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Our Program’s Vision
We are pioneers in training clinical mental health counselors who are sensitive to cultural differences and knowledgeable about psychodynamic theory so they can support and advocate for people’s mental wellness.
Our Program’s Mission
Our goal is to train students to become skilled counselors, mental health advocates, and leaders across the country by providing cutting-edge clinical mental health counselor training that is based on modern psychodynamic theory, best practices from multiple perspectives, and a multicultural worldview.
Program Objectives
On completion of our degree students will:
- Possess an in-depth understanding of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Recognize methods for incorporating psychodynamic theory and cutting-edge best practices into clinical work.
- Showcase reflective counseling abilities that have been honed through in-depth and closely supervised clinical work.
- Show a deep understanding of multiculturalism that embraces and promotes the values of equity, diversity, and social justice.
- Embody a professional counselors identity
- Showcase a scientific mindset, interest in scholarship, and profession-centered activities.
The Essence of Our Vision, Mission, and Objectives
Our educational strategy can increase clinical judgments’ capacity for cognitive complexity. The program’s psychodynamic principles encourage students to investigate unconscious forces that can have a significant impact on identity, values, and experiences. These forces are frequently rooted in the past. We urge students to pay attention to how the past—both their own and that of their clients—is woven into the present. Students can better understand their clients’ experiences and assist them in living freely and purposefully in the present by intentionally reflecting on the past. The aim is to break free from the chains of the past for a richer, more genuine life in the present. Our program places a strong emphasis on two core experiences to amplify the psychodynamic lens: reflective practice and thorough immersion in multiculturally competent clinical work.
Emphasis on Reflective Practice
We provide students with chances to consider their training experiences in a welcoming setting. Students investigate their professional and personal strengths in this setting, look at learning obstacles and struggles, and come up with coping mechanisms for navigating the training process. Three powerful experiences are the building blocks of reflective-practice training.
- Reflective Practitioner Supervision (RPS)- During the practicum, students meet once a week with an experienced practitioner in small groups for RPS. We stress the significance of comprehending client transference and therapist countertransference, recognizing personal biases that interfere with therapeutic objectivity, and removing obstacles that prevent one from being fully present with one’s clients. To prepare them for working with clients across cultures effectively, instructors strongly advise students to develop a keen awareness of their own social and cultural identities, power, and privilege.
- Group Dynamics Immersion (GDI) is a three-day group experience led by teams of seasoned practitioners that students take part in during their practicum. The GDI is a living laboratory where students examine their intra- and interpersonal styles, group and institution dynamics, and personal, cultural, and social identities. A component of the group dynamics coursework called the GDI fosters strong experiential learning that has an impact on other program experiences. Students are urged to use their understanding of their subconscious processes, covert behaviors, and interpersonal dynamics in both their professional and personal lives.
- Students under Case Conference Supervision (CCS) during their internships meet with seasoned professionals once a week. As clinicians-in-training, students in CCS discuss difficult cases and investigate how their clients’ social and personal identities affect case conceptualization and the therapeutic process. Here, students explore the difficulties of real-world mental health practice, bringing our coursework to life. In CCS, students evaluate their therapeutic efficacy and get mentoring to address problem areas.
Comprehensive Immersion in Clinical Work
Students are immersed in clinical work from the beginning of their degree path or frequently while taking courses in counseling methods. By exposing students to real-world situations, this approach is supported by experiential coursework and reflective supervision. Students are given the knowledge and clinical skills they need at every stage of their professional counseling development to quickly pick things up. Students entering the counseling field who have training in psychology or human services as well as paraprofessional experience are catered to by our program. Such backgrounds facilitate rapid acquisition of knowledge and abilities in mental health We also provide a “career-changers” pathway that starts with introductory courses and is intended for people who are changing careers or education and are entering the counseling field with little training in human and social sciences or human and social services. Before beginning the immersive clinical training phase outlined above, part-time degree path students take a variety of academic courses.
- Students work in the clinical setting 9–16 hours per week during the practicum training year. They finish at least 50 hours of in-person therapy and get close to 100 hours of group and individual counseling. Additionally, students take part in the Group Dynamics Immersion and weekly meetings with Reflective Practitioner Supervisor groups.
- Students work 20 to 24 hours a week at a clinical field site during their internship year. They finish a 600-hour internship experience that includes at least 240 hours of face-to-face counseling and at least 85 hours of clinical supervision and Case Conference Supervision. The internship placement is as closely as possible matched to the student’s chosen field of study.
Additional resources:
Visit Masters Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Contact Deidre Hicks Coordinator of Education Programs 847-733-4300 ext 205
The requirements listed below are in addition to, or go further than, those stated in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
Total Units Needed On-Site: Two-Plus Curriculum 27 units, Standard Curriculum 24 units
Online total units required: 24 units for the standard curriculum and 27 units for the bridge curriculum.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| COUN 406-0 | Research Methods in Counseling |
| COUN 406-6 | Research Methods in Counseling |
| COUN 411-0 | Psychodynamic Counseling: Individuals and Systems |
| COUN 411-6 | Psychodynamic Counseling: Individuals and Systems |
| COUN 412-0 | Group Counseling Theory and Practice |
| COUN 412-6 | Group Counseling Theory and Practice |
| COUN 413-0 | Human Growth and Lifespan Development -2 |
| COUN 413-6 | Human Growth and Lifespan Development -2 |
| COUN 414-0 | Human Growth and Lifespan Development |
| COUN 414-6 | Human Growth and Lifespan Development |
| COUN 415-0 | Psychopathology and Diagnosis in Counseling |
| COUN 415-6 | Psychopathology and Diagnosis in Counseling |
| COUN 416-0 | Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy |
| COUN 416-6 | Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy |
| COUN 417-0 | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
| COUN 417-6 | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
| COUN 419-0 | Contemporary Issues in Career Counseling |
| COUN 422-0 | Family, Marital and Couple Counseling |
| COUN 422-6 | Family, Marital and Couple Counseling |
| COUN 423-0 | Assessment in Counseling- 2 |
| COUN 423-6 | Assessment in Counseling- 2 |
| COUN 425-0 | Advanced Research Methods in Counseling |
| COUN 425-6 | Advanced Research Methods in Counseling |
| COUN 426-0 | Assessment in Counseling |
| COUN 426-6 | Assessment in Counseling |
| COUN 427-0 | Career and Lifestyle Planning |
| COUN 427-6 | Career and Lifestyle Planning |
| COUN 429-0 | Human Sexuality |
| COUN 429-6 | Human Sexuality |
| COUN 430-0 | Vocational Assessment in Counseling |
| COUN 436-0 | Counseling Children and Adolescents |
| COUN 436-6 | Counseling Children and Adolescents |
| COUN 440-0 | Play Therapy Methods |
| COUN 440-6 | Play Therapy Methods |
| COUN 451-0 | Special Topics in Counseling |
| COUN 451-6 | Special Topics in Counseling |
| COUN 452-0 | Addictions Counseling |
| COUN 452-6 | Addictions Counseling |
| COUN 453-0 | Evaluation and Treatment of Trauma |
| COUN 453-6 | Evaluation and Treatment of Trauma |
| COUN 454-0 | Evaluation and Treatment of Trauma – 2 |
| COUN 454-6 | Evaluation and Treatment of Trauma – 2 |
| COUN 455-0 | Introduction to Psychopharmacology |
| COUN 455-6 | Introduction to Psychopharmacology |
| COUN 479-1 | Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| COUN 479-2 | Introduction to Clinical Interviewing |
| COUN 479-3 | Contemporary Topics in Counseling |
| COUN 479-6 | Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| COUN 479-7 | Introduction to Clinical Interviewing |
| COUN 479-8 | Contemporary Topics in Counseling |
| COUN 480-1 | Methods 1: Introductory Counseling Skills |
| COUN 480-2 | Methods 2: Advanced Counseling Skills |
| COUN 480-3 | Methods 3: Skills for Social Justice Advocacy, Outreach and Prevention |
| COUN 480-6 | Methods 1: Introductory Counseling Skills |
| COUN 480-7 | Methods 2: Advanced Counseling Skills |
| COUN 480-8 | Methods 3: Skills for Social Justice Advocacy, Outreach and Prevention |
| COUN 481-0 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling-0 |
| COUN 481-1 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling-1 |
| COUN 481-2 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling-2 |
| COUN 481-3 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling-3 |
| COUN 481-6 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling -1 |
| COUN 481-7 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling -2 |
| COUN 481-8 | Supervised Practicum in Counseling -3 |
| COUN 482-0 | Supervised Internship in Counseling -0 |
| COUN 482-1 | Supervised Internship in Counseling-1 |
| COUN 482-2 | Supervised Internship in Counseling-2 |
| COUN 482-3 | Supervised Internship in Counseling-3 |
| COUN 482-4 | Supervised Internship in Counseling-4 |
| COUN 482-6 | Supervised Internship in Counseling 1 |
| COUN 482-7 | Supervised Internship in Counseling -2 |
| COUN 482-8 | Supervised Internship in Counseling -3 |
| COUN 483-1 | Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling |
| COUN 483-2 | Multicultural Counseling |
| COUN 483-3 | Professional Topics in Counseling |
| COUN 483-6 | Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling |
| COUN 483-7 | Multicultural Counseling |
| COUN 483-8 | Professional Topics in Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| COUN 484-1 | Individual Diagnosis and Assessment |
| COUN 484-2 | Individual Diagnosis and Assessment |
| COUN 484-3 | Individual Diagnosis and Assessment |
| COUN 485-1 | Advanced Internship In Counseling |
| COUN 485-6 | Advanced Internship In Counseling |
| COUN 489-6 | Advanced Research Colloquium |
| COUN 491-0 | Colloquium in Counseling |
| COUN 491-6 | Colloquium in Counseling |
| COUN 499-0 | Capstone in Counseling |
| COUN 499-6 | Capstone in Counseling |
| COUN 540-0 | Play Therapy Methods in Counseling |
| COUN 540-6 | Play Therapy Methods in Counseling |
| COUN 582-2 | Supervised Internship in Counseling |
| COUN 582-3 | Supervised Internship in Counseling |
| COUN 584-0 | Advanced Internship in Counseling |
College Admissions: Inside the Decision Room
FAQ
Is a Counseling degree worth it?
For many students, a master’s degree in mental health counseling is worthwhile. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 12% job growth in community and social service occupations over the next 10 years, much faster than the average for all occupations
Does UNT have a good Counseling program?
The University of North Texas’ graduate counseling program is regularly rated as one of the best in Texas and among the nation’s best programs for preparing counselors. Our master’s degree programs in science and education will prepare you to work in a range of counseling environments, including:
Is Northwestern University Cacrep accredited?
The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a reliable foundation for independent practice licensure in most states, has accredited our program.
What is the difference between a MA and a MS in Counseling?
While a master of arts in counseling is the best option for students with a general bachelor’s degree, such as English, an MS degree is best suited for students who have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a closely related field. These courses are made to include laboratory work, scientific investigation, evaluation, and analysis.