Psychological Sciences & Counseling
Masters in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Concentration (M.S.)
Providing a Solid Psychological Core
The primary goal of the Masters in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health (CMHC) concentration program is to provide a solid behavioral health core with a focus on emotional, social, vocational, health, and educational issues across the lifespan. The curriculum is designed for students seeking preparation for a career in various types of mental health settings and related organizations, or for students planning to pursue a doctoral degree in Counselor Education or Counseling Psychology. Recognizing the value of both practice and research, the CMCH program offers two options: thesis or non-thesis.
***MS and Ph.D. programs in the Department of Psychological Sciences and Counseling no longer require any standardized test such as Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Millers Analogy Test (MAT. All application materials must be submitted electronically into the SLATE application system by February 1 for admission for the following Fall semester.
Admission Requirements
- It is highly recommended that applicants have earned or are in pursuit of an undergraduate major in Psychology or a closely related field.
- The minimum coursework that an applicant should have at the time of applying to the program include:
- general psychology
- elementary statistics
- research methods
- one (1) other upper division psychology elective course
- The minimum acceptable overall GPA is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. However, most applicants who are admitted earn a 3.0 GPA or higher.
- Additionally, applicants should submit ALL of the following material into the SLATE system:
- Three (3) letters of recommendation – one of which should be from an academic advisor or his or her designee
- A personal statement of no more than 1000 words indicating
- why you have chosen to pursue a degree in clinical mental health counseling
- why you are interested in the program at Tennessee State University, specifically
- what is your experience/understanding of working with differing populations and justice issues
- what experiences you have with conducting research in behavioral health
- A copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- Only complete applications will be reviewed.
- Following the initial review, the program coordinator will contact select applicants for on-campus or virtual interviews.
- Only aapplicants with satisfactory application materials and a successful interview will be offered admission to the program.
All application materials must be submitted electronically into the SLATE application system by February 1 for admission for the following Fall semester. The portal for the Masters in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Concentration portal will open in mid-September. Interested applicants will be unable to submit any materials before this date.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of four semesters and a summer term of residential study are required to complete the program within a two-year period. This requires a course load of 12 credit hours per school term.
Advisor Assignments for Masters in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Concentration Program
A – J James Campbell, Ph.D
K – Z Richard P. Garvin Jr., Ph.D.
Program of Study
Below is the recommended Program of Study for the MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration. This represents two (2) years of full-time status and requires 12 credit hours per term. We recommend the same sequence of courses for students choosing the Thesis and non-Thesis option with the exception of the Fall (2nd Year) term. During the term, non-thesis track students complete an elective course while thesis track students typically continue working on their independent study for the thesis. Students may pursue the degree on a part-time basis, but they should meet with their academic advisor regularly to ensure an appropriate progression through the program. All Fall and Spring courses (except asynchronous courses) meet once per week in the evening. Evening classes are held from 5:30 pm to 8:20 pm. Summer courses (accept asynchronous courses) meet twice per week from 5:00 pm to 8:50 pm. During students final semester in the program, they complete the capstone experience. For those students on the thesis track, the capstone is the successful defense of their thesis. For those students on the non-thesis track, the capstone is the passing of the Comprehensive Examination, a written exam that covers the major tenets of training.
Courses by Semester
(Graduating in 2 years)
1st Fall
COUN 5010 – Foundations of Counseling (3 hrs)
PSYC 5040 – Statistics and Methodology (3 hrs)
COUN 5070 – Professional Issues and Ethics in Counseling (3 hrs)
COUN 5120 – Techniques of Counseling and Interviewing (3 hrs)
1st Spring
COUN 5136 – Diagnosis and Psychological Disorders (3 hrs)
PSYC 5140 – Statistics and Computer Applications (3 hrs)
COUN 5170 – Counseling Theory (3 hrs)
COUN 6504 – Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 hrs)
Summer
COUN 5190 – Group Counseling and Guidance (3 hrs)
COUN 5270 – Career Development (3 hrs)
COUN 5580 – Multicultural Counseling (3 hrs)
PSYC 5640 – Lifespan Development (3 hrs)
PSYC 6540 – Thesis (1 hr) (Thesis option)
2nd Fall
PSYC 5030 – Biological Bases of Behavior (3 hrs)
COUN 5570 – Introduction to Couples and Family System (3 hrs)
COUN 6505 – Internship I in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 hrs)
PSYC 6540 – Thesis (1 hr) (Thesis option)
Approved Elective (3 hrs) (non-Thesis option)
2nd Spring
COUN 6506 – Internship II in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 hrs)
PSYC 6560 – Interpersonal Violence, Trauma, and Crisis Intervention (3 hrs)
COUN 6590 – Assessment and Appraisal in Counseling (3 hrs)
COUN 6610 – Advanced Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 hrs)
PSYC 6540 – Thesis (1 hr) (Thesis option)
Masters in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Concentration, Core Faculty
Masters and PhD Programs
Who to contact:
- Current and prospective MS Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Student? Program Coordinator, Dr. James Campbell.
- Current and prospective PhD Psychology, Counseling Psychology Student? Program Coordinator, Dr. Robin Oatis-Ballew.
 James Campbell, Ph.D. Associate Professor MS Program Coordinator |
Office: 305B Clay Hall Phone: (615) 963-5144 Email: jcampbell21@tnstate.edu Schedule an appointment (phone call or Zoom) |
 Richard P. Garvin Jr., Ph.D. Assistant Professor |
Office: 311 Clay Hall
Phone: (615) 963-7749 Email: rgarvin@tnstate.edu Schedule an appointment (phone call or Zoom) |
 Marie Hammond, Ph.D. Professor |
Office: 313 Clay Hall
Phone: (615) 963-5191 Email: mhammond1@tnstate.edu Schedule an appointment (phone call or Zoom) |
 Esther M. Lynch, Ph.D. Assistant Professor |
Office: 308AA Clay Hall
Phone: (615) 963-5152 Email: emendez@tnstate.edu Schedule an appointment (phone call or Zoom) |
 Robin Oatis-Ballew, Ph.D. Associate Professor Ph.D. Program Coordinator |
Office: 305A Clay Hall
Phone: (615) 963-1558 Email: roatisballew@tnstate.edu Schedule an appointment (phone call or Zoom) |
 Brooke Rappaport Assistant Professor |
Office: 308DD Clay Hall
Phone: (615) 963-1569 Email: brappapo@tnstate.edu Schedule an appointment (phone call or Zoom) |