Master of Science in Counseling

The Master of Science in Counseling's clinical mental health counseling track is designed for students who want a broader curriculum in applied psychology with a goal of conducting evidence-based assessment and treatment of people with mental health concerns.

Program Description

Courses in this 60-credit program will give you the knowledge and tools to conduct clinical interventions with diverse groups of clients of all ages. You will explore methods, techniques, and best practices for helping clients cope more effectively with psychiatric diagnoses and other psychosocial stressors. In addition, you’ll complete 700 hours of supervised practicum/internship experiences.

What will I do as a clinical mental health counselor?

Upon graduation, you’ll be ready to apply for Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) credentials in Indiana. As a LMHC, you can:

• Practice in a range of settings and seek employment with nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, hospitals, inpatient and outpatient facilities, community clinics, and private practices.
• Assess and diagnose clients with a wide range of mental health concerns.
• Implement an array of evidence-based treatments to guide clients to improved psychosocial wellness.
• Know when and how to help clients obtain resources and services for improved quality of life, identify signs of abuse, and recognize those at risk for harming themselves or others.
• Establish a professional identity as a master’s-level scientist-practitioner.

Course Descriptions  Clinical Mental Health Program of Study

(For students who want to complete the school counseling track in addition to the mental health counseling track, a dual licensure program of study can be developed.)

When do classes start?

Program Description

Our 60-credit curriculum includes a range of required courses on relevant topics identified in the CACREP core competencies. It also includes 700 hours of supervised practicum/internship experience. Upon graduation, you will be prepared to:

• Pursue initial K-12 school counseling licensure through the Indiana Department of Education.
• Successfully complete Indiana’s CORE Assessments for Educators.
• Apply Indiana’s Rules for Educator Preparation and Accountability (REPA) standards.

All application materials are considered in making admissions decisions. In exceptional circumstances, students may be admitted with a GPA below 3.0.

No, the GRE is optional.

First-year classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays, and second-year classes are Mondays and Wednesdays. Classes start no earlier than 4 p.m. and end around 8 p.m. Once you begin your clinical training, you can expect to be at your training site on some or all of the other days. There will be occasional program activities that are outside of scheduled class times, and you will be provided these dates well ahead of time to make necessary accommodations.

The Marian University counseling program is an in-person, on-campus program, which we think is the best way to learn how to be a counselor. Most classes will be entirely in-person, while others will utilize a hybrid model, with some in-person time and some online time. While some classes in the school counseling program are offered online, it is rare for mental health counseling classes to be offered completely online.

Yes, and most of our students do have some kind of employment while they are in the program. It is important to know, however, that work schedules that are flexible or nontraditional (e.g. weekend and/or overnight hours) may be necessary. Because your clinical training will be mostly or entirely during normal work hours, a traditional full-time 9-5 job is likely not possible once you are on your practicum (10 hours/week) and internship (20-25 hours/week).

We have partnerships across Indianapolis and the surrounding areas with a wide array of service providers new training sites are being regularly developed. Hospitals, community mental health centers, counseling centers, and practices are all possibilities.

A few of the partnerships we have include:

• Brooke’s Place
• Indianapolis Public Schools
• Behavioral Health Academy
• Community Health Network
• Adult and Child Mental Health
• Eskenazi Mental Health Services
• The Brain Center

We provide students with a list of approved sites about a month after starting the program. You are welcome to reach out to other sites that you are interested in, but they must be reviewed and approved by program faculty or the director. 

The faculty provides you with the tools and the support to keep track of your hours for licensure and helps you through the process. Students are eligible to be considered for licensure in Indiana as soon as their diplomas are conferred, which is usually the end of June or/beginning of July.