Transform lives, starting with yours: OCU's Clinical Mental Health M.Ed
Transform lives, starting with yours: OCU's Clinical Mental Health M.Ed

Earn your M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Oklahoma City University

The online Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) from Oklahoma City University (OCU) offers a comprehensive counseling curriculum to prepare you for state licensure as well as a rewarding career as a counselor.

Designed with an emphasis on the practitioner-wellness model, OCU’s online master’s program approaches counseling as a merging of art and science. Develop your sense of self-awareness and creativity while you build skills in therapy techniques and a foundation of behavioral pathology and counseling theory. Additionally, evidence-based practice is a hallmark of the OCU online M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

The program's skills labs have been modernized to offer greater flexibility, utilizing Microsoft Teams technology. This allows you to arrange sessions with your lab partner whenever it suits you during the course week. As you navigate this format, you'll enhance your proficiency in online counseling, engage with a diverse range of individuals, and benefit from the ability to record, review, and receive constructive feedback on sessions.

Practicum and internship courses built into the curriculum offer a first look at working in real-world settings with diverse communities while meeting fieldwork requirements for licensure.

Program Details

  • 60 credit hours
  • Fully online
  • Comprehensive counseling curriculum:
    • Approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors
    • Approved by the Oklahoma State Board for Behavioral Health
    • Meets or exceeds board requirements of other states
  • Flexible and remote clinical skills labs
  • Practicum and internship included
  • Complete in as few as:
    • 2 years with full-time enrollment
    • 3 years with blended full-time/part-time enrollment
    • 4 years with part-time enrollment
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Kick off your counseling career with a program that meets your needs.

Small classes, online flexibility, and a proven curriculum make Oklahoma City University's online M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling a clear choice for your career. Learn more by downloading a program brochure.

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OCU: Your launchpad to counseling mastery


It’s a great time to get into counseling. The field is expected to grow 18% by 2032, adding more than 70,000 jobs across specialties like substance use counseling, family and marriage therapy, and adolescent counseling.1

The OCU counseling master’s trains students to work as professional counselors who can fit into any sector or speciality of their interest. Once they’ve completed all licensing requirements, students will be prepared to provide services to individuals, groups, and families experiencing personal, social, or career difficulties in settings such as community counseling centers, mental health clinics, youth and guidance centers, human service agencies, drug and alcohol treatment facilities, university counseling centers, abuse shelters, religious counseling centers, and private practice.
Counselor writing in notebook while sitting and talking with client

Fostering relationships, building careers

OCU’s faculty of doctorally prepared counseling specialists serve as mentors in the field and offer students support academically, personally, and professionally. As many faculty are practicing counselors, they’re able to use their country-spanning networks to provide valuable connections for students’ professional pursuits as well as for finding internship and practicum site placements. Students will also have the opportunity to network with their peers in small cohort intensive skills labs.

The online mental health counseling M.Ed. emphasizes students’ self-exploration as individuals and counselors as a part of the program experience. To support the well-being and mental health of students in the field, students are encouraged to take advantage of free counseling services at OCU for themselves. The university also supports students with stipends for attending and presenting at state and national conferences where they can network and pursue professional development opportunities.

Meet the Faculty
Two pairs of hands clasped across a table

Prepare for impact

There’s no question that as a counselor you can make a real difference in the lives of your clients through direct mental health counseling. Licensed counselors also have a big role to play in social justice.

Mental health and behavioral disorder diagnosis has been historically used as a tool of oppression, ignoring the systemic, cultural, and environmental factors that can have an effect on the psyche. To combat this, OCU’s counseling program places an emphasis on the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies set by the American Counseling Association (ACA). OCU guides each student through self-reflection on personal history with prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination and pushes counselors to expand their cultural competency to better serve their clients. Using the ACA competencies as a guide, your influence could go even further if you’re interested in contributing to research, education, and improving access to mental health resources to the most vulnerable populations in your community through advocacy.

Find rewarding opportunities with OCU’s online counseling program

No matter the sector or specialization, OCU’s online counseling master’s curriculum will help you build the necessary skills and confidence to make a difference. No waitlists, online courses, small class sizes, and an emphasis on ethics come together to deliver a counseling program that meets your needs and fuels your drive.

At OCU, private school doesn’t mean prohibitive costs.
Build a strong foundation of practical skills to progress into counseling fieldwork.
Excel in the industry with dedicated academic support and faculty mentorship.

Love your work, live your life

When you choose a degree program like clinical mental health counseling, it’s crucial to maintain work-life balance to avoid burnout. OCU offers three different pacing options, each delivered primarily online, to help you maintain harmony with your other life demands:

  • Complete in as few as 2 years with full-time enrollment
  • 3 years with blended full-time/part-time enrollment
  • 4 years with part-time enrollment

The best part? You can adjust your enrollment pacing year to year.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Admissions Deadlines

Mar
24
Priority Deadline
March 24
Summer 2025
Apr
21
Final Deadline
April 21
Summer 2025
May
5
Start Date
May 5
Summer 2025

Oklahoma City University has engaged Everspring, a leading provider of education and technology services, to support select aspects of program delivery.