The Master’s Program in Counselor Education- Master of Education specializing in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) is designed for individuals interested in becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Ohio. The program requires students to take 48 credit hours of core classes, six credit hours of electives, and six credit hours of specialty courses related to CMHC. Our 60-credit-hour semester program meets the training requirements established by the state Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board for initial licensure as an LPC for programs working to seek CACREP accreditation. Students will complete 100 hours of practicum experience and 600 hours of internship in a clinical mental health counseling placement. Students must also follow steps related to obtaining Counselor Trainee (CT) status with the CSWMFT Board. Please see the field manual for more information on the CT process. Upon completing the program, students can apply for licensure as an LPC in the State of Ohio by following the process set by the board for CACREP programs–a complete list of steps are highlighted within the application instructions. The examination process to obtain an LPC license has recently been changed by the Ohio CSWMFT Board with the new rule beginning January 1st, 2026. To obtain LPC licensure, students will need to sit for and pass either the NBCC National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the NBCC National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) as part of the licensure process in Ohio, allowing more choice by the individual on which exam they would prefer to take. Further information about this rule change can be found on the CSWMFT news page.
Required Clinical Mental Health Counseling Courses:
Specialty Courses: Six total credit hours
EDP 682 Diagnosis and Treatment in Mental Health
EDP 683 Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Possible Electives:
Elective Courses: Six total credit hours
EDP 662 Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Assessment
EDP 656 Education of Individuals with Exceptionalities
