Mental Health Counseling, M.A.

The Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling degree is a 60 credit hour program. For students enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialty track, the program satisfies the educational requirement for licensure as a Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Provider in the State of Tennessee. For those enrolled in the Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling specialty track, the program satisfies the educational requirements for licensure as a Marital & Family Therapist in the State of Tennessee. And for students enrolled in the Pastoral Counseling specialty track, the program satisfies the academic requirements for licensure as a Clinical Pastoral Therapist in Tennessee.

Students are required to complete a practicum and internship consisting of 700 clock hours of counseling and counseling related activities in an approved site or agency as a part of the program. Normally, students will complete 24 semester hours of course work prior to beginning their practicum experience. Students will be required to pass a background check and show proof of approved professional liability insurance prior to beginning the clinical experience component of the program.

Academic Policy Regarding Transfer of Credit

Students accepted into the Mental Health Counseling Program may request graduate course credits from an accredited institution be reviewed for possible substitution for Belmont University course credit.

The program department will determine at its sole discretion what course(s) are eligible for transfer toward the student’s program of study. Eligible transfer course work must have at least a grade of “B” in each course. Other credit bearing work on a transcript such as academic projects, significant research, internships, and fieldwork courses with a grade of “P” may also be considered as an eligible transferable course provided that the content of the work is determined to have an equivalency for a course in the program. The department may accept up to 21 credit hours of course work toward the graduate degree.