Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS
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MS Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree
New in Fall 2026. Qualifies you to diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
There is high demand for mental health professionals in New England and the United States. With a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, you’ll be equipped to enter the field right away and make a real difference in the health and well-being of your community.
See the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Term Schedule and Course Sequence
Graduate Admissions
Office: AD-101 Suite
Phone: 207-859-1255
Email: [email protected]
Get a Career As:
- Mental Health Counselor
- Behavioral Health Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- School Counselor
- Community Health Educator
- Marriage & Family Therapist
At a Glance:
- 60 credit hours
- Career-focused curriculum
- 8-week term model
- Low-residency Design
- Leadership development
- Mostly Online
Students will be required to complete two placements:
- Practicum for minimum of eight weeks and 100 hours, with forty hours direct service to actual clients (3 credit hours)
- Internship for 900 hours, with 240 hours direct service with actual clients (6 credit hours)
Key Courses:
- Professional Orientation, Ethics & Maine Law
- Multicultural Counseling & Social Justice
- Assessment & Measuring in Counseling
- Counseling Theories & Skills *
- Group Counseling & Group Work
- Psychopathology, Diagnosis & Treatment Planning
- Addictive Disorders & Co-occurring Condition
- Crisis Intervention & Acute Care Counseling *
- Treatment Modalities in CMHC *
- Research Methods & Program Evaluation
Courses marked with an asterisk (*) include required in-person weekend sessions focused on counseling skills, role-play, group facilitation, or clinical simulation.
Professors:
Professor of Political Science & Chair, School of Arts & Sciences
Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Dr. Tracey Horton, Professor of Forensic Psychology
“There is a dire shortage of mental health professionals, especially in Maine, and this program seeks to address that need. Many of our graduates want to go on to a master’s degree, so this provides an opportunity to get a degree here at Thomas that allows them to become licensed professional counselors. We’re very excited to be able to offer this program to our students and our community!”
Tom McAdam, CEO of Kennebec Behavioral Health
“At Kennebec Behavioral Health we are very excited to support Thomas College’s new Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. As a provider of mental health care in Maine, we are challenged with the ongoing and increased demand for requests for our services, and we know that Thomas College’s new program will help to train more professional counselors. This in turn will help our workforce shortage especially here in rural Maine. The need for this program is huge, and we believe the timing is optimal to improve access to care.”