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Build professional skills that fit your career goals with an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
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.
MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program overview
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:
- Apply clinical mental health counseling theories and research to contemporary clinical practice.
- Deliver culturally and ethnically sensitive counseling/therapy services to clients.
- Think and write critically in the clinical mental health counseling discipline and professional practice.
- Apply the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics to professional behavior and practice.
- Communicate with sensitivity, understanding and respect in all professional interactions.
- Align clinical practice and professional development with state and national standards for clinical mental health counselors.
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:
- Admission application – no application fee required
- A bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or from an internationally recognized institution
- Your official bachelor’s transcripts, minimum grade point average of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale; if your GPA is lower, call enrollment services at 1-866-736-1751 to discuss alternate admission options
- Your official transcripts from all previous educational institutions, including any graduate or professional school coursework
- Two letters of recommendation completed by professionals who can assess your aptitude for graduate education in counseling
- Your resume or curriculum vitae
- A 3–6 page goal statement describing your interest and aptitude for clinical mental health counseling
- A valid, government-issued form of photo identification
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.
Choosing an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization
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.*
Learning outcomes
- Addiction Treatment and Recovery
- Child and Adolescent Counseling
- General 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
- Identify and apply ethical, legal and professional standards specific to addictions treatment and recovery.
- Integrate knowledge of addictions counseling theory, research and professional literature to choose activities that promote optimal well-being and recovery in individuals, families, groups and systems.
- Develop diagnoses and treatment plans or interventions for substance use disorders and other addictive behaviors that integrate awareness of multicultural and social justice competencies.
- Communicate in a manner that is ethical, scholarly, professional and consistent with the expectations for members of professional communities.
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
- Assess for legal responsibilities and applicable ethical standards for children and adolescents in a variety of professional settings.
- Integrate knowledge of counseling theory, research and professional literature to choose activities that promote optimal health and well-being in children/adolescents, families, groups and systems.
- Employ traditional or systems theories to explain the relationships between community systems, family systems and school systems that influence children and adolescents.
- Develop diagnoses and treatment plans/interventions for typical child and adolescent disorders that integrate awareness of multicultural and social justice competencies.
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:
- Apply ethical, legal and professional standards in counseling activities.
- Infuse multicultural counseling and social justice competencies into counseling activities to enhance counseling identity development.
- Integrate knowledge of counseling theory, research and professional literature to choose activities that promote optimal development for individuals, groups and systems.
- Communicate in a manner that is ethical, scholarly, professional and consistent with the expectations for members of professional communities.
*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.
Why choose the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Capella University?
Real-world learning
Enhance your skills with residency, practicum and internship experiences that integrate your knowledge with practice.
Focused curriculum
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.
Expert faculty
Our counseling faculty are highly qualified educators whose robust clinical and professional experiences enrich the learning environment and course room experience.