescent populations.
Learners complete two foundational play therapy classes and choose two out of three other courses specific to work with child and adolescent populations.
Specialization outcomes
The General Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization in the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed for graduate counseling learners who want to take advantage of maximum flexibility in choosing their additive course content.
Learners can select any four courses within the MS Counseling programs, including PLAY-prefixed programs,* to create their General specialization within the 90-credit MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.
*Prerequisite requirements may apply to COUN or PLAY courses
Specialization Outcomes:
*Capella cannot guarantee any specific job title, promotion, salary increase or other career outcomes. You will need to conduct your own research to understand what opportunities may be available to you. Note that some career paths may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure, certifications and/or other designations along with a degree.
Enhance your skills with residency, practicum and internship experiences that integrate your knowledge with practice.
Our curriculum is aligned with accreditation and professional standards and is designed to help serve today’s contemporary societal issues facing individuals, groups and families.
Capella University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through March 31, 2028.
Our counseling faculty are highly qualified educators whose robust clinical and professional experiences enrich the learning environment and course room experience.