The BW Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program has received approval from the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). An application for the new program has been submitted to and is pending approval from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Learn More
Continue reading on this page to learn more about the Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. You can also speak with an admission counselor at (440) 826-8012 or graduate@bw.edu; complete a short inquiry form; or attend an information session on campus.
BW's Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a full-time cohort program, allowing students to earn a degree in 24 months.
BW's Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's Program
The master’s in clinical mental health counseling prepares students to become licensed professional counselors (LPC), helping clients to improve their mental health and well-being.
While in the clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program, students will develop the necessary skills to become ethical, competent and successful professional counselors. Our CMHC faculty are experienced counselors, which they infuse into their teaching to create meaningful, application-oriented learning experiences. Students will be equipped to develop the confidence, skills and knowledge to thrive as a mental health counselor.
Why Choose BW’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program?
The clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program offers in-person, hands-on experience and small class sizes, allowing students to work closely with our experienced faculty.
Accelerated Program
The CMHC is 24-month full-time cohort program.
Fixed Class Schedule
In-person classes are 1.5 days each week on BW's campus, so students can plan around a predictable course schedule.
In-Person, Hands-On Learning Experiences
Counseling students learn best through small in-person classroom environments that are active, experiential and application-oriented. BW’s faculty prioritize being accessible to students and provide feedback and instruction to help students grow.
Faculty Who Are Practitioners
The CMHC faculty bring years of counseling experience from a variety of mental health settings into the classroom. Through role-play exercises, relevant clinical examples and experiential activities, students will discover how the topics they’re learning about in class will be applicable as a professional counselor.
Stay Connected
Our emphasis on community engagement and alumni relations offers counseling students and alumni opportunities for support, career networking and professional opportunities.
Careers in Counseling
With increased advocacy, awareness and support for mental health services in recent years, there are many counseling career opportunities for graduates.
Upon graduation from the CMHC program and after obtaining the necessary licenses and certifications, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) can work with clients in a variety of settings, including:
Private Practice
Veterans Affairs
College Counseling Centers
College Admissions
Hospital Mental Health Settings
Community Mental Health Agencies
Non-Profit Agencies
CMHC Curriculum
Clinical mental health counseling courses are taught primarily in-person on BW’s campus in Berea 1.5 days per week.
Students will learn through a combination of small group discussions and activities, classroom role plays, working with clients, clinical examples and case studies, and lectures. The CMHC program is 60 credit hours through required and elective courses, as well as practicum and internship hours.
Students must also pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) to graduate from the CMHC program. Students are expected to take this exam during Internship I.
Note: A degree plan is included under Important Student Documents that outlines the schedule of course offerings.
Additionally, students are required to complete a practicum and an internship:
CNS 701 Practicum: A one-semester 100 hour (including 40 direct hours) learning experience where students engage in clinical work at a community site.
CNS 702/703 Internship: A two-semester 600 hours (including 240 direct hours) learning experience where students engage in clinical work at community sites.
BW’s clinical mental health counseling program has been awarded $230,000 through the State of Ohio’s Behavioral Health Workforce Expansion Program. Every student in the fall 2024 cohort will receive approximately $14,000 toward their tuition.
Scholarships Through Choose Ohio First STEM Healthcare Scholars Program
The BW Choose Ohio First STEM Healthcare Scholars program is open to any Ohio resident entering Baldwin Wallace as a graduate student in one of our healthcare programs. Students are eligible to apply for the Choose Ohio First scholarship, which awards substantial annual, renewable financial support.
How long is the program and when does the program start?
The CMHC program is 24 months and a new cohort begins each August. The CMHC program is only offered in a full-time format that consists primarily of in-person classes. Courses are taken in sequence throughout the fall, spring and summer semesters.
What degree is awarded upon completion of the program?
Upon completion of the program, students will graduate with a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling and be eligible to sit for the National Counselor’s Exam (NCE) and earn licensed professional counselor (LPC) licensure in Ohio.
When do classes, internships and practicums take place?
The CMHC curriculum is comprised of 60 credits including core courses and electives. Classes are primarily offered in an in-person format, where students will need to be on campus 1.5 days per week. Through the program, students will also complete two semesters of internships and one semester of practicum, which are arranged by the program. The working hours of the various field experiences (internships/practicums) will be dependent on organization/site needs.
Is there an online option to complete the program?
No, the CMHC program is not offered fully online. Students are required to come to campus 1.5 days per week.
Is BW’s CMHC program accredited?
The CMHC program has been reviewed and approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board. Program graduates are eligible to apply for licensed professional counselor (LPC) licensure in Ohio. The CMHC program will apply for CACREP accreditation during the summer of 2026, which is the earliest date that CACREP permits. Students who graduate within 18 months from the accreditation date will be able to report that they graduated from a CACREP-accredited program.
Can I work while enrolled in this program?
Students enrolled in the CMHC program may be employed throughout their time in the program. The CMHC program is primarily in-person, and all courses are scheduled to occur on the same two days each semester. Consequently, students should expect to be on campus 1.5 days per week each semester. As such, part-time, hybrid or flexible employment schedules tend to work best for enrolled students. If you have questions about balancing employment with this graduate program, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the department chair, Erin West, at ewest@bw.edu with questions.
Applications to the CMHC program are reviewed on a rolling basis, but candidates are encouraged to apply by April 1 for interview preference.
Is there a minimum GPA requirement to apply?
Competitive candidates should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (4.0 scale). All collegiate coursework will be considered during the admission review process. Meeting the GPA minimum does not guarantee an interview or admission to the CMHC program.
Candidates with GPAs below the preferred cumulative 2.75 minimum may be asked to provide additional documentation outlining academic performance during the admission review process.
I completed a graduate program. Will this coursework be considered when calculating the cumulative GPA?
All university coursework, including graduate-level courses, are included when calculating the cumulative GPA.
I am still completing my bachelor's degree and will graduate before the CMHC program starts. May I still apply?
Yes. Candidates may apply to the CMHC while still completing their initial undergraduate degrees. Official transcripts depicting degree conferment are required before entering the CMHC program in August.
Does the CMHC program require prerequisite coursework?
No, there are no prerequisite courses required to begin the CMHC program and candidates from all majors are welcome to apply.
Is there an interview process?
After a successful review of submitted application credentials, qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an interview with members of the admission committee. An invitation to interview for the CMHC program does not guarantee admission.
How are admission decisions made?
Admission to the CMHC program is competitive. Admission decisions are made on a semi-rolling basis, with some offers being made soon after the interview or after all interview dates have been completed. Candidates selected for the waitlist may be re-evaluated by the admission committee should space become available.
I earned my bachelor's degree from a foreign institution. What should I do?
Candidates with degrees earned from foreign institutions must have a course-by-course evaluation completed with degree verification by an approved credential evaluation service as part of the application process. BW has approved the following credential evaluation services: Education Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, SpanTran and World Education Services (WES). This evaluation must be sent directly to the BW office of admission from the credential evaluation service to be considered official.
Can students transfer coursework to the CMHC program?
Up to six credits of graduate coursework may transfer into the CMHC program pending approval from the department chair. Please contact the office of admission at graduate@bw.edu for more details.
Is the GRE required for admission to the CMHC program?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission into the CMHC program.
Is previous work experience required for admission to the CMHC program?
While the CMHC program does not have a work experience requirement as part of the admission process, we value individuals with varied professional backgrounds. Candidates may supply a resume/CV within the application if desired.
I'm a current BW student or graduate. Do I have to submit my transcripts?
The admission office will work with current BW students and graduates to retain official BW transcripts. If official transcripts from other institutions were already submitted to BW for prior coursework, the admission office may be able to utilize those during the admission process. Please contact the office of admission at graduate@bw.edu for more details.
CMHC Faculty and Admission Contacts
BW’s CMHC faculty members are professional counselors who have earned their doctoral degrees from CACREP-accredited doctoral programs. Our faculty remain active in research and scholarship, as well as local, regional and national counseling organizations.
The CMHC program uses Tevera software for practicum and internship experiences. Tevera is helpful to students throughout the program, providing them with a simple way to organize and manage important clinical documentation, evaluations and time logs. Tevera is also helpful to students after they graduate and are pursuing professional licensure. For a one-time fee, our students gain lifetime access to Tevera.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Mission Statement
The mission of the clinical mental health counseling program at Baldwin Wallace University is to prepare ethical and compassionate professional counselors with excellent clinical skills ready to meet the mental health needs of diverse clients across the lifespan. Faculty with relevant clinical experience engage students in meaningful real-world learning throughout their graduate education in preparation to meet the requirements of the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSW & MFT) Board to become licensed professional counselors.
Counseling Department Mission Statement
The mission of the counseling department at Baldwin Wallace University is to prepare ethical and compassionate counselors with excellent skills who are ready to meet the mental health needs of diverse individuals across the lifespan. Our counseling faculty members value excellence in teaching and utilize a variety of real-world learning experiences to provide students with a high-quality graduate education. Along with teaching, counseling faculty members engage in counseling-related clinical work, service, and research to benefit the university and surrounding communities. Through this work, the counseling department promotes and supports mental health and well-being within local communities and throughout the region.
Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice: Students will demonstrate a strong professional counselor identity and apply appropriate legal and ethical codes to counseling work to practice in an ethical manner.
Social and Cultural Identities and Experiences: Students will demonstrate knowledge of socio-cultural contexts and how diverse experiences can impact the counseling process.
Lifespan Development: Students will apply knowledge and theories of human growth and development to benefit the counseling process.
Career Development: Students will demonstrate knowledge of career development and career counseling theories and apply effective skills in career counseling.
Counseling Practice & Relationships: Students will demonstrate knowledge of counseling theory and utilize theory(s) of counseling and counseling skills to form effective therapeutic relationships with people across diverse backgrounds.
Group Counseling and Group Work: Students will demonstrate knowledge of group counseling theory and process and apply effective group counseling skills in group counseling.
Assessment: Students will demonstrate knowledge and skills to competently apply the use of assessment in counseling including the diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders.
Research and Program Evaluation: Students will be critical consumers of counseling-related research and use research to inform clinical practice.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Students will utilize effective diagnostic skills, treatment planning skills, techniques, and interventions to address wellness and mental health across a variety of clinical mental health counseling settings.
