Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution or the international equivalent. For applicants to the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Online program, you must be located in a state in which we are authorized to provide online education. While no prerequisites are required to apply, we strongly recommend applicants to have related volunteer or work experience in the mental health field.

  GRE scores are not required for admissions to PAU master's degree programs. GRE scores will not be considered in the review of applications, even if students provide them.  

• Palo Alto University offers students a multicultural focus that emphasizes culture, social justice, and families that students experience in weekly live classes. Students benefit from the latest academic research and clinical approaches while tailoring their experience to the culture and community in which they live and practice, all in a program format that fits into their busy lives.
  • The hybrid program is offered weekday evenings. Courses are held on the PAU campuses or live via Zoom.
  • Classes take place Monday-Thursday evenings from 4-6 pm or 6-8 pm or 6-8:50 pm, depending on the cohort.
  • All skill-based clinical work is done in an appropriate clinical or classroom setting 

With the time savings from your online classes, you will be able to take three classes per quarter – which means earning your degree in just nine quarters. Staying local while participating in a distance learning (online) master’s degree program gives students the best of both worlds.

• When you enroll in PAU’s distance learning courses, you will attend all classes online in a live Zoom classroom.
• Info about Residency for online students only: You will meet your professors and classmates in-person during two residential training experiences. These intensive study and competency-based skill training seminars culminate in a clinical interviewing assessment that is a prerequisite for clinical fieldwork.
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• Students learn through lecture, discussion, and research, and apply new knowledge in an internship, all guided by their professors. Instructors of online courses are trained in distance learning teaching methods, and advisors serve as coaches to help students address the challenges unique to online learning.

NOTE: Online students must be located in a state in which we are authorized to provide online education. Please review PAU's State Authorizations page.

As part of the MA Counseling degree requirement, two in-person residencies are required for distance-learning (online) students. These residencies will require students to make their way to the Bay Area for a week of intensive experiential learning/training with peers and faculty on counseling and clinical skills development. 

These residencies will help to enhance your clinical skills, will provide opportunities for meaningful interactions with faculty, staff, and students, and will be crucial benchmarks in your journey to becoming a professional counselor.

Students are responsible for all costs associated with these residencies, including travel, accommodations, food, etc.

Visit our Tuition and Cost page or contact our Financial Aid department to learn more. 

General Grad Degree Requirements

No. The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling does not require prerequisite courses.

International students currently living in the U.S. in F-1 status and students who would need to receive an F-1 visa in order to study in the United State, are not eligible to apply for PAU Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling on-campus format.

Most documents can be submitted electronically via the application process in PSYCAS. Transcripts and test scores should be sent directly to PSYCAS. Instructions can be found via the PSYCAS Applicant Help Center. Paper transcripts can be mailed to the following address:

PSYCAS Transcript Processing Center
P.O. Box 9138
Watertown, MA 02471

After enrolling in the program, conditionally admitted students must submit final official transcripts directly to the Office of admissions as soon as possible. Failure to submit final official transcripts by the first day of classes will result in a registration hold. Any student who does not submit final transcripts by the end of the first quarter will be dropped from their courses.

Formatting:

• Maximum of 2 pages
• 1.5 line-spaced
• 12-point font
• 1-inch margins

The paper should address the following questions:

• What does being a professional counselor mean to you?
• Why have you chosen to pursue a career in professional counseling?
• How have your previous school, work, or training experiences prepared you to pursue graduate studies in counseling?
• What personal characteristics or strengths will contribute to your being an effective counselor?

The most important piece of advice is to respond to the questions asked in the prompt and to adhere to length and style requirements. Beyond that, the statement of purpose is the primary way for the admissions Committee to hear your voice. There is no need to rehash your resume – take the opportunity to talk about your passions and interests specific to counseling.

You are welcome to address personal circumstances or hardship in your application if it helps frame your interest in the field. Please remember, however, that your statement of purpose is not a diary entry or a counseling session. Oversharing can raise concerns about boundary issues and personal judgment. If you address a past hardship, we encourage you to provide analysis and self-reflection of the situation, rather than just a description of what happened. If the situation is too fresh, and you feel you cannot distance yourself enough to provide analysis yet, it may be best to choose another topic for your statement of purpose.

We recommend a 3.0 cumulative GPA. However, we do a comprehensive review of all your application materials.

Admitted students can request to transfer up to 9 semester units or 13.5 quarter units of prior graduate work. Previous coursework cannot be more than 5 years old and must be completed with a grade of “B” or better. Transfer coursework is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and students must submit a comprehensive syllabus for each requested transfer course. A Palo Alto University faculty member then reviews the documentation and either accepts or rejects the course for transfer credit. Students have access to the transfer unit request form after they confirm their enrollment in the program.

Not all courses are eligible for transfer credit – only those listed below. Students should also be aware that in order to receive transfer credit, the previous course must be at least as many units as the PAU equivalent. For semester-based programs, courses to be reviewed for transfer must be 3 units, and for quarter-based programs, courses to be reviewed for transfer must be 4.5 units to be considered.

• CLIN601: Multicultural Counseling Theories and Techniques (4.5 units)
• CLIN604: Addiction Counseling (4.5 units)
• CLIN610: Legal & Ethical Foundations (4.5 units)
• CLIN618: Family Systems Theory (MCFC) (4.5 units)
• CLIN619: Couples Counseling (MCFC) (4.5 units)
• CLIN634: Human Sexuality (4.5 units)
• CLIN651: Community Mental Health (4.5 units)
• CLIN680: Psychopharmacology (4.5 units)
• COUN600: Counseling Theory (4.5 units)
• COUN603: Appraisal & Assessment in Counseling (4.5 units)
• COUN612: Life Span Development (4.5 units)
• COUN634: Diagnosis (4.5 units)
• COUN641: Research & Program Evaluation (4.5 units)
• COUN661: Career Development Theories and Techniques (4.5 units)
• Approved Counseling Elective (CMHC) (4.5 units)

No. If admitted to the program, students will let us know their preferred cohort via their Enrollment Agreement form. The Counseling Department will try to match students to their preferred cohort; however, cohort assignments are based on space availability and are not guaranteed.

Please review our list of unauthorized states. If you are located in an unauthorized states, we will not be able to consider your application for admissions. If you live outside of the US, you may apply, but please check your country’s counseling licensure information to determine if this program meets your professional needs.

You will confirm your final cohort preference if you’re admitted and commit to attending PAU. Cohorts are assigned based on space available and not guaranteed. Students receive their cohort assignments and class schedules approximately one month before classes. Requests to change cohorts must be evaluated by the department at that time and changes are not guaranteed.