Relationship, Marriage, and Family Counseling
Gain the skills and knowledge to make a deep impact on families and communities. 
The CACREP-accredited M.Ed. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health - Relationship, Marriage and Family Concentration provides a broad foundation in mental health counseling with special attention to working with intimate partners and families encountering multiple and diverse challenges. Particular consideration is given to frameworks of relationship and family counseling that are comparative, multidimensional, and culturally inclusive. The course sequence is designed to satisfy the academic requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Virginia as well as a Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor.
Requirements
Completion of the Clinical Mental Health & Relationship Marriage and Family Counseling Concentration requires a total of 63 semester hours of classroom and clinical course work that can be completed in two academic years.
See the M.Ed. Counseling - Clinical Mental Health & Relationship, Marriage and Family Counseling Concentration Program of Studies for courses and sequence.
Field ExperiencesClinical experiences are an integral part of students’ preparation, and practice in a clinical setting is integrated throughout the program. In the first year, students have their first client contact through a closely supervised practicum. In the second year, two internships provide for intensive counseling experience with couples and families. Student interns provide counseling services to community members through the on-campus New Horizons Family Counseling Center. The center has offered free counseling services for more than three decades and serves approximately 300 families per year. Through the center, counseling students have invaluable opportunities for leadership, clinical training and research experiences — all while providing an extraordinary service to the community. |
LicensureVirginia licensure as a Professional Counselor requires a master’s degree in counseling, 60 hours of graduate course work in counseling, a 3400-hour, post-master’s clinical residency, and successful completion of the licensure examination. The curriculum fulfills all classroom and clinical instruction requirements for licensure as a Professional Counselor in Virginia and most other states as well as certification by the National Board of Certified Counselors. |
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Coordinators
[[rmphipps,Ric Phipps]]
Clinical Associate Professor
(757) 221-5570
[[rrmartinez,Robert Martinez]]
Associate Professor
(757) 221-4782
Questions and Inquiries?
Contact us at [[graded]] or
(757) 221-2317.
