Prospective students should address inquiries to the Psychology Department office coordinator or the Master in Mental Health Counseling (MHC) graduate office coordinator.

The Master in Mental Health Counseling (MHC) prepares professional counselors to provide extensive mental health services within public and private agencies, as well as in private practice. The curriculum is designed to meet national counseling standards, so graduates will gain mobility in responding to changing employment needs throughout the U.S. Only the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) can determine such accreditation status. The MHC program has attained CACREP accreditation, and the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists has indicated that the curriculum meets the educational requirements for application for licensure as a licensed professional counselor.

The MHC program has also been designed to meet the majority of the educational requirements for application for licensure as a marriage and family therapist in California.

The MHC curriculum emphasizes practical application of theoretical foundations incorporating practicum and internship experiences throughout the program. Focus is on developing national counseling competencies in eight core areas: Professional Identity/Ethics, Social and Cultural Diversity, Human Growth and Development, Career Development, Helping Relationships, Group Work, Assessment, and Research and Program Development.

Admission Process

The deadline for applications for the next academic year is February 15. Students are required to submit two separate applications:

1. an SOU application for admission using the policies described in the Graduate Studies section, along with a $50 application fee; and
2. a Master in Mental Health Counseling application, which may be acquired by contacting MHC Graduate Office Coordinator Lori Courtney at 541-552-6947 or mhc@sou.edu. These applications are also available online at www.sou.edu/psych/mhc.