Across the vast landscape of Texas, there’s a silent struggle: countless individuals grappling with mental health challenges, often without adequate resources or proximity to quality care. The state’s geographical enormity can mean long journeys for those in remote areas, deterring many from seeking vital mental health services.
However, it’s not just the individuals seeking support who face challenges. Potential mental health professionals, eager to make a difference, often find traditional on-campus degrees limiting, time-consuming, and geographically restrictive.
Embracing innovation and recognizing the need for a flexible approach to education, Texas now offers online accredited clinical mental health counseling degrees. These programs offer a blend of robust curriculum, real-world application, and the flexibility of online learning. Whether you are in the heart of Houston or the plains of West Texas, an online clinical mental health counseling degree can be your gateway to a fulfilling career.
Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs in Texas
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online clinical mental health counseling programs in Texas:
Texas Tech University
If you are exploring the field of mental health counseling, it’s a profession dedicated to assisting people in dealing with mental or emotional difficulties. As a mental health counselor, you would work closely with individuals to help them navigate these challenges, offering strategies for coping and recovery.
You would be trained to support people with diverse behavioral health concerns, developing strategies to assist them in returning to optimal emotional functioning and living independently. Both one-on-one and group settings would be part of your responsibilities, with coordination among other health care providers.
One popular institution that offers education in this field isTexas Tech University’sClinical Mental Health Counseling program, established in 2017. This program is among the first to train counselors in both traditional clinical counseling skills and telehealth techniques, making use of technology to connect with clients remotely.
The program is a 60 credit-hour combination of core and specialty courses with 12 credit-hours of hands-on experience. You would study subjects like:
An emphasis on telehealth, a distance-based health care service, is an integral part of the Texas Tech program. Telehealth is becoming increasingly prominent nationwide and offers an innovative approach to counseling.
Upon completion of the program, you would be prepared with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to assist clients with mental health concerns. The program’s objectives include:
The entire program is available online, making it accessible for students in Texas, across the United States, and globally. It’s designed with flexibility in mind, catering to those who may be working full time or unable to pursue on-site studies.
Admission requirements include holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, preferably in a related area. All applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 semester hours of courses.
With start dates in both the Fall and Spring, the program’s admissions operate on a rolling basis. It’s advisable to complete the application, including all required documentation, as early as possible to secure a place in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
Texas A&M University – Kingsville
The Texas A&M University – Kingsvilleoffers the CACREP-accredited Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, which is fully online and spans 60 semester hours. This program meets the counseling licensure requirements for Texas.
The core goal of the program is to develop competent counselors equipped to work in diverse settings, such as mental health facilities and schools. The curriculum is rooted in understanding and embracing cultural diversity, ensuring graduates are prepared to serve a broad spectrum of individuals.
Some of the core courses that you will take include:
The program emphasizes:
The program integrates clinical courses, including practicum and internship, offering real-life application of theoretical knowledge. Through these courses, you will provide services to a diverse group of clients, gaining invaluable hands-on experience.
Upon completion of the program, graduates can pursue professional licensure. Passing theNational Counselor’s Examination (NCE)and theTexas Jurisprudence Examinationqualifies you for a temporary license. With this, you will embark on gaining practical experience under supervision. After accumulating 3000 hours of supervised practice, you can apply for a permanent license.
For admission into the program, the following are required:
Midwestern State University Texas
Midwestern State University’s60-credit online MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to equip you with cutting-edge research, advanced technology, proficient training, and supervision, ensuring readiness fora Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) career.
The program’s faculty will help you develop professional maturity, ethical integrity, competence, self-awareness, and a deep-rooted counselor identity. They also prioritize fostering an appreciation for cultural diversity and multicultural perspectives.
The program’s objective is to certify students as counselors, ensuring they are equipped with the essential skills to perform adeptly across various related environments, ready to address the complexities of a dynamically diverse society. A distinguishing feature is its teaching-centric approach, with a focus on faculty engagement.
The program offers the foundational coursework, training, and comprehensive supervision necessary for the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Upon acquiring the license, you can venture into diverse professional arenas, even including private practice.
During the program you will delve into a series of core courses, such as:
Upon graduation, you will be poised to serve in varied public or private sectors, possessing the requisite training and coursework to pursue a provisional license as a professional counselor.
The application prerequisites for this program include:
Lamar University
If you are keen on elevating your career in the mental health domain, consider the online M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lamar University. This program is designed especially for individuals like you with at least a bachelor’s degree and a desire to delve into clinical mental health counseling. You will be required to complete 60 hours of coursework tailored to mental health counseling.
Stepping into the shoes of a mental healthcare professional concentrated on clinical counseling empowers you to cater to a diverse range of patients across varied settings. When you feel the urge to ascend in your career, tailored graduate program in clinical mental health counseling at Lamar is at your disposal to meet your job aspirations and licensing prerequisites.
Your journey will begin with courses offered in a five-week format, allowing you to focus on one course per term. As you advance, you will transition into advanced rotation courses presented in 12 and 15-week formats. There will be moments, especially during the 15-week internship courses, where you can concurrently engage in two courses.
Recognizing the elevated standards associated with clinical counseling services within the mental healthcare landscape, Lamar’s M.Ed. program is structured to equip you to meet and exceed these benchmarks. The coursework encompasses foundational concepts, diverse counseling theories and techniques, and research methodologies.
As you delve deeper, your curriculum will narrow down, focusing on specialized cases like marriage, abuse, and crisis management. Moreover, before the culmination of your program, you will be exposed to critical discourses on ethics and the legal implications of your profession.
Central to the program are a Practicum and two Internship courses. These field experiences are your golden tickets to integrate and enact the knowledge and skills you have acquired. During these courses, you will be expected to uphold professional codes of ethics, functioning under the guidance of a university faculty member and a qualified site supervisor.
For the Practicum, requirements include:
For the Internship, requirements include:
By securing an M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasizing clinical services, a plethora of opportunities unfolds before you. You could be operating within public health institutions, educational establishments, or medical facilities, extending your expertise to individuals and families alike.
Our Lady of the Lake University
The Master of Arts in Counseling degree fromOur Lady of the Lake University (OLLU)is your gateway to a fulfilling career in the mental health field. Here, you will be equipped with the techniques, skills, and strategies pivotal for impacting lives positively.
With online courses that eliminate the need for on-campus residencies, you will master the skills essential to elevate your counseling career. You can select from three distinct specializations:
The program requires 600 internship hours and an additional 100 hours dedicated to practicum. The hands-on experiences from practicums and internships will prepare you with real-world skills to make a difference among clients of all ages and cultures.
A convenient online format and expert faculty for support will ensure your success as a student. The majority of the online coursework is asynchronous, providing you with the flexibility to shape your study schedule around your personal commitments. The curriculum is designed to align with the highest standards in the counseling realm.
On completing the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization, a myriad of opportunities will be at your disposal, encompassing public and private clinics, rehabilitation centers, and governmental entities that focus on social services.
Furthermore, you will be eligible to appear for the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Texas Jurisprudence Examination, positioning you to apply for the Licensed Professional Counselor status.
To apply, you will need to submit:
What Degree Do You Need to be a Mental Health Counselor in Texas?
To become a mental health counselor in Texas, specifically a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), you need to meet certain educational, exam, and experience requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the educational requirements and steps to achieve licensure in Texas:
