Graduates of the CACREP accredited MAE Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree are equipped with entry-level skills to work as counselors in a variety of community and agency settings such as counseling centers, drug and substance abuse centers, career counseling centers, employee assistance programs in business and industry, adult probation offices, MHMR agencies, corrections, and private counseling practice. Completing the master's degree in clinical mental health counseling provides the graduate with the coursework requirements to obtain the Nebraska Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nebraska Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP). Nebraska DHHS requires 60 credit hours of academic coursework to be eligible for licensure as an LPC or LMHP. In addition, the program requires successful completion of the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) and Graduate e-Portfolio. Counseling students have a maximum of seven (7) years to complete the MAE degree. The state regulates all licensure requirements for the LPC and LMHP.

View the Clinical Mental Health Counseling curriculum.

CMHC Recommended Beginning Courses

Students are encouraged to enroll in at least nine semester hours during the fall and spring semesters, which are considered full-time. Students may wish to initially register in COUN 531, 533, 541, 631, and EDCI 631 (or COUN 560), as these courses provide a foundation for other counseling courses. EDCI 631 should be taken within the first 12 hours of the program of study.

• COUN 531: Counseling and Communication Skills
• COUN 533: Counseling Ethics and Professional Identity
• COUN 541: Counseling Theories
• COUN 631: Principles and Practices of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• COUN 634: Group Counseling
• EDCI 631: Research Design and Data Analysis or COUN 560 Counseling Research

View the School Counseling curriculum.

The CAEP-accredited MAE in School Counseling degree provides the academic training to apply for endorsement as a school counselor in Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) finalizes the school counseling endorsement. We have two options leading to endorsement as a school counselor.

• Option 1: students must have at least two years of teaching experience and a valid teaching certificate or
• Option 2: students without a teaching degree may complete this option, which requires additional graduate coursework in teacher education.
• You will choose from the following three tracks:
  • School Counseling-Elementary (PK-8) prepares public and private school counselors to work at the elementary (PK-8) grade levels and provides the academic training for graduates to apply for endorsement as a school counselor in Nebraska at the (PK-8) level, which requires one 450-hour elementary school counseling internship.
  • School Counseling-Secondary (7-12) prepares public and private school counselors to work at the (7-12) grade levels and provides the academic training for graduates to apply for endorsement as a school counselor in Nebraska at the (7-12) level, which requires one 450-hour secondary school counseling internship.
  • School Counseling (PK-12) prepares public and private school counselors to work at the PK-12 grade levels. It provides the academic training for graduates to apply for endorsement as a school counselor in Nebraska at the (PK-12) level, which requires a 900-hour internship (450 hours in an elementary setting and 450 in a secondary setting).

The three school counseling tracks provide the academic course requirements for Nebraska Certification Endorsement as a School Guidance Counselor (Rule 24 Nebraska Policy). The CAEP-accredited program aims to prepare professional school counselors while following NCATE standards.

MAE School Counseling-Option 2

The State of Nebraska provides a path to endorsement for students seeking a school counseling endorsement without a previous degree in education or teacher certification. This option will provide students with the state-required background in education to become endorsed as school counselors in the State of Nebraska. This option requires the completion of the following:

1. All courses required for the MAE in School Counseling.
2. A master’s degree in school or clinical mental health counseling (additional internships in a school setting are required of CMHC degree students).
3. The following 15 credit hours in Education:
   • EDUC 530: Integrated Classroom Methodologies
   • EDCI 635: Curriculum Development
   • READ 535: Reading and the at-Risk Student or
   • READ 638: Seminar in Reading
   • EDUC 639: Advanced Methods of Performance Assessment
   • SPED 230*: Introduction to the Exceptional Learner or
   • SPED 532: Survey of Special Education
     And:
4. The Praxis Subject Assessment for endorsement in Professional School Counselor (5422).

Note: Graduate students cannot enroll in SPED 230; this course can only be applied toward the degree when taken as an undergraduate before your graduate degree enrollment. 

School Counseling Program Curriculum

The School Counseling MAE - Option 1 requires completing 39 credit hours of academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree. The School Counseling MAE - Option 2 involves completing 39 credit hours of the school counseling specialty courses and additional graduate teacher education courses. Please note that many other states and accrediting organizations, such as the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP), require a more significant minimum number of academic credit hours for school counseling endorsement. Please review your state standards for specific policies. This specialty includes four major components: Counseling Core, School Counseling Specialization, Assessment and Research, and Clinical Experience.

School Counseling Program of Study

All students admitted to the School Counseling Program will follow the program of study outlined below. Students completing the School Counseling-Option 2 degree will also complete the required teacher education courses listed below. Students are responsible for meeting academic program requirements and deadlines and are therefore advised to meet with their faculty advisor regularly. The program curricula and requirements are subject to change at any time.

SC Recommended Beginning Courses

Students are encouraged to enroll in 9 semester hours during the fall and spring semesters, considered full-time. However, you can take fewer courses per semester based on your needs. Students may wish to initially enroll in COUN, 531, 533, 541, 634, 635, or EDCI 631 (COUN 560) because these courses provide a foundation for and are prerequisites for many other counseling courses.

Professional Licensure, Endorsement, & Employment

The Counseling Program faculty will consider requests for four recommendations: (a) Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP), (b) Endorsement as a School Counselor, (c) Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LADC), (d) and employment letters of recommendation. The faculty will only endorse students for those professional certifications, endorsements, licenses, placements, and employment recommendations for which they have been adequately trained and have demonstrated both the academic and non-academic attributes required for competence. To ask faculty to support licensure or certification for which the student has not been trained is to ask the faculty to engage in unethical behavior.

Nebraska Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP)

Counseling students seeking a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with Nebraska DHHS, must complete a degree program consisting of 60 credit hours of academic counseling coursework. The CSC program is intended to meet the expectations for licensure in Nebraska. In addition to academic training, post-master’s supervision is also required for licensure. Students are responsible for obtaining copies of the counselor licensing law and license board regulations for their intended US State of licensure. The DHHS Board in Lincoln grants licensure for Nebraska. Students planning to be licensed in Nebraska should contact the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Licensure Unit, PO Box 94986, Lincoln, NE 68509-4986, 402-471-3121, Licensing requirements vary by state.

Nebraska School Counselor Endorsement

Upon completion of a Master of Arts Degree (MAE) in School Counseling, students have the academic training for endorsement as a school counselor.

MAE in School Counseling-Option 1

Under the requirements of the Nebraska Department of Education, all prospective school counselors must have:

• Master’s degree in School Counseling
• A valid Nebraska Teacher Certificate
• Successful completion of the Praxis Subject Assessment for endorsement in Professional School Counselor (5421).

MAE in School Counseling-Option 2

The State of Nebraska provides an alternative certification route for students seeking the School Counselor endorsement without a previous degree in education or teacher certification. This option will provide students with the state required background in education to obtain initial certification to become endorsed as a school counselor in the State of Nebraska. Under the requirements of the Nebraska Department of Education, all alternative option prospective school counselors must have:

1. All courses required for the MAE in School Counseling.
2. A master’s degree in School or Clinical Mental Health Counseling (additional Internships in a school setting required of CMHC degree students).
3. The following 15 credit hours in Teacher Education:
   1. EDUC 530: Integrated Classroom Methodologies
   2. EDCI 635: Curriculum Development
   3. READ 530: Reading & Writing in the Middle and Secondary Schools,READ 532: Reading in the Content Fields, or
      READ 535: Reading and the at-Risk Student
   4. EDUC 639: Advanced Methods of Performance Assessment
   5. SPED 230: Introduction to the Exceptional Learner or
      SPED 532: Survey of special education
4. Successful completion of the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE Combination 5751).
5. Successful completion of the Praxis Subject Assessment for endorsement in Professional School Counselor (5421).

The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE Combination 5751)

All teacher education applicants must complete a competency examination, as required by the Nebraska Department of Education. CEHS students take the CORE exam, which measures basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics and is designed to determine if applicants are ready academically to pursue education studies. You must register online. Reading and mathematics scores are reported to you as soon as you finish the test. The written test results take 3-4 weeks to receive. Please follow the Praxis CORE Assessment Link for more specific information. CSC has provided you with online course and practice tests through Longsdale Publishing to prepare for the Praxis Core. Please contact your faculty advisor for access to the Longsdale Publishing resources.

The Praxis Subject Assessment

The Praxis Subject Assessment endorsement in Professional School Counselor (5421) must be completed for each endorsement application (i.e., should you apply at the PK-8 endorsement level and plan to return for another endorsement at the 7-12 endorsement level later, you will be required to retake the Professional School Counselor (5421) Exam upon completion of the second endorsement). You must register online. Please follow the Praxis Subject (5421) Assessment Link for more specific information. It is highly recommended you study for the exam. You will find an ETS study guide here. Further information on school counselor endorsement may be obtained from Chadron State College’s Certification Officer.

Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LADC)

A Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) is an individual who provides the 12 core functions of: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling (individual, group and significant others), case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports and record keeping and consultation with other professionals in regard to client treatment and services. For more information please visit the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services website.

Graduate Students who have met the requirements to apply for an LMHP or LPC, may also complete the following two additional courses and an internship with an approved LADC site supervisor, to apply for Provisional Licensure as an Alcohol & Drug Counselor (PLADC) in Nebraska:

• COUN 520: Psychopharmacology, Social and Medical Issues in Addictions
• COUN 545: Essentials of Addictions Counseling and Case Management

Undergraduate Students seeking licensure as an PLADC may complete the following undergraduate courses, or Minor degree offered by the CSC Counseling program, to apply for Provisional Licensure as an Alcohol & Drug Counselor (PLADC) in Nebraska:

• COUN 127: Lifespan Development
• COUN 133: Clinical Addiction Treatment Issues
• COUN 225: Addiction Counseling with Groups
• COUN 235: Alcohol/Drug Assessment, Case Planning, & Management
• COUN 321: Addiction Counseling Theories and Techniques
• COUN 323: Addiction Counseling Ethics and Diversity
• COUN 331: Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Alcohol/Drug Use, Abuse, and Addiction

Spring 2022 Syllabi

• COUN 225 Addiction Counseling with Groups
• COUN 331 Medical Psychosocial Aspects of Alcohol/Drug Use, Abuse, & Addiction.
• COUN 519 Counseling Residency
• COUN 531 Counseling & Communication Skills
• COUN 532 Treatment Issues in Addictions
• COUN 535 Multicultural Counseling
• COUN 545 Essentials of Addiction Counseling
• COUN 601 Counseling Practicum-CMHC
• COUN 602 Counseling Practicum-SC
• COUN 629 Counseling Children
• COUN 632 Career and Lifestyle Development
• COUN 634 Group Counseling
• COUN 635 School Counseling
• COUN 637 Advanced Human Development
• COUN 640 Internship in Counseling-CMHC
• COUN 640 Internship in Counseling-SC