Clinical Mental Health and Rehabilitation Counseling
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CMHCRC) Master’s degree is offered fully online and has a clinical focus. The program is dually accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) and is the only program in Georgia with this dual designation. The combined mental health and rehabilitation curriculum prepares students for licensure as a professional counselor in their state of residence, as well as the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential, which is nationally portable.
This 60-credit hour program prepares students for practice through rigorous academic training and fieldwork experience that can be completed in their local geographic area. All core curriculum classes maintain a 1:10 faculty-to-student ratio, with fieldwork supervision maintaining a 1:6 ratio. Small class sizes offer individual attention for exploration of content with peers and professors.
Thomas University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling degree program is approved to offer students the opportunity to sit for their licensure and CRC exam after 75% of program coursework in completed. Students who pass their exams during program completion will graduate with their NCC and CRC already earned, improving marketability in the workforce.
A specialization in Alcohol and Addictions counseling can be attained by completing an additional 12 graduate level credit hours in this discipline.
“The advantage I enjoy every day on my job as an LPC Intern is only possible because of the outstanding education that I was privileged and honored to receive at Thomas University ”
– Randy Cribbs, 2019 CMHCRC graduate
+Mission
The mission of Thomas University’s CACREP-accredited graduate program in Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling degree is to create a dynamic learning environment that advances the intellectual and personal development goals of our students to work as professionals in the field of mental health and rehabilitation counseling, and to train students to effectively advocate on behalf of the clients they serve. The CMHCRC program accomplishes this through the following objectives:
Faculty will provide rigorous and intellectually challenging studies that require creativity, discipline, and personal responsibility.
Students will become competent in a variety of counseling areas, including but not limited to: theoretical foundations and techniques, ethical practice, case management, group work, crisis counseling, diagnostic procedures, cultural awareness and medical and psychosocial issues through the completion of 60-credit hours of coursework.
Students will learn through classroom, practicum and internship, and community experience how to address the needs of persons with physical, mental, emotional, and psychological disabilities and chronic illness in a manner that is consistent with the program’s mission of advocacy and awareness.
The CMHCRC program will provide students with the curriculum content that abides by CACREP standards for state licensure as a professional counselor in all states, and students are eligible to sit for the NCE/NCMHCE and CRC as early as successful completion of 75% of program coursework. Students need to check that state requirements for licensure in the state in which they reside are completed prior to graduation.
For students who previously graduated from a 48-credit hour program and are looking for additional coursework to apply for the CRC or state licensure, Thomas University offers a Bridge Program that can help non-degree seeking students to complete the academic requirements for these credentials. (See video on Bridge Program).
CACREP is a recognized agency by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and holds full membership status with the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA), and the International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE). TU is accredited under the 2009 CACREP standards which are available for review here (Hyperlink in standards).
Thomas University has been approved by the State of Georgia to participate in the National Council for State Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post-secondary distance education and pertains to approval of distance education courses that are offered across state lines by institutions that already have degree authorization in at least one state. As a participant in NC-SARA, Thomas University can offer distance education to any other SARA state member.
+Admissions
Students applying to the Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling program need to submit the following:
Psychosocial and Multicultural Aspects of Disability
Theories & Techniques of Counseling
The Helping Professional: Case Management & Community Resources
Theories and Techniques of Group Counseling
Assessment and Evaluation
Psychopathology and Diagnosis
Ethics and Professional Orientation
Foundations of Career Development and Job Placement Services
Human Sexuality
Research and Program Evaluation
Counseling Practicum (100 hours)
Counseling Internship I (450 hours)
Counseling Internship II (450 hours)
Marriage and Family Counseling
Human Growth & Development
Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Capstone
CIP Code 51.1504
The Alcohol and Addictions specialization is available to students pursing the master's program in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and Mental Health Counseling and is in addition to the required coursework.
Alcohol and Addictions Specialization 12 Credits
Ethics in Alcohol and Addictions
Co-Occurring Disorders and Trauma
Psychopharmacology
Counseling Internship III
TOTAL CREDITS 72
CIP Code 51.1504
For those who hold a graduate degree in counseling but graduated with less than 60 credit hours and are excluded from licensure eligibility as an LPC or LMHC in their state, TU's Bridge program is an excellent opportunity to take additional counseling coursework to meet the 60-graduate credit hour requirements.
Licensure applicants can also meet additional licensure requirements by taking courses such as Psychopathology & Diagnosis, Human Growth & Development, Psychopharmacology, Crisis & Trauma Counseling, Substance Abuse Counseling Methods, and Human Sexuality as post-graduate studies.
This program also benefits college graduates who wish to gain Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling certification.
Courses are offered online in an asynchronous format that affords working professionals the opportunity to complete these courses while maintaining their busy lifestyles.
Program Cost:
$3,500 (no fees) if 3 courses are needed
$4,600 (no fees) if 4 courses are needed
*Financial Aid is not available for the Bridge program. Payment options are available.
Students who graduate from our program are eligible to become a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) by passing the National Certified Rehabilitation Counseling Exam. Today, there are more than 35,000 Certified Rehabilitation Counselors practicing in the US, and employers look for this certification to ensure a quality rehabilitation-counseling workforce. Students are eligible to take the exam once 75% of core curriculum is completed. Enrolling in the Master’s Capstone in the semester students plan to test, or in the semester just before testing, results in the greatest pass rate for examinees. Information about the CRC application process can be found at the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) website.
Our students are also eligible to become Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors and Licensed Mental Health Counselors depending on state of practice. Thomas University is approved to offer the NCE or NCMHCE to all students prior to graduation. Again, completion of 75% of core curriculum must be completed prior to endorsement for testing. Examination windows are only open in the Spring and Fall and must be preapproved in the semester prior to testing. Our fully online curriculum is designed to provide all rehabilitation and mental health counseling students with the opportunity to take the courses needed to be able to accrue post-graduate hours towards LPC or LMHC. More information can be found at http://www.nbcc.org or by visiting your state’s professional licensure website.
Thomas University's Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Grant enables scholarships for graduate students with a strong desire to serve disabled populations as a Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counselor and have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. For more information regarding the RSA Scholarship, please contact Theresa Neubauer or Pauline Patrick.
Rho Chi Sigma Honor Society Grant
This grant is for an incoming Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling students each Spring Semester. A student is nominated by a faculty member, and an officer of Rho Chi Sigma in the Fall Semester, and the chosen student is awarded the grant at the yearly induction ceremony. Students who show school spirit, a willingness to serve others, and a dedication for advocacy are the key elements sought when nominated. Funds vary from year to year but range from $200-$500 per year.
Graduate Assistantship
Applicants must be accepted and in good standing as a student in the graduate program supporting the assistantship.
Work Hours in Exchange for Tuition:
15 hours for 15 weeks (one semester) -- 225 total hours for 9 credits’ tuition remission
8 hours for 15 weeks (one semester) – 120 total hours for 5 credits’ tuition remission
Application Process
Applicants must complete the Graduate Assistantship Application by each semester deadline – November 15 (for spring) and July 15 (for fall).
Applicants submit application to Financial Aid who will forward all applications to the graduate program division chair for his/her selection for each semester. The selected student is subject to a criminal background check.
Graduate assistants may receive the assistantship a maximum of two semesters.
Graduate Assistantship Duties
Assistantship positions are designed to provide the student with a meaningful work experience in the field of study while enabling and/or supporting a division project or initiative. Duties and responsibilities are described in assistantship position descriptions posted each semester.
The division chair or a designated faculty member designated is responsible for supervising the graduate assistant.
Supervision is aided by required submission of a task list and work hours log given to the supervisor by the end of each month of the semester.
The supervisor will complete a mid-term evaluation to ensure that the graduate assistant is meeting the assignment objectives, as well as an end-of-semester evaluation providing summative documentation of the work accomplished, its quality, and timeliness.
+Bridge Program
The Division of Counseling and Psychology offers an online Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Bridge Program for those who wish to pursue post-masters counseling licensure but hold a Master’s degree in Counseling with less than 60 credit hours. The Bridge Program can be completed in one semester or over several semesters enabling the student to meet the 60-hour credit requirement in order to be licensure eligible for Professional Counselor or Mental Health Counselor. The following online courses are offered:
Human Sexuality
Human Growth and Development
Psychopathology and the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
Substance Abuse Counseling Methods
For instructions on how to find out specific licensure requirements related to your state, refer to the following video where Dr. Pauline Patrick walks you through the steps:
+Careers
Graduates of Thomas University’s Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling degree program will be prepared to enter a variety of career environments based on the individual’s passion for helping people. A Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and Licensed Practical Counselor (LPC) credential informs employers that our graduates are competent in a full range of clinical areas including ethics, counseling theories and techniques and diagnosis to name a few.
Vocational Rehabilitation, mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling, educational counseling, correctional counseling, crisis counseling and family counseling are a few of the disciplines that our graduates find employment. A master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling allows our students to choose from some the following employment opportunities:
Community, state and private agencies
Vocational Evaluation
Supported Employment Specialist
Independent living programs
Case Management
Assistive technology Specialist
Crisis/Trauma workers
Veterans Affairs
Addiction and Recovery Specialists
Family Counselors
Social Service Agency Managers
Corrections and Rehabilitation
Mental health hospitals
Private practice
Forensic Rehabilitation
Workers Compensation
Job development
Hospice
Nursing Homes
And many more!
Resources and Professional Organizations
American Counseling Association
American Rehabilitation Counseling Association
American Mental Health Counseling Association
Licensed Professional Counselors Association
National Rehabilitation Association
National Council for Rehabilitation Educators
Careers in Vocational Rehabilitation
National Clearinghouse for Rehabilitation Training Material
World Institute on Disability
National Council on Disability
Rehabilitation Services Administration
+Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society
CSI is an international honor society that values academic and professional excellence in counseling. By promoting a strong professional identity through members (professional counselors, counselor educators, and students), CSI contributes to the realization of a healthy society by fostering wellness and human dignity.
Founded at Ohio University in 1985, Chi Sigma Iota has over 96,000 members who have been initiated into the Society, and growing by over 6,000 new members per year. They are affiliated with campus-based chapters contributing to their counselor education programs and communities. Chapters are supported at least in part by funding from CSI.
One of the largest associations of professional counselors in the world, CSI’s annual active membership is equally balanced between professional and student members. Among the professional members, over 1,600 are counselor educators and supervisors while the remainder are practicing counselors in all settings and specialties of counseling. CSI activities occur primarily through our active chapters located in counselor education programs in five regions in the United States and in counselor training programs beyond U.S. borders.
Thomas University’s Chi Sigma Iota
Thomas University founded the first “Rehabilitation Counseling” chapter in the Honor Society’s history, and we are proud of our Chi Sigma Iota chapter, “Rho Chi Sigma.” Over the years, we have expanded our chapter to incorporate an annual plan that includes advocacy for multiple local charities. We provide outreach to various local communities and offer students the chance to be active members of our chapter through leadership and participation efforts to spread the efforts of the counseling profession. Our chapter offers yearly training seminars to our members, access to nationwide networking sites, free webinars, and research material to support the counseling field.
Students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and whom have completed at least three full time semesters can request review for induction. Our student run organization has an active Facebook page that once inducted you are asked to join. Students are encouraged to run for office and elections are held yearly. We are a service led honor society, and charity and advocacy are our key goals each year. We strive to server others and welcome graduate students in the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program to join this amazing organization, and become part of a network of other members, that can assist you through your career of helping others.
CSI is an international honor society that values academic and professional excellence in counseling. By promoting a strong professional identity through members (professional counselors, counselor educators, and students), CSI contributes to the realization of a healthy society by fostering wellness and human dignity.