Mental Health Counseling Graduate Certificate

NLU’s Mental Health Counseling Certificate program is designed to assist individuals who graduated from a counseling related field but lack specific courses or credits to be eligible for licensure as an Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida to complete those required courses. The Mental Health Counseling Certificate program at NLU Florida provides coursework that when combined with their existing master’s degree meets the educational standards for licensure as an LMHC in Florida as well as many other states.

This certificate is offered in an online and blended formats.

Program Details

• Requires 12-15 SH for completion (specific courses needed are determined by a review of a counseling state licensure board)
• Requires completion of all courses in the certificate at NLU with a grade of "B" or better
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required

Program Learning Outcomes

PLO1. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply code of ethics and legal standards in the profession.

PLO2. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the multicultural competencies in diversity, multiculturalism, and advocacy.

PLO3. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe and apply theories of individual and family development across the lifespan.

PLO4. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe and apply theories and models of career development, counseling and decision-making.

PLO5. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe, compare, contrast and apply major counseling skills and approaches to practice.

PLO6. Students will demonstrate the ability to select and utilize assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes.

PLO7. Students will demonstrate the ability to describe, compare, contrast and apply major counseling theories to practice.

PLO8. Students will demonstrate effective group leadership through the application of theoretical foundations and techniques of group counseling, process and development.

PLO9. Students will demonstrate awareness of personal characteristics and behaviors that influence the counseling process and engage in ongoing personal and professional self-evaluation and implications for practice.

PLO10. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of evidence-based, ethical, and culturally relevant research in advancing the counseling profession.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Graduate Admission Requirements, applicants must:

• Have completed a Master’s degree in Counseling, School Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Psychology with a minimum of 45 semester credits or equivalent and a GPA of 3.0 or better
• Submit a written statement of academic and professional goals. This statement is one of the criteria used to evaluate the person’s application. The applicant should present reasons for selecting the certificate program. Reasons should include a review and form or letter from a state licensure board and the specific courses needed to complete licensure requirements.
• Submit at least two signed and sealed letters of recommendation, academic in nature, regarding the applicant’s capacity for graduate work
• Undergo a faculty review

Required Courses

Mental Health Counseling - 12-15 SH

Students choose 12-15 SH of the below coursework based on their state licensing requirements

HSC 501	Fundamentals of Counseling	3
HSC 503	Counseling and Human Development in a Multicultural Society	3
HSC 504	Clinical Techniques of Counseling	3
HSC 505	Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis	3
HSC 506	Introduction to Theory and Practice of Family Therapy	3
HSC 509	Human Development Theory	3
HSC 511	Professional Practice and Ethics in Counseling	3
HSC 510	Theories of Counseling	3
HSC 512	Theories and Techniques of Group Counseling	3
HSC 514	Counseling for Career Development	3
HSC 519	Psychological Assessment in Counseling	3
HSC 520	Human Sexuality	3
HSC 524	Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling	3
HSC 533	Counseling Practicum	3
HSS 534	Perspectives on Substance Abuse	3
HSC 541	Trauma and Crisis Intervention Theory, Response Models and Techniques	3
HSC 542	Psychopharmacology for Counselors	3
HSC 543	Introduction to Theory and Practice of Counseling Children and Adolescents	3
HSC 547	Private Practice Management	3
HSC 548	Play Therapy	3
HSC 550	Grief and Loss Counseling	3
HSC 555	Geriatric Counseling	3
HSC 556	Integrating Spirituality in Counseling	3
HSC 581	Counseling Internship I	3
HSC 582	Counseling Internship II	3
HSM 508	Research and Evaluation Methodology	3