Program Overview - The University of Oklahoma

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Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a fully online program conducted over 30 months. We offer both Fall and Spring program intakes. It features:

A curriculum that is rooted in the combat of systemic issues of inequity and in solutions that provide mental health access for all.
Built-in National Counselor Exam* preparation that empowers students to successfully become an LPC after graduation.
- 60 credit hours (online courses)
- 100-hour practicum (in person)
- 600-hour internship opportunity (in person)

Graduates of this program will benefit from multiple learning outcomes. They will have the opportunity to learn to:

Understand the outstanding problems facing social practitioners, including racism, sexism, poverty and human rights.
Explore and analyze a variety of counseling approaches.
Recognize a broad spectrum of psychopathological conditions.
Understand the effects of different medicines on mood and behavior.
Assess and evaluate the needs of people who are navigating mental health challenges and crises.
Investigate topics relevant to their own counseling experiences through research.

* This degree is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure and meets the educational requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma. Licensure requirements vary by state and students outside of Oklahoma should review their State Licensure board requirements.

Sample Course Sequence

Over the course of eight semesters, students will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to support those seeking mental health counseling. They will also earn a qualifying degree to sit for the National Counselor Exam.* During the program, students will complete a 100-hour practicum to get direct-service experience. At the end of the program, students will complete a 600-hour internship which provides the in-person and hours requirements for pursuing LPC licensure.

In addition to asynchronous coursework and live online class sessions, students will attend two residencies on the OU campus. During each residency, students will complete the experiential components of two courses by coming to campus and meeting all day for one week. This residential experience is a required part of the program, and students will need to cover their travel expenses. Scholarship opportunities for residency may be available but are limited in number.

We offer two program intakes: Fall and Spring.

2023 CMHC - Fall Start Cohort (4)					Credit Hours
Fall 2023					9
HR	5533	Counseling Theories in CMHC	16-wk	3
HR	5883	Introduction to the Counseling Profession	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5923	Human Growth & Development	8-wk (B)	3
Spring 2024					9
HR	5483	Diagnosis in Human Relations in Counseling	16-wk	3
HR	5453	Ethical Issues in Human Relations Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5643	Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Summer 2024					6
HR	5503	Research for Counseling	14-wk	3
HR	5593	Multicultural Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
Fall 2024					9
HR	5663	Psychopathology	16-wk	3
HR	5893	Psychopharmacology	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5433	Group Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Spring 2025					9
HR	5613	Assessment and Evaluation in Counseling	16-wk	3
HR	5463	Counseling in Human Relations	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5513	Couples and Family Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Summer 2025					6
HR	5283	Clinical Practicum	14-wk	3
HR	5633	Advanced Counseling Skills	8-wk (A)	3
Fall 2025					9
HR	5903	Internship in Human Relations I	16-wk	3
HR	5563	Career Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Spring 2026					6
HR	5903	Internship in Human Relations II	16-wk	3
HR	5413	Addictions/Chemical Dependency	8-wk (A)	3
HR		Final Project - Comprehensive	8-wk (B)	0
Total					60

2024 CMHC - Spring Start Cohort					Credit Hours
Spring 2024					9
HR	5533	Counseling Theories in CMHC	16-wk	3
HR	5883	Introduction to the Counseling Profession	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5923	Human Growth & Development	8-wk (B)	3
Summer 2024					6
HR	5503	Research for Counseling	14-wk	3
HR	5593	Multicultural Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
Fall 2024					9
HR	5483	Diagnosis in Human Relations in Counseling	14-wk	3
HR	5453	Ethical Issues in Human Relations Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5643	Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Spring 2025					9
HR	5663	Psychopathology	16-wk	3
HR	5893	Psychopharmacology	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5433	Group Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Summer 2025					6
HR	5613	Assessment and Evaluation in Counseling	14-wk	3
HR	5463	Counseling in Human Relations	8-wk (A)	3
Fall 2025					9
HR	5283	Clinical Practicum	14-wk	3
HR	5633	Advanced Counseling Skills	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5513	Couples and Family Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Spring 2026					6
HR	5903	Internship in Human Relations I	16-wk	3
HR	5563	Career Counseling	7-wk (B)	3
Summer 2026					6
HR	5903	Internship in Human Relations II	16-wk	3
HR	5413	Addictions/Chemical Dependency	8-wk (A)	3
HR		Final Project - Comprehensive	8-wk (B)	0
Total					60

2024 CMHC - Summer Start Cohort					Credit Hours
Summer 2024					6
HR	5503	Research for Counseling	14-wk	3
HR	5883	Introduction to the Counseling Profession	8-wk (A)	3
Fall 2024					9
HR	5533	Counseling Theories in CMHC	16-wk	3
HR	5593	Multicultural Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5923	Human Growth & Development	8-wk (B)	3
Spring 2025					9
HR	5483	Diagnosis in Human Relations in Counseling	16-wk	3
HR	5453	Ethical Issues in Human Relations Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5643	Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling	8-wk (B)	3
Summer 2025					6
HR	5663	Psychopathology	14-wk	3
HR	5893	Psychopharmacology	8-wk (A)	3
Fall 2025					6
HR	5613	Assessment and Evaluation in Counseling	16-wk	3
HR	5433	Group Counseling	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5463	Counseling in Human Relations	8-wk (B)	0
Spring 2026					9
HR	5283	Clinical Practicum	16-wk	3
HR	5633	Advanced Counseling Skills	8-wk (A)	3
HR	5513	Couples and Family Counseling	8-wk (B)	0
Summer 2026					6
HR	5903	Internship in Human Relations I	16-wk	3
HR	5563	Career Counseling	7-wk (B)	3
Fall 2026					6
HR	5903	Internship in Human Relations II	16-wk	3
HR	5413	Addictions/Chemical Dependency	8-wk (A)	3
HR		Final Project - Comprehensive	8-wk (B)	3
Total					60

Course Descriptions

Examples of courses students can take:

Theoretical Foundations of Human Relations

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course emphasizes skills training in counseling approaches utilized by human relations practitioners. The skills training is organized according to basic counseling and psychotherapy theories, including psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, existential-humanistic, multicultural, systemic, and integrative approaches. This course will examine several major theoretical approaches to counseling and psychotherapy with an emphasis on learning the theoretical frameworks and observing specific methods associated with each respective school.

Ethical Issues in Human Relations Counseling

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course introduces ethics, ethical reasoning, ethical decision-making, and standards of ethical practice in counseling and other professions. Students will take a deeper look at ethical dilemmas that Clinical Mental Health Counselors may face through readings, discussions, case studies, and videos. Topics include multiculturalism, diversity issues, confidentiality, ethical issues in specific counseling settings, boundaries, professional training and competence, as well as ethical supervision and social justice perspectives.

Psychosocial Development

Credits: 3

Course Description: In this course, students will explore development through the human life span from a psycho-social approach and will examine theoretical approaches from the mid-twentieth century to recent theoretical perspectives. This course is designed to provide a foundation in Psycho-Social Development from a theoretical and clinical perspective and to meet the learning objectives of students on the CMHC licensing track.

Diagnosis in Human Relations Counseling

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course examines the issue of diagnosis from the perspective of the counseling professional trained in Human Relations. Students will develop the skills needed to make an accurate diagnosis according to the standards of the American Psychiatric Association, but at the same time, to consider various diagnoses from a creative, humanistic, and critical perspective. In addition, we discuss many related issues, such as multiculturalism and social justice, which are of major concern when considering a diagnosis. 

Introduction to the Counseling Profession

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course examines the historical, contemporary, clinical, and training issues in the practice of mental health counseling in community agencies. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of family, social networks, and community systems in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders. Course topics include professional roles and responsibilities, functions of clinical mental health counselors, professional organizations, state and national credentialing, counselor advocacy and self-care. Additionally, students will be provided with an in-depth understanding of the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and the National Counselor Examination.

Crisis Intervention

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course is designed to provide an overview of crisis and disaster intervention strategies for the professional counselor that addresses areas including, but not limited to, crises of suicide, homicide, disability due to a mental illness, domestic violence, school violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, and disaster response. A secondary focus of the course is on secondary traumatic stress (STS), vicarious traumatization, and compassion fatigue with the critical nature of self-care for helping professionals that have been adversely impacted by the trauma experienced by themselves, their clients, and family members.

Psychopathology

Counseling Children, Adolescents and Family

Assessment and Evaluation in Human Relations

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course provides students an overview of clinical and social assessment procedures used in counseling settings including career and life planning, personality, and mental health assessments. Emphasis is placed on a thorough examination of diagnostic classifications for mental disorders. Additionally, students will also develop a working knowledge of assessment skills along with a bias-free multicultural perspective, and ethical issues applicable to assessment.

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The University of Oklahoma is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.