Our application process is now open!

Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year will be accepted
between October 2026 and January 2027

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program welcomes a diverse student population and encourages applicants of different ages, from different social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, and with different abilities and learning styles. The program provides the coursework necessary for students to become Licensed Professional Counselors in community mental health centers, community agencies, mental health facilities, and private practice settings. Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the three-year, 60-credit-hour program leads to the awarding of both the Master of Arts and the Educational Specialist degrees. Graduates are also eligible to become Board Certified Counselors.

We offer small, experiential classes that rarely involve more than eight to ten students. Our dynamic and student-focused faculty members have been the recipients of national ACES awards, along with numerous other honors at the regional, state, university, college, and department levels. Students receive constant feedback and supervision throughout their training. We place great emphasis on personal and professional growth and the practical application of skills at our on-campus practicum and community-based internship sites.

During the 2025-2026 academic year, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Ed.S. students provided over 5100 hours of support and consultation in providing mental health counseling in sites across the state, including offering over 2040 hours of direct service to clients. Twenty-eight students were enrolled in the JMU Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, and the total number of graduates during this academic year was 7. Our completion rate for full-time and part-time students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program for the graduating cohort was 100%. Several of our students were also active in presenting at professional conferences and attending state-wide training sessions for counseling graduate students

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Annual Report and Program Outcomes