Are you interested in pursuing a career in clinical counseling and helping individuals who are struggling with mental health challenges? The Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling program at Columbia International University offers professional training in clinical counseling within a biblical worldview, so you can provide Christlike therapeutic relationships for healing and growth. This program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) which ensures that the program meets national standards for counselor preparation. The educational model seeks to balance personal and spiritual development, professional knowledge and research and effective interpersonal and clinical skills.
The Masters of Arts in Clinical Counseling degree prepares you to work as a licensed professional counselor, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of counseling theories and techniques, assessment and diagnosis and ethical and legal considerations in counseling. You will also receive training in multicultural counseling and trauma-informed care. Additionally, you will have opportunities to participate in supervised clinical experiences in community agencies or private practices, which will help you develop the necessary counseling skills for your future profession. With this degree, you will be able to help individuals overcome life’s challenges by addressing their emotional, mental and spiritual needs.
View the 2023–24 CACREP Annual Report for CIU.
Campus • Online
Campus – January 3, 2025
Online – January 13, 2025
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Seminary & School of Counseling
CACREP, SACSCOC
Campus Program Courses
Online Program Courses
Admission Requirements
Cost & Aid
The program is accredited by CACREP for clinical mental health counseling, and meets the highest standards in the field.
The mission of the Clinical Counseling Program is to offer professional training in clinical mental health counseling within a biblical worldview, in order to provide Christ-like therapeutic relationships for healing and growth.
Our educational model is designed to provide a balance of academic excellence, personal and spiritual development, professional skill development and counselor identity formation, which will help you grow in all areas of your life.
In addition to the undergraduate core and other related courses, here is a glimpse at a few of the courses you will be taking in this program.
For a full list of courses related to this program, visit the Academic Catalog at one of the options below:
This course is the application of the biblical texts to clinical mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy that utilizes a Christian perspective sensitive to multicultural settings. This course will orient students to basics in the interpretation of biblical data, the biblical narrative relevant to counseling, and how to apply these concepts when providing Christian-oriented counseling services to clients. Students will learn how to contextualize the biblical narrative for clinical practice within a Christian population.
This course is an introduction to the history, philosophy, roles, and functions of mental health counseling within the context of other mental health professionals, mental health services, systems, and programs. This includes the principles of mental health for prevention, intervention, consultation, education, and advocacy in a multicultural society. A key focus of the course is how the biblical texts and Christian traditions of soul-healing provide perspectives on human nature, suffering, and redemption to develop a model of clinical mental health counseling consistent with students’ own biblical worldview.
This course emphasizes personal and spiritual well-being and growth within the context of professional development as a clinical mental health counselor and/or marriage and family therapist. To this end, students will be asked to personally engage in a psycho-educational process of self-care and self-understanding through readings, reflection papers, and assessments. Spiritual development will be encouraged through a biblical understanding of and connection with God and His transformational processes, such as spiritual disciplines and connection to others through a weekly small group. The student’s professional impact and ministry will be developed as a natural outgrowth of their active engagement with these processes of development. Additional fee for assessment materials.
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