For a list of current tuition and fees, click here. There are a number of federal and state student aid programs available to qualified students. A financial aid counselor can assist you with questions related to your specific circumstances. Additionally, click here for information about scholarship opportunities to help you meet tuition costs.

If you have not done so already, secure a copy of your state’s credentialing requirements and compare it to the coursework and internship guidelines defined in the major in Clinical Mental Health Counseling University Catalog. If your state’s requirements differ from the course sequence checklist outlined in the university catalog, your studies can often be realigned to achieve your desired outcome. All students are required to take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) in their final term. The exam stimulates student integration of knowledge learned throughout the curriculum and gives comparative feedback on areas of strength and weakness.

Start dates occur each year in January, May, and August. The hybrid delivery model in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program offers students a blended online and residency-based academic experience. Students will attend three, three-day weekend residencies annually, along with full-featured online course delivery. Residencies are held at the Cincinnati, Ohio Academic Center. Students may complete this 60-credit program in 6 consecutive terms, or 2 years. In the past three years, our program has graduated an average of 14 students each year from around the country.

Our program prepares students for state licensure or national certification.  Graduates will qualify for supervised positions providing mental health services to individuals, groups and organizations in a variety of settings while completing the post-graduate clinical hours required for licensure in their state or certification at the national level.

While no program can guarantee licensure or certification to any individual, numerous external regulatory and state credentialing/licensing requirements for professional counselors were used in the design of the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. These include academic course requirements shared by states and stipulations made by national credentialing bodies for specific types of national certification. Prospective clinical mental health counseling students should review their state’s licensing requirements before matriculating into licensure-bound studies at Union Institute & University.

The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program has been awarded accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) . This accreditation is a testament to the strength of our graduate program, and the desire to provide the highest quality experience and instruction to our students. CACREP accredits master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling and its specialties that are offered by colleges and universities in the United States and throughout the world.

Please note: Completion of the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree does not automatically qualify you for certification or licensure in your state. Consult the appropriate state or national regulatory agency regarding licensure or certification requirements and processes for application. The ultimate responsibility regarding licensure or certification remains with the individual student and not with the institution.

During the 2016-2017 academic year, 10 students completed their Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The pass rates for students who took the NCE and/or NCMHCE credentialing exams, is 100% (7 students have taken the exam).  Of those graduating students, 100% completed their degrees in the expected completion time period as discussed in the graduate handbook.   Job placement rates immediately after graduation is at 90%.  Alumni have secured counseling positions in counseling agencies, schools, and counseling private practices.  Additionally 2 alumni from the 2016-2017 graduating class have begun to apply for doctoral programs in Counselor Education & Supervision.

The program annually compiles a report on the systematic program evaluation to ensure students are trained competently and ethically for preparation as professional counselors.  This information is posted yearly in November on our website so that students currently in the program, program faculty, institutional administrators, and personnel in cooperating agencies (e.g., employers, site supervisors) may review it.  An email is sent at time of publication so that all interested parties know when the report is available.

Click below to view the current annual report.