Master of Arts - Counseling - Clinical and Mental Health Counseling

The Counselor Education Program prepares students to address the counseling and human development needs of a pluralistic society. The program recruits and retains students who reflect the broad range of diversity found in New Mexico. Students graduate with knowledge and skills in core competency areas that include professional identity, social and cultural foundations, human growth and development, career development, helping relationships, group work, assessment, and research and program evaluation.

The Counselor Education Program features an integration of theory, research, practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration. It is intended to prepare counselors who are informed; who will be sensitive to the diversity and uniqueness of individuals, families, and communities; and who will value and promote the dignity, potential, and well-being of all people. The program prepares professional school and clinical mental health counselors (master’s level) and counselor educators (PhD level) to respond to a world with challenging and pressing social problems.

Faculty members are committed to integrating teaching, scholarship, research, clinical practice, and service, while promoting a climate of social justice, systemic change, and advocacy. The faculty’s goal is to infuse multicultural and diversity training in all aspects of academic and clinical coursework in order to prepare multiculturally competent counselors and counselor educators. From the beginning of the graduate course of study, classroom education is combined with real-world integration and experiences. These experiences provide the opportunity for students to work in and with various educational settings and community agencies.