º£½ÇÔÚÏß

To be considered for the clinical mental health counseling degree program at º£½ÇÔÚÏß, you need to demonstrate that you:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
2. Achieve undergraduate minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale with exceptions, on a case-by-case basis
3. Submit:
   • Online application
   • Official transcript from college/university where bachelor’s degree was conferred and from college/university where prerequisite courses were taken
   • Two confidential recommendation forms
   • Essay (prompt provided)
4. Faculty Interview

Note: Admission decision recommendations are made by the Counselor Education Program’s Faculty Selection Committee and include consideration of each applicant’s articulation of career goals, record of academic achievement, relevant preparation and experience, potential success in becoming a counselor, and attitude of openness to diverse cultures and people.

Statement of Diversity: º£½ÇÔÚÏß complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws and does not engage in unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, gender, disability, veteran status, race, color or national origin in any employment practice, admissions, education program or educational activity. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment and access to and treatment in University programs, services and activities.

Begin your journey toward becoming a well rounded, thoughtful, and impactful mental health counselor at .
At the bottom of the page,ÌýÌýto create a new application. You will then:

• Create a new graduate application
• Select West Palm BeachÌýORÌýOnline as the campus/location
• Select the Counseling degree as the focus
• Select your entry term and year (Spring starts in January, and Fall starts in August).
• Fill in your personal information.
• Fill in contact information for recommendations. They will receive an email with instructions on submitting recommendations.
• Submit the application.
• After submission, a checklist will populate that keeps you abreast of your progress toward the completion of your application. It will alert you once your transcripts and recommendations have been received.
• Use the provided hyperlink to complete the required essay
• Fully completed applicationsÌýwill be reviewed and interviews scheduled. See the interview schedule below.
• Admission decisions will be communicated to applicants within 72 hours of interviews.

In the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, you can learn in a traditional, residential format or through our online collaborative learning environment. All programs, concentrations, and certificates are available online and at our West Palm Beach campus.

Your formative and summative assessments will take many forms, including but not limited to quizzes, exams, lectures, small-group discussions, presentations, research papers, role-playing activities, field experiences, and engagement with Canvas (º£½ÇÔÚÏß’s online learning management system).

Determine whether to pursue an optional concentration based on your existing work experience and long-term professional aspirations. The include:

• Crisis and Trauma Counseling—examine physiological effects of trauma and potential interventionsÌý
• Marriage and Family Studies—prepare for further education and work in marriage and family therapy

Apply your learned counseling knowledge in clinical settings through two hands-on, face-to-face experiential opportunities. These courses are designed to meet Florida’s Mental Health Counseling licensing requirements.

In the practicum course, you will work alongside an on-site licensed mental health professional and a university supervisor to complete a minimum of 100 clock hours, of which at least 40 hours must be direct service. You’ll further develop your skills and experience in a two-semester internship over 600+ clock hours, including a minimum of 240 hours of direct service.

If you work or intend to work in substance abuse counseling, gain additional training in our Counselor Education Program, which can lead to CAP (Certified Addiction Professional) designation. CAP is a professional substance abuse credential for people who assess, develop, and provide substance abuse treatment services and plans.

NOTE: The Counselor Education Program will not directly certify you in addiction counseling; it helps you fulfill the educational requirement toward the CAP.

Review the Counselor Education Annual Report 2024-2025

Jeremy Bonta, Ph.D., LMHC, Assistant Professor of Counseling; Director of Counselor Education Program*

Kathryn Bosso-Iandoli, Ph.D., LMHC, Assistant Professor of Counseling*

Stephan Brown, Ph.D., LMHC-S, NCC, Qualified Supervisor, Assistant Professor of Counseling*

Rachel Heffield, Ph.D., LPC, Associate Professor of Counseling, Clinical Director*

Philip Henry, Ph.D., LP, Qualified Supervisor (MHC), Professor of Counseling; Department Chair, West Palm Beach Campus*

Ana Jaramillo de Graham, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counseling*

JoAnn Kutsukos, Ed.D., LMHC-S, CAP, Qualified Supervisor, Assistant Professor of Counseling*

Mary Tatum, LMHC, QS, Ph.D. Candidate, Assistant Professor of Counseling*

Steven Vensel, Ph.D., LCSW, Qualified Supervisor (MHC, CSW, and MFT), Associate Professor*

* Denotes Core Faculty

Martha Christlieb, Counseling Operations Administrator, School of Education and Behavioral Studies

Jacqueline French, Success Coach, Online Enrollment

Grecia Hernandez, Counseling Program Coordinator, School of Education and Behavioral Studies

Scott Rowan, Director of Graduate & Online Enrollment

Tanesha Bryce-Rainford, Assistant to the Dean, School of Education and Behavioral Studies

Julie Visser, Success Coach, Online Enrollment

Learn more about your classes and requirements in the course catalog.