Florida State’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program consists of five full semesters of academic coursework, practica, and internship. Upon completing the 60 credit hour program, you will earn both a master’s (M.S.) and a specialist (Ed.S.) degree.
During the program, you will practice in a variety of settings. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program has connections with a number of organizations. These allow you to gain hands-on experience in settings like:
- independent practices
- community agencies
- managed behavioral health care organizations
- hospitals
- military organizations
- hospice care
- employee assistance programs
- student counseling centers
- prisons
- substance abuse centers
Our Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Upon graduation, you will be eligible for licensure in Florida and other states as a mental health counselor.
In order to meet minimum University and departmental admission requirements, an applicant must have:
- A bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA – An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree.
- GRE test scores* – Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not retain scores longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the official report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report. FSU Institution Code: 5219.
- Target Scores: Verbal: 145 or above, Analytical: 3.5 or above
- *NOTE: The GRE admission requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
- Language proficiency test (international students only)– FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120)
- Transcripts – Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended. Transcripts should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions electronically at graduateadmissions@fsu.edu or via mail in a sealed envelope:
- Florida State University
Office of Graduate Admissions
314 Westcott Building
P.O. Box 3061410
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410
- Florida State University
For this program, the following supporting documents must be to the Admissions Application Portal:
- Personal Statement (1 required) – The personal statement should describe your purpose for pursuing a degree, qualifications, and long-term career goals and should be no more than 3 pages in length.
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- Letters of recommendation should be written by persons who are in a position to comment on the likelihood of your success within the department.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae (1 required)
- Unofficial Transcripts – Include transcripts from all colleges attended. Uploading a copy will expedite the review process, though you must still send official copies to the Office of Admissions.
The application deadline is December 1 (Fall admission only).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the job outlook for mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists is expected to grow 37 percent from 2010 to 2020, which is much faster than average. This expected growth will see as many as 58,500 new jobs in the field. On average, mental health counselors make $39,710 annually.
COUNSELOR EDUCATION MISSION AND OBJECTIVES
The Counselor Education degree program’s mission is to provide high-quality training that reflects current research and prepare professional counselors for positions in public and private settings within a multicultural and pluralistic world. The curriculum for M.S./Ed.S. counseling majors will lead to eligibility for certification and licensure as professional counselors. Professional counselors promote the social, psychological, physical, and spiritual health of individuals, families, communities, and organizations. The Counselor Education program provides students with the opportunity to obtain a wealth of common core generalist counselor knowledge while specializing in Career Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The mission is achieved through the following objectives, which are based on input from faculty, students, alumni, supervisors, and employers:
A. To provide quality education to persons pursuing a Master of Science (M.S.)/Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees in Counselor Education, while specializing in Career Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
B. To provide M.S./Ed.S.-level graduate students with quality clinical training and understanding of professional issues in the areas of career counseling, clinical mental health counseling, general counseling, and case management.
C. To prepare M.S./Ed.S.-level graduate students with knowledge and skills in providing effective individual and group counseling in a multitude of settings.
D. To provide students with skills and knowledge in conducting needs assessment and research in the field of counseling.
E. To prepare M.S./Ed.S.-level graduate students with knowledge and skill in effectively addressing issues and concerns related to diverse populations.
F. To provide skill and knowledge in the application of ethical and legal principles in the practice of counseling.
The counselor education program evaluates our achievement of these efforts through the use of our Comprehensive Assessment Plan (CAP), and feedback from students, graduates, alumni (2 years post-graduation), supervisors, and employers. These reports and the CAP are available below.
INFORMATION FOR SITE SUPERVISORS
ACCREDITATION INFORMATION
Click here to learn more about our Clinical Mental Health Counseling faculty!
