General Program

Completion Requirements

• 90 total quarter credits
  • Foundation course (1 cr.)
  • Core courses (80 cr.)  
  • Field experience (9 cr.: Practicum: 100 hours; Internship: 600 hours)
• Professional Development Plan, program of study, Licensure Plan  
• 12 days of residency (Two 6-day residencies)

Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call an enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336.

Curriculum

The courses are delivered in a prescribed sequence. Each 12-week quarter, except for the first and ninth quarter, includes two concurrent 12-week courses.

 

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
	Quarter 1
COUN 6101	Foundations for Graduate Study in  Counseling	1
COUN 6100	Introduction to Mental Health Counseling	5
	Quarter 2
COUN 6306	Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling	5
COUN 6722	Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories	5
	Quarter 3
COUN 6316	Techniques of Counseling	5
COUN 6723	Multicultural Counseling	5
	Quarter 4
COUN 6360	Assessment in Counseling and Education	5
COUN 6215	Lifespan Development	5
	Quarter 5
COUN 6720	Diagnosis and Assessment	5
COUN 6753	Career Counseling	5
	Quarter 6
COUN 6326	Research and Program Evaluation	5
COUN 6726	Couples and Family Therapy	5
	Quarter 7
COUN 6250	Group Process and Dynamics	5
COUN 6785	Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation	5
	Quarter 8
COUN 6728	Substance Abuse Counseling	5
COUN 6743	Psychopharmacology	5
	Quarter 9
COUN 6336	Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster Response	5
COUN 6671	Counseling Practicum	3
	Quarter 10
COUN 6682A	Counseling Internship I	3
	Quarter 11
COUN 6682B	Counseling Internship II	3

Course Descriptions

For students interested in forensic psychology, Walden offers a M.S. in Forensic Psychology program. Learn more.  

For assistance in deciding which online degree specialization fits your goals, request information or speak with an enrollment advisor by calling 1-866-492-5336. A list of international toll-free phone numbers is available for students outside the United States.

Note on Licensure

Walden University’s M.S. in Mental Health Counseling is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a requirement for licensure in many states. The M.S. in Mental Health Counseling program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for licensing exams and to meet the academic licensure requirements of many state counseling boards. Walden enrollment advisors can provide guidance on licensure issues, state-by-state educational requirements, and internship and practicum requirements; however, it remains the student’s responsibility to evaluate and understand the licensure requirements for the state or international location in which he or she intends to work as requirements vary widely. Walden University makes no representation or guarantee that the completion of a degree or coursework for graduate credit will permit the student to obtain licensure.