MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

A 60-semester-hour, in-person MA subprogram in clinical mental health counseling that admits students for fall. Practicum and internship run alongside coursework, and the program ends with a full-time spring internship at an assigned mental health agency.

Official program name

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Awarded degree

Master of Arts in Counselor Education (Clinical Mental Health Counseling subprogram)

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Degree level

Master's

Counseling specialty

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Professional purpose

Clinical counselor preparationThe institution states the program prepares students for professional counselor licensure. Licensure itself also requires post-degree supervised experience, an examination and a state application.

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

School

University of Iowa — Department of Counselor Education

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Location

Iowa City, IA

Required credits

minimum of 60 s.h. of graduate credit

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Duration

approximately 20 months (four semesters) (full-time)

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Start terms

Fall

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Teaching language

English (not separately stated)

Academic delivery

On campusClasses meet in person on campus.Classes meet in person on campus.

Source: provost.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Class schedule

Not verified

Study intensity

Not published

Practicum

RequiredCSED:6349 Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3 s.h.), taken concurrently with academic courses

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Internship

RequiredFull-time internship (40 hours per week) during a spring semester; CSED:6352 Internship, 12 s.h.

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Placement arrangements and supervision

Placement arrangement

The program places students at sitesStudents are assigned to mental health agencies or facilities

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other fieldwork requirement

Clinical placements require criminal background checks; no practicum or internship in summer

Source: catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

How practicum and internship placements work

Prior degree

RequiredBachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or equivalent

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Minimum GPA

RequiredMinimum 3 — Undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or better on a four-point scale

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Statement / essay

RequiredStatement of purpose including career objectives

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Recommendation letters

Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Résumé / CV

RequiredCurrent resume

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Interview

RequiredPersonal interview with the faculty (in person or by telephone)

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT

Not verifiedMay be required for some non-native speakers of English.

Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

• Application deadline

  January 1; later applications reviewed on a rolling basis, subject to space · for Fall

  The university does not print a year with this date.

  Source: education.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026
  Year not printed

Tuition for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Scholarships, fellowships or assistantships for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Institutional accreditation

• Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 12, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)Status: Accredited · Specialty: Clinical Mental Health Counseling · Degree: M.A.Accredited since January 14, 2010 · current cycle ends October 31, 2028Source: cacrep.org · verified October 11, 2026

Published enrollment restrictions (state authorization)

None recorded for this program.

International applicants

Not verified for this program.

• LicensureGraduates have completed the educational requirements to apply for licensure as mental health counselors in Iowa. Official disclosureSource: provost.uiowa.edu · verified October 12, 2026

CACREP accreditation does not guarantee licensure in every state, and school counselor certification is not the same as clinical counselor licensure. LPC, LMHC and other state titles · School counselor credentials

1. catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/education/counselor-education/counselor-education-ma/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
2. catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/education/counselor-education/counselor-education-phd/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
3. education.uiowa.edu/areas-study/counseling-and-mental-health/clinical-mental-health-counseling — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
4. DAPIP — HLC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-12) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 12, 2026
5. provost.uiowa.edu/professional-licensure-disclosures-program — Official disclosure page, verified October 12, 2026
6. CACREP Directory of accredited programs (CSV export downloaded 2026-10-11) — Accreditor directory, verified October 11, 2026

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