Mission Statement
Our mission is to prepare highly effective counselors equipped with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to serve a diverse, multicultural, and global society with marginalized populations. The faculty, current and former students, and community partners provide input to achieve our mission through the following objectives.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Foster the development of a strong professional counselor identity following the ethical guidelines outlined in the ACA and NAADAC Codes Ethics.
- Prepare culturally competent counselors to serve a diverse, multicultural, and global society with marginalized populations.
- Prepare counselors to apply human developmental theory to inform interventions across the lifespan.
- Produce counselors with a nuanced understanding of career development to conceptualize the intricate interplay between work, mental well-being, and other life roles.
- Prepare counselors who employ theoretically grounded counseling interventions to establish theory-based client outcomes.
- Prepare counselors who employ group dynamics and application of group theory in group counseling practice.
- Prepare counselors who employ ethical and culturally responsive assessment practices, strategies, and interventions in counseling practice.
- Prepare counselors who critically evaluate and utilize research methods in professional counseling.
- Produce clinical mental health counselor’s adept at diagnosis, mental health case conceptualization, and treatment planning.
- Prepare addiction professionals adept at offering addiction-specific services to support clients along the continuum of prevention and recovery to include assessment, interventions, psychopharmacology, treatment strategies, and recovery tools.
Program of Study
The online Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Mental Health and Addictions is designed to help individuals who have completed a Master's degree in School Counseling (or other related program by approval) obtain the necessary coursework and requirements for licensure as a Nebraska Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP). Additionally, the Ed.S. in Mental Health and Addictions will provide a needed pathway for School Counselors to become a licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) in Nebraska. Non-CSC school counseling graduates may be required to take additional prerequisites. Graduates of the Ed.S. will have completed the coursework required in Nebraska to apply for the LMHP and LADC license. Students must pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) to graduate. The Department of Health & Human Services/Division of Public Health/Licensure Unit generally approves CSC counselor education courses for professional counselor continuing education (CE) credit. Please refer to the Counselor Education Student Handbook for more detailed information.
Course List Code | Title | Credits |
COUN 500 | COUNSELING ORIENTATION | 0 |
COUN 502 | INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING Must earn an A or B to enroll in COUN 645. | 3 |
COUN 520 | PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, SOCIAL AND MEDICAL ISSUES IN ADDICTIONS Prerequisite: COUN 532. | 3 |
COUN 523 | DIAGNOSES AND THE DSM Must earn an A or B to enroll in COUN 645. | 3 |
COUN 532 | TREATMENT ISSUES IN ADDICTIONS | 3 |
COUN 545 | ESSENTIALS OF ADDICTION COUNSELING AND CASE MANAGEMENT Prerequisite: COUN 520. | 3 |
COUN 629 | CHILD AND ADOLESCENT COUNSELING | 3 |
or COUN 630 | CRISIS COUNSELING |
COUN 636 | COUPLE AND FAMILY COUNSELING | 3 |
COUN 645 | CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING PRACTICUM Prerequisites: COUN 500, 502, 523; Must earn an A or B to enroll in COUN 680. | 3 |
COUN 680 | CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING INTERNSHIP I Prerequisite: COUN 645; Must earn an A or B to enroll in COUN 681. | 3 |
COUN 681 | CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING INTERNSHIP II Prerequisite: COUN 680; Must earn an A or B to graduate. | 3 |
Total Credits | 30 |