Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is an accredited program by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
An online Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Grace College will explore the psychology and the social sciences. As you consider an array of online colleges for Clinical Mental Health Counseling near you in the Midwest, be assured that when you find your way to Grace, you will discover an accredited college for your Christian counseling degree online, taught with a biblical worldview. A Grace Online counseling degree will help you make workable connections between behavior and relationship, preparing you to weigh questions and create conversation in a Christian college online context.
This program is for you if you are serious about creating an impact in a Counseling career and are looking to complete your graduate degree online. With a Masters in Counseling online, you will be trained to help guide and assist people with their personal troubles. This program is also committed to the professional and interpersonal development of the student which is essential for effective counseling practice. Grace College and Theological Seminary have a rich history of offering graduate counseling degrees since 1995.
Future counselor, the way forward is Grace.
Students can complete the majority of their master’s degrees online while attending an annual seven-day residency on campus in scenic Winona Lake, Indiana.
You will have the opportunity to attend a week-long residency on the main campus of Grace College in Winona Lake, IN. The beautifully landscaped campus bustles with activity but also offers many quiet retreats. Numerous outdoor “friendship courts” provide seating areas, but students may also choose to enjoy a book under one of the many trees. Beautifully wooded walking trails inspire quiet reflection.
All online Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling students are required to attend Residency each year they are enrolled and actively taking classes for the Online Counseling Degree program. Residency consists of counselor preparation and training, evaluation in skill development, and spiritual growth activities facilitated by online and residential faculty members. During Residency, faculty and students meet together for a period of intensive coursework as well as building personal and professional relationships with peers and faculty.
Admission Requirements
How to Apply
In order to be considered for enrollment in one of the graduate programs at Grace, you must fulfill certain admission requirements. Below is a list of the requirements for the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
- A degree from an accredited institution
- Undergraduate 3.0 GPA minimum
- Complete the application process
- Professional reference
- Interview with faculty member
- Pass a background check
We recommend that you complete the admissions process at least one month prior to the start of classes. Students applying after the deadline are considered on a space available basis. It is best to start early!
Online Application
After all parts of your application have been completed and received in our enrollment office, your application will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
- Transcript Request Request official transcripts from the school where you obtained your degree. If you are currently working on your degree, you can submit an unofficial transcript for admission until term completion, at which time an official transcript is required. Transcripts should be sent to admissions@grace.edu.
- Professional Reference Fill out a Professional Reference Request form here. This reference cannot be a relative and should be completed by a recent (within the last three years) employer, instructor, or supervisor of one year or longer. A PDF version of the Professional Reference From is also available here.
- Interview Once you have completed steps 1-3 and your application pieces have been reviewed for the Masters in Counseling Online, you will be ready for an interview. This interview will take place with one of our faculty members. You will receive an email inviting you to schedule an interview. When all of the steps have been completed, you will be advised of the Admissions Committee’s decision. The Admissions Committee may request that you submit additional materials.
Enrollment Deposit
Upon acceptance, submit your $100 Enrollment Deposit to accept your offer of admission. Your $100 deposit will be credited to your student account. Welcome to the Grace College community!
*Please note: Acceptance is given pending the receipt of a clear background check for you, which Grace College will request. Once this is received, you will be officially enrolled in the program. Grace College will have a link emailed and texted to you for you to complete the background check requirement. It is free and takes less than 5 minutes to complete.
Admission Requirements for Unclassified Students
Applicants who are not seeking a degree but require additional or specific coursework to satisfy educational requirements related to state licensure may apply to the online Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program as an Unclassified Student under the following conditions:
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- Unclassified students are eligible to take up to nine credits in the CMHC program.
- Unclassified students are not eligible to take clinical courses in the CMHC program, including Counseling Skills, Group Counseling, Practicum, Internship, or Advanced Internship.
- Unclassified students must submit a complete application for admission into the online CMHC program as per the graduate application process.
- In all cases, unclassified student admission decisions will be based on the current enrollment numbers within the online CMHC program. Registration priority will be given to full-time online CMHC students.
For more information about applying to the Masters in Counseling Online as an unclassified student, please contact onlineadmissions@grace.edu or call 888-249-0533.
Ideal Fit
Unlock Opportunities
The Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is perfect for you if you seek to help those struggling and in need of help from a licensed therapist.
Career Opportunities
This online Counseling Degree will equip you to do counseling from a Christian perspective.
A counselor’s most important job is to offer guidance to individuals, couples, families and groups who are dealing with issues that affect their mental health and well-being
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Licensed Mental Health Counselor
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Marriage and Family Counselor
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Substance Abuse Counselor
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Clinical Supervisor
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Crisis Interventionalist
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Private Practice Therapist
Scripturally grounded, professionally skilled, interpersonally competent. These are the distinctives of our Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Grace College. Our program combines the flexibility of online learning, the integration of faith with counseling and psychology, and a community of learners that values relationship, support, and professional excellence.
Jill Brue, Ph.D., LPC
Chair, Graduate Counseling DepartmentCourse Overview
This course will examine a theological foundation of counseling specifically as it pertains to Scriptural truths and principles. A biblical theory of personality will be presented which will lead to biblical concepts of counseling.
Through the lens of Scripture, this course will examine a broad theoretical and practical foundation for counseling couples and families. Students will explore how the counselor can implement knowledge and skills necessary to aid in the mending of marriages and the restoration of proper family functioning.
This course will examine the nature and practice of counseling as it pertains to trauma including interpersonal violence, sexual abuse, service-related PTSD, vicarious trauma, and other trauma causing events. An emphasis will be given to theories, models, and techniques for trauma resolution, spirituality and other resiliency factors, and the standard of care in responding to trauma survivors will be explored.
Students engage in applied learning activities to enhance understanding of addictive behavior and its treatment. Evidence-based interventions and the stages of change model are emphasized. Students explore the dynamics and treatment of addiction from an ethical, multicultural, sociological, and biblical framework.
The emphasis will be on the structure and dynamics of personality and implications for understanding behavior and change. Students will evaluate the compatibility of these theories in light of their Christian worldview, ultimately selecting a particular theoretical orientation to be used in counseling practice.
Commonly Asked Questions
Additional Program Details
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60 Credit Hours
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Degree completion will depend on when a student begins the program, due to prerequisites and class offerings. For students who enter in August, the fastest degree plan will take 8 semesters or 33 months. For students who enter in May, they can potentially complete the program in two years, or 6 semesters. For students who enter in January, the fastest degree plan is 7 semesters, or 2 ½ years. Regardless of when a student begins the program, there are 60 hours to complete, and some students choose to slow their pace to balance out the demands of other responsibilities. Advisors help students to evaluate their schedule of study and the best individual pace for completion.
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The majority of the courses last only 8 weeks in length. Clinical courses last for a 16 week semester.
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Students are required to attend an annual six-day summer residency each year that they are in the program. This will vary depending on the length of time that a student is enrolled in classes.
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The Department of Online Education assists students in locating housing during this week. Students have the option of staying in campus housing or area hotels. Remember to ask for the Grace rate!
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Yes! Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA form. Just log onto www.fafsa.ed.gov . Remember to include Grace College’s school code – 001800. Students are notified of their financial aid award money once they have been accepted into the program. For more information please visit the Financial Aid website.
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Students are able to transfer a maximum of 12 credit hours of coursework into the MACMHC program. Transfer credit is defined as Graduate level coursework that has been completed at an approved institution. A student must earn at least a B or better in each course. All transfer credit is approved by the Admissions Committee. Students may be asked to present a course syllabus or description in order to evaluate the coursework.
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Online learning is flexible! Classes are organized in weekly modules and learning formats vary. Graduate school emphasizes more written communication, including research writing and reflective writing assignments. Students also participate in projects, presentations, demonstrations, and group work. Successful students in online classes navigate basic computer skills such as uploading assignments and participating in zoom discussions, and they manage their time well independently. Grace College is committed to providing you with an exceptional online learning experience.
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The online instructors here at Grace welcome and encourage a high degree of engagement and interaction. There will be opportunities to interact with your instructors and classmates through chat, email, discussion boards, and forums. In the CMHC program, each course will have virtual class time with instructors and peers.
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You will need a computer with high bandwidth Internet access, a flash player and speakers. Some courses may have additional requirements; however, Grace online technology support is always available for technical questions.
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Visit the Grace College Online website and submit the online application in order to start your application process. When visiting the website look for the particular program you desire to apply to and fill out that specific application.
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Yes, the credits earned from the Grace College Online program are transferable. Grace College is an accredited member of the Higher Learning Commission.
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As a CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, Grace College meets most state educational requirements for licensure. However, a few states require additional educational experiences. Please see the link below for details on finding your state’s educational requirements.
See the State Licensure Requirements
