The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Maryland) degree program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to help diverse people in a wide range of challenging circumstances within the context of clinical mental health counseling. Our students learn about the biological and environmental causes of mental illness and are trained to provide evidence-based treatment that integrates faith into counseling theory and practice. The program is designed to prepare students for state licensure as a professional counselor in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia.
The CMHC-MD program has established four major competency areas with specific learning objectives. Graduates of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at the LBC|CSGS Maryland site will demonstrate proficiency in each area and on all objectives.
Dr. Anita Graham Phillips joined LBC | Capital as Program Director for the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Maryland) in the fall of 2015. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision from Regent University and completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has spent more than a decade integrating faith in clinical work with trauma survivors. Her research interests are at the intersection of ethnicity, faith, and well-being. Outside of academia, Dr. Phillips engages in community education and advocacy to reduce disparities in mental health service use among highly-religious populations.
Matthew W. Bonner, PhD
Gary L. Troxell, EdD
Linda E. Mouzon, PhD
Sophia A. Ogunlana, PhD
Program Information
Curricular Structure
The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health – Maryland program consists of 60 credits. The curriculum is designed as follows:
| 1st Tier Foundation Courses |
12 Credits |
| 2nd Tier Foundation Courses |
24 Credits |
| Advanced Courses |
15 Credits |
| Professional Practice Courses |
9 Credits |
| Program Total |
60 Credits |
1st Tier Foundation Courses (12 Credits)
Must be taken first as part of the Preliminary Acceptance Phase:
| GPC 501 | Orientation to Professional Counseling Identity, Function & Ethics | 3 |
| GPC 508 | Helping Relationships | 3 |
| GPC 530 | Professional Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling | 3 |
| GPC 583 | Multicultural Foundations of Counseling | 3 |
2nd Tier Foundation Courses (24 Credits)
Require Candidacy Phase acceptance or Advisor approval
| GPC 510 | Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| GPC 515 | Counseling Theory and Techniques | 3 |
| GPC 505 | Research Design and Statistics for Counselors | 3 |
| GPC 531 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| GPC 517 | Biopsychology | 3 |
| GPC 541 | Group Counseling Leadership Skills | 3 |
| GPC 525 | CNS & Psychological Assessment Tech I | 3 |
| GPC 588 | Career and Vocational Counseling | 3 |
Advanced Courses (15 Credits)
Can be taken only after being granted Candidacy and completing the 2nd Tier Professional Courses or by Advisor approval.
| GPC 545 | Marriage & Family Counseling | 3 |
| GPC 572 | Counseling Addictions | 3 |
| GPC 585 | Trauma Informed Counseling | 3 |
| GPC 555 | Advanced Techniques of Counseling | 3 |
GPC 577
| | |
Professional Practice Courses (9 Credits)
Require a minimum of 18 credit hours, a GPA > 3.0, and Advisor approval.
Admission Criteria and Application Process
The CMHC-MD Program seeks applicants who meet the following prerequisite criteria:
* An undergraduate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
* An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
* Six (6) credit hours of undergraduate psychology-related courses
* Thirty (30) undergraduate or nine (9) graduate credit hours of Bible coursework.
Exceptions to the GPA and psychology-related course requirements are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants not meeting the Bible course requirement can take Bible courses during the program if granted admission.
The application process for the CMHC-MD program has four phases: Initial Application Phase (IAP), Interview phase (IP), Preliminary Acceptance Phase (PAP), and Candidacy Phase (CP).
Initial Application Phase requirements, including those specific to the CMHC-MD program, are as follows:
* Online Master’s Degree Application Form
* Autobiographical Essay addressing the applicant’s spiritual journey, spiritual disciplines, and vocational goals.
* Two professional references (completed by a supervisor, former professor, etc.)
* One spiritual reference completed by the applicant’s pastor
* Official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended
* Application fee
Upon review of initial application materials, qualified applicants will be contacted by the Program to arrange an in-person interview. During the Interview Phase, each applicant meets with a Program faculty member. This extensive interview, which lasts up to two hours, is comprised of conversation, role-plays, and an on-site writing assessment. Following the interview, an admission decision is made. Applicants are notified of the results within two weeks.
Preliminary Acceptance Phase
Applicants who succeed in the Interview Phase enter the Preliminary Acceptance Phase. This phase provides provisional acceptance to the CMHC-MD program. During the PAP, the new MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling student must display academic fitness by earning a grade of B or higher in each of the first four courses.
In addition to academic fitness requirements, Instructors will observe and rate each student on various interpersonal and professional fitness standards. Near or upon completion of the fourth course the student will meet with their Advisor to review their PAP performance. Students falling below expectations can be dismissed from the program. An individual remediation plan tailored to the student’s growth needs may also be considered. Failure to satisfy remediation plan requirements will result in dismissal. Successful PAP students may apply to the Candidacy Phase.
Candidacy Phase (CP)
The Candidacy Phase application requires two assessments, background checks, and an online training to ensure the student’s socio-emotional and behavioral fitness for the profession. The assessments (MMPI-2 and 16PF) are to be taken no later than the semester following successful completion of the PAP. Test results will be interpreted collaboratively by full-time faculty. Required background checks and online training are as follows:
- Individual State and/or County Background Check
- FBI Identity History Summary Check
- Child Protective Services (CPS) Background Clearance
- Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC) Online Mandated Reporter Training
Once all information is received, the student will be interviewed by a full-time faculty member. Following the Candidacy Interview, recommendations germane to findings are generated. Outcomes include but are not limited to:
* Formal approval as socio-emotionally, academically, and behaviorally fit for advancement to Candidacy.
* Provisionally fit for Candidacy IF various recommendations are followed
* Temporary hiatus from additional classes until requirements have been satisfactorily fulfilled.
* Unfit for candidacy and dismissal from the program.
Statute of Limitation: All CMHC-MD program requirements are to be completed within five years of PAP matriculation. Any petition to extend the statute of limitation due to special circumstances must be submitted to the Program Director by the student.