The mission of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MACMHC) is preparation for the eventual certification and/or licensure of students. Students in the program will not only be competent in mental health counseling, but will also be proficient in the academic study of, practical dialogue of, and professional leadership in religious/spiritual issues related to mental health counseling. Students will receive thorough integration training in professional counseling that will prepare them to sit for licensure examination in various states in the area of Mental Health Counseling. The program provides training for counselors that relates to the diagnosis of various mental disorders. They will be especially familiar with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and will be capable of diagnosing mental illnesses. The program is designed to train students so they can work in church settings, outpatient mental health settings, and inpatient settings. Students will be able to assess potential clients and compare their skills with client needs and treat or refer with confidence.The program also provides electives in couples, marriage and family counseling, and psychopharmacology.

 The program is for students who desire professional level training in mental health counseling.  Mental health counselors are valuable and sought for placement by a variety of growing public, private, educational, clinical, secular, and religious settings.

The eligibility for admission for the MACMH Counseling Degree is as follows:

• Applicants must and complete and meet the general admissions requirements degree-seeking students for the seminary.
• Applicants must hold a completed baccalaureate degree from a college accredited by an association holding membership in the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), holding membership in the Association of Canadian Universities and Colleges or on the basis of the equivalent of that level of educational achievement and meet the seminary's minimal acceptable GPA for admission.
• Applicants must participate in an interview with the counseling program faculty which will assess the applicants career goals, potential success in forming effective general counseling relationships and effective counseling relationships with diverse populations.
   

Program Requirements (60 credits)

FIRST YEAR (26 hours/credits)
CO/BS 501 - Counseling and the Bible (3 credits)
CO 701 - Counseling Skills (3 credits)
CO 702 - Personality and Counseling Theories (3 credits)
CO 703 - Human Growth and Development (3 credits)
CO 731 - Professional Issues and Ethics in Counseling (3 credits)
CO/TS 751 - Spirituality, Religion, and Mental Health in Counseling (3 credits)
SA/CO 801  - Pentecostal Foundations (3 credits)
SA/CO 802 - Counseling Development Group (1 credit)
SA/CO 804 - Counseling Development Group (1 credit)

SECOND YEAR (25 credits/hours)
CO 770 - Clinical Practicum in Counseling (3 credits)
CO 700 - Mental Health Diagnosis / Abnormal Psychology in Counseling (3 credits)
CO 732 - Group Dynamics and Counseling (3 credits)
CO 733 - Lifestyle and Career Development in Counseling (3 credits)
SA/CO 805 - Counseling Development Group (1 credit)
CO 773 - Mental Health Assessment, Test & Measurement in Counseling (3 credits)
CO 736 - Intercultural Counseling (3 credits)
Elective for Licensure (3 credits)
Elective for Licensure (3 credits)

THIRD YEAR (9 credits/hours)
CO785 - Clinical Counseling Internship (3 credits)
CO787 - Clinical Counseling Internship (3 credits)
Elective for Licensure (3 credits)

ELECTIVES TO CHOOSE FROM
CO709 - Couples and Family Counseling Theories and Therapy (3 credits)
CO716 - Special Issues in Counseling Couples and Family Counseling (3 credits)
CO 734 - Trauma and Crisis Counseling (3 credits)
CO776 - Human Sexuality (3 credits)
CO 777 - Diagnosis and Treatment of Addiction (3 credits)
CO 791 - Psychopharmacology in Mental Health Counseling (3 credits)
CO796 - Community Counseling (3 credits)
60 credits total

Admissions Criteria

Syllabi for the MACMHC
If you desire to review current syllabi they can be requested by contacting academics@ptseminary.edu.

Prospective students and students transferring from another degree program into the MACMHC degree program shall be reviewed for acceptance/approval in accordance with the following criteria:

• Each applicants must hold a completed baccalaureate degree from a college accredited by an association holding membership in the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), holding membership in the Association of Canadian Universities and Colleges or on the basis of the equivalent of that level of educational achievement and meet the seminary's minimal acceptable GPA for admission;

• Each applicant’s potential success in forming effective interpersonal relationships in individual and small-group contexts;

• Each applicant’s aptitude for graduate-level study, including technological competence and computer literacy;

• Each applicant’s career goals and objectives and their relevance to the program;

• Each applicant’s openness to self-examination and personal and professional self-development; and

• The standard admissions criteria stated in the current Seminary Catalog which can be found at the following link https://sites.google.com/ptseminary.edu/pts-catalog/admission

Accreditation Status

The MACMHC program is accredited by the Council for Accrediting Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Seminary is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to offer doctoral and masters level degrees. Further, the Seminary and its programs are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). The MACMHC is included in the SACSCOC and ATS accreditations.

Annual Report and Essential Annual Data
"The 2021 Annual Report and Essential Data for the MACMHC can be found HERE. "
"The 2022 Annual Report and Essential Data for the MACMHC can be found HERE."

Professional Licensure Preparation Disclosure

The MACMHC program meets the educational requirements for licensure in all 50 states of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin islands. PTS does not provide the MACMHC for licensure application in the following areas: American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau. The MACMHC program prepares students to apply for licensure as Licensed Professional Counselors by offering the courses required for state licensure. Applicants and students in the MACMHC receive advisement regarding state licensure educational requirements for the state(s) they desire to receive licensure in, including practicum and internship courses. The MACMHC program conducts an annual audit of state government licensure requirements for all 50 states every summer. For applicant and student reference, the link to charts for each state's course requirements is as follows https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19fGtN1BXazD8auLTglmCcZ_h8VatONeJrHmNkS5EeJI/edit#gid=495015099.
The link to a chart of links to state government licensure sites is as follows https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fw8nLVfGr-wdTCFCtkYQoSOxUh8mi-cbz1oJkMjC48E/edit#gid=0

Program Handbook for the MACMHC

The Program Handbook for the MACMHC may be found at the following link:
https://www.ptseminary.edu/uploads/pdf/2024-2025-MASTER-Of-ARTS-Clinical-Counseling-Handbook.pdf

Methods of Instruction

The methods of instruction include lectures, resourcing such as texts, articles, etc.; role play, interviews, research projects, clinical, supervised experiences, examination and other methods of graduate level education. The delivery formats of the MACMHC include live courses offered synchronously and in person; as well as asynchronously. The online formats are described in more detail in the Seminary's catalog at the following link https://sites.google.com/ptseminary.edu/pts-catalog/academic-information#h.p_ID_440 .

Minimum Degree Requirements

The minimum degree requirements of the MACMHC include the following:

• Completion of First, Second and Third Year Courses, including
• Completion of CO770 Clinical Practicum in Counseling (100 clock hours in counseling and related activity of which a minimum of 40 are to be with direct client contact),
• Completion of CO785 Clinical Counseling Internship (300 clock hours in counseling and related activity of which a minimum of 120 are to be with direct client contact), and
• Completion of CO787 Clinical Counseling Internship (300 clock hours in counseling and related activity of which a minimum of 120 are to be with direct client contact); also
• Passing the First Year Exam given in CO770,
• Passing the Second Year Exam given in CO785, and
• Passing the Case Review Defense given in CO787; further
• Passing each course with a minimum grade of B- and a minimum overall Grade Point Average of 2.7. 

Matriculation Requirements

Matriculation requirements for the MACMHC degree program include:

• Completion of the Seminary's Graduation Form,
• Recommendation by the MACMHC core faculty to the Faculty Council, and
• Approval by the Faculty Council.

Financial Aid Information

Financial Aid information for the MACMHC can be found at the following link https://www.ptseminary.edu/pt-seminary-financial-aid.php, including:

• Requirements for Financial Aid eligibility,
• Financial Aid for Masters Programs,
• Scholarships available for Master's Students,
• Additional resources, and
• Financial Aid Policies and Procedures.

MACMHC Program Faculty are as follows:
Dr. Tim Cranfill, Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Core Faculty

Dr. Kwame Frimpong, Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Core Faculty

Dr. Justin Harley, Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Core Faculty

Dr. Connie Mitchell, Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Core Faculty

Dr. Tom Biller, Clinical Faculty in Counseling

Dr. Luke Queen - Clinical Faculty in Counseling

Dr. Jewrell Rivers - Adjunct Faculty

MACMHC Mission Statement
The mission of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is preparation for the eventual certification and/or licensure of students. Students in the program will not only be competent in mental health counseling, but will also be proficient in the academic study of, practical dialogue of, and professional leadership in religious/spiritual issues related to mental health counseling. Students will receive thorough integration training in professional counseling that will prepare them to sit for licensure examination in various states in the area of Mental Health Counseling. The program provides training for counselors that relates to the diagnosis of various mental disorders. They will be especially familiar with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and will be capable of diagnosing mental illnesses. The program is designed to train students so they can work in church settings, outpatient mental health settings as well as inpatient settings. Students will be able to assess potential clients and compare their skills with client needs and treat or refer with confidence. The program also provides electives in couples, marriage and family counseling, psychopharmacology, and addiction counseling.
The program is for students who desire professional level training in mental health counseling. Mental health counselors are valuable and sought for placement by a variety of growing public, private, educational, clinical, secular, and religious settings.
 

MACMHC Program Objectives
1. Achievement of Program Learning Outcomes for student learning,
2. Recruitment and Acceptance of qualified candidates,
3. Equitable diversity including ethnicity, gender, age, and nationality, and
4. Effective placement of students in vocations applicable to the MACMHC Program.

MACMHC Program Learning Outcomes
Students completing the 60-hour MACMHC degree program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the possession of personality characteristics that enable him or her to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with clients and to facilitate clients’ constructive change processes.
2. Demonstrate a theoretical and applied knowledge of spiritual, theological and ecclesiastical integration of counseling, particularly from a Wesleyan-Pentecostal perspective, and as applied in Wesleyan-Pentecostal ecclesial contexts.
3. Present evidence of the characteristics, knowledge, and skills required of an effective helper.
4. Identify and apply effective counseling skills that help clients grow toward personal goals and strengthen their capacity to cope with life situations.
5. Successfully complete the core biblical, theological, historical, and applied ministry studies as required by the Seminary in order to demonstrate acquisition of knowledge and practice toward integration of counseling, Scripture, theology, history and other applied ministry studies.
6. Demonstrate the knowledge of and compliance with characteristics, knowledge, and skills required of an effective counselor/helper.
7. Demonstrate compliance with ethical standards of counseling and the use of counseling abilities appropriate to his or her credentials.
8. Demonstrate the ability to discern when individual or group counseling would be most helpful; understands basic principles of group dynamics; and is familiar with the major group therapies, stages of group development, group member roles, and research related to group counseling.
9. Demonstrate the ability to define and recognize the needs of multicultural and specific populations/counselees and respond to such needs via effective intervention and/or appropriate referral.
10. Understand planning, administration, evaluation and program revision for the delivery of counseling and related services.
11. Promote healthy attitudes toward work and career plans, implements, and evaluates career development programs; and facilitates client career development and mature life planning.
12. Demonstrate the ability to appraise the characteristics of students and counselees, describe the needs and potentialities of individuals, identify individual differences, and provide for recording and disseminating the resultant data.
13. Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize clients based on the assessment categories used in standardized diagnostic systems; maintain current and comprehensive financial, clinical, and other records related to a private or community based agency counseling practice; assist counselees, administrative staff, agency personnel, and parents in the location of and introduction to specialized referral agencies and services within the community.
14. Demonstrate the ability to consult with individuals, groups, institutions, and agencies on individual, group, family and institutional programs and activities.
15. Demonstrate the ability to conduct research, to interpret clearly the implications of research data to professional staff members, parents, clients, referral agencies, and community resources, and to use the results of research in counseling, program development, and program revision.
16. Develop the ability to use their diagnostic skills when assessing clients during the intake session so that they can quickly develop a working diagnosis in order to direct treatment planning.
17. Learn how to assess clients with in-depth clinical interview skills that will lead to more accurate initial diagnoses.
18. Demonstrate knowledge of human growth and development across the lifespan as it is related to theories and practices of counseling including individual and family development, learning, normal and abnormal personality development, addictions and addictive behaviors, biological, neurological and psychological factors affecting human development, functioning and behavior; systemic and environmental factors, effects of crisis, disaster, and trauma; differentiated interventions and ethically and culturally appropriate strategies for optimal development and wellness.