University of Wisconsin - Stout

Mission Statement

The University of Wisconsin-Stout Mental Health Counseling Program prepares competent and ethical counselors for service in the mental health counseling profession. Students receive training and experience in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention skills necessary to provide comprehensive counseling services. Graduates are prepared to conduct individual, group and family counseling to restore mental health and to promote human development and growth. Respect and consideration of human diversity is infused throughout the program curriculum.

The Mental Health Counseling Program primarily serves students from the west central area of Wisconsin, although people from other regions of Wisconsin and other states are also welcome to apply to the program. While the majority of students have had undergraduate majors in human services related programs, no particular undergraduate degree is required. However, students are expected to develop a professional identity consistent with the counseling profession.

The faculty's priority is to assure that graduates are competent and productive counseling professionals, committed to lifelong personal and professional growth, who respect the race, sex, age, religion, cultural heritage, and sexual orientation of all individuals. Differences are appreciated, and students are accepted as fellow human beings possessing unique backgrounds.



The M.S. Mental Health Counseling Program prepares students for careers as professional counselors, assisting with the mental health needs of clientele in a variety of settings including

The purpose of the program is to provide students with the counseling skills necessary for helping with the behavioral and emotional difficulties of clients from a diversity of backgrounds. Training in mental health counseling services includes the provision of principles and theories of counseling and psychotherapy, group dynamics, family systems theories, human and career development, and psychological assessment, as well as understanding and remediation of the causes of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior. Mental health counselors work with individuals, groups, couples, and families for the purpose of treating psychopathological conditions and optimizing human growth and development.

Individuals who have previous undergraduate preparation in social work, sociology, psychology, vocational rehabilitation, child development and family life, addictions, or human services are especially well-qualified to enter the graduate program in mental health counseling. However, no special undergraduate major is required for entry into the program. The course offerings will allow the student to develop the clinical skills necessary to become an effective mental health counselor.

Our goal is to assure that graduates are competent, productive and ethical counseling professionals who respect the race, sex, age, religion, cultural heritage, and sexual orientation of all individuals. Differences are appreciated, and students are accepted as fellow human beings possessing unique backgrounds.


Program Description

The Mental Health Counseling Program is an approved professional counseling program for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential in the state of Wisconsin. The Mental Health Counseling Program is designed to meet Wisconsin state credentialing requirements and will prepare students for the National Counselor Examination (NCE). In addition, the program allows the opportunity for students, if interested, to develop specialized areas of training through various concentrations. These concentration areas include:

The concentrations include advanced internship experience in agencies which provide training specific to the concentration area. Coursework from other programs at UW-Stout, including Marriage and Family Therapy; Vocational Rehabilitation; Applied Psychology; Family Studies and Human Development; School Psychology; and School Counseling can allow for the development of a variety of interests. The program provides for development of clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of a wide array of clinical problems and life difficulties.

Full-time students in Mental Health Counseling program can finish in four semesters plus one or two Summer sessions. Part-time students will take longer, based on their personal time frame for taking courses. However, graduate school policies require that all credits counted toward a degree be completed within seven years. A flexible program plan will be developed between the program director and student, following his/her acceptance into the program.

The Mental Health Counseling Program includes a comprehensive examination, which covers the program's core courses. The exam allows for a final opportunity to review and integrate course material from throughout the program. The comprehensive exam is completed near the end of the student's program. Students that opt to do a Master's research paper (COUN-735 Problems in Counseling, COUN-770 Thesis, or alternative) will be exempt from taking the comprehensive exam.


Assistantships

Students admitted to the program can apply for graduate assistantships, several of which are offered through the program. The graduate assistants for the Counseling Process Laboratory (CPL) help the faculty organize the lab class as well as teach and supervise students who are learning basic and advanced counseling skills. A student has to have completed the CPL course to apply for the position. Another assistantship is assigned to the Introduction to Basic Counseling Skills class, an undergraduate course that teaches basic counseling skills. In addition, students can apply for assistantships throughout the University. Other opportunities including student loans, scholarships, advanced opportunity grants, and federal work/study funds are available through the Financial Aid Office.


Facilities

A unique component of the Mental Health Counseling program is the state-of-the-art counseling laboratory facilities. These rooms, including a large and comfortable group area; four counseling rooms with cameras, two-way mirrors, and microphones; and an observation area, allow for a high level of supervision and feedback from the staff and fellow students. This facility allows students to receive hands-on experiential learning with ongoing practice of counseling skills throughout the program.

Varied internship experiences are available for students. While several positions are available at the UW-Stout Counseling Center, many are off campus. Facilities where students can receive internship experiences include outpatient clinics, psychiatric hospitals, college counseling centers, social service agencies, residential treatment facilities, employee assistance programs, AODA treatment facilities, correctional institutions, and private practice offices.

 

Positions Upon Graduation

Graduates from the Mental Health Counseling Program at UW-Stout can gain employment in community mental health centers, psychiatric hospitals, outpatient mental health clinics, residential treatment facilities, rehabilitation agencies, social service agencies, college counseling centers, employee assistance programs, half-way houses, adolescent crisis centers, AODA treatment facilities, correctional institutions, and shelter homes.

Surveys of recent graduates have indicated a 95 to 100 percent employment rate upon graduation. Graduates of the program have received employment throughout the United States. Examples of job titles of recent graduates of the program include:

 

Application

Applications are accepted through October 1 from students planning to enroll the following spring semester and through February 1 from those planning to enroll for the summer or fall semester of that same year. Applicants need to submit the Graduate School Application and the Internal Program Application, along with a minimum of two letters of reference. Application materials will be reviewed shortly after the application deadline, and decisions will be made as to who will be invited for interviews. Interviews will be done in a group format. For those applying for Fall 2008, the interview will be held on Friday, February 22, 2008 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Following the interview process, all applicants interviewed will be notified of acceptance or denial. A full description of the application process can be found in the UW-Stout Graduate Bulletin.