Mental Health Counseling, MS

for the degree of Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling

The Master’s of Science in Mental Health Counseling is a two-year, 61-credit hour program. The face-to-face program emphasizes training in psychological science and cultural diversity in practice across the lifespan. Students receive extensive preparation in applied psychology and complete a 100 hour (about 7 hours per week) practicum during the first year and a 600 hour (about 18 hours per week) internship during the second year. Graduates from the mental health counseling and career counseling tracks are Illinois Licensed Professional Counselor (LCP) licensure eligible. Graduates may wish to seek further training at the doctoral level in an applied psychology area or to enter the counseling field as a Master’s level professional. 

Admission

Interested applicants should start at the College of Education Graduate Programs website. In addition to the application, the applicant is required to submit the following information: a statement of purpose, updated resume, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and three letters of recommendation. A scholarly writing sample in English (e.g., a master's thesis, article, or academic paper) is required for application to a doctoral program.

International applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency for admission. Please see the English Proficiency Requirement for Admission for additional information on this requirement.

Applications

Applicants must submit a complete application for university admission, including three letters of reference, transcripts from all schools where undergraduate and graduate degrees were awarded or expect to be awarded prior to the application enrollment term, and other items listed on the college website. Applicants to our doctoral program and M.S. in Mental Health Counseling apply for fall enrollment. Current deadlines are posted on our application deadlines page. 

Grade Point Average

The preferred department standard for grade point average is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The University calculates undergraduate GPAs on the last two years of grades for degreed applicants and in the last one year for students who have not yet completed their bachelor's degree. Graduate GPAs are calculated on the total of all graduate level courses taken beyond the undergraduate degree.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

International applicants must demonstrate English Language Proficiency for admission. Please see the English Proficiency Requirements for Admission for additional information on this requirement.

Area of Study Affiliation

Mental Health Counseling M.S. students must choose one of three areas of study for their practicum experience:

  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Career Counseling
  • Counseling and Developmental Sciences

Faculty Research Interests

To learn more about our faculty’s research areas, current grants, and recent publications, please visit our department homepage and/or visit the Faculty Finder. Our faculty pursue a wide range of research interests, offering graduate students many opportunities to collaborate and participate in meaningful research projects.

Center, Programs, and Institutes

Department faculty are affiliated with both research centers and institutes in the College of Education and across the university. These include The Beckman Institute, the Technology Innovation in Educational Research and Design initiative (TIER-ED), the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA), the Center for the Study of Reading (CSR), the Center for Social and Behavioral Science (CSBR), and others.

Financial Aid

The Master's program is a self-funded program with limited options available for financial aid through the university.  For more information about financial aid options at Illinois, please contact our financial aid office. It should be noted that on-campus employment opportunities that are available as assistantships for Ph.D. level students, are NOT available for Master's level students. Other types of on-campus work opportunities are possible.

for the degree of Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling

A list of programs and additional requirements can be found on the program's website, the College of Education Graduate Programs Handbook, and the Graduate College Handbook. 

Students will choose one of three areas of study for their practicum:

  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Career Counseling
  • Counseling and Developmental Sciences 
Human Growth & Development
Select one of the following:4
EPSY 405
Personality and Soc Dev
EPSY 407
Adult Learning and Development
EPSY 430
Early Adolescent Development
Assessment
Select one of the following:4
EPSY 413
PSYC 567
Personality Assessment
SPED 517
Disability Issues in Special Education
EPS 4054
EPSY 403Research Methods in Learning Sciences4
EPSY 419Counseling Psychology Pre-Practicum4
EPSY 420Theories of Psychotherapy4
EPSY 510Counseling Psych/Ethics ProSem4
EPSY 511Vocational Psychology Theories and Assessment4
EPSY 515Multicultural Counseling4
EPSY 520Counseling Psychology Practicum (A)4
EPSY 520Counseling Psychology Practicum (B)8
EPSY 521Group Counseling4
EPSY 590Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology (Substance Abuse)3
EPSY 590Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology (Family Therapy)3
EPSY 590Advanced Seminar in Educational Psychology (Psychopathology)3
Total Hours61

Other Requirements

Minimum GPA 3.0
Human Subjects Approval

for the degree of Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling

Department of Educational Psychology

Chair of the Department: Helen Neville
Director of Graduate Studies: H. Chad Lane
Graduate Admissions Information: Mitzi Koeberlein
Educational Psychology faculty
142 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-3542
gradservices@education.illinois.edu

College of Education

College of Education website
College of Education programs

Admissions

Graduate College Admissions & Requirements
College of Education Admissions & Requirements