Clinical Mental Health & Military and Veterans Counseling

Make a difference in the lives of military veterans and their families. Our program, the only one of its kind in Virginia, trains counselors to work with veterans and their families on issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, the emotional impacts of physical injury, long-term family separation and the transition from military to civilian life.

The CACREP-accredited M.Ed. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Military and Veterans Counseling concentration provides students with select coursework and internship experiences that prepare them to address the unique behavioral health needs of active duty military personnel and military veterans.

In all classroom and clinical experiences, there is strong emphasis placed on cultural responsiveness and social justice in counseling practice, and students are able track their mastery of specific social justice competencies as they progress through the curriculum. Students who enter the program either with or without direct military background or experience of their own can expect to graduate from the Military and Veterans Counseling specialization well-prepared to engage in effective counseling relationships with active duty and veteran military service members and their families.

Online M.Ed.

The Online M.Ed. in Counseling - Clinical Mental Health & Military and Veterans Counseling is a 60-credit hour program that can be completed part-time in as few as three years. Students engage in online coursework with W&M faculty and pursue practicum and internship experiences in their local area, working directly with military veterans and their families. Learn more about the Online M.Ed.

On-Campus M.Ed.

Graduate students in the on-campus Clinical Mental Health & Military and Veterans Counseling Concentration complete a total of 60 semester hours of classroom and clinical course work. The program is organized into groups of required foundation courses, basic counseling courses, and specialized courses that enable a student to concentrate in military and veterans counseling. Students typically complete the on-campus program in two years as full-time students. See the Clinical Mental Health & Military and Veterans Counseling Concentration Program of Study for course names and sequence.

Field Experiences

Clinical 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 intensive and diverse clinical experiences.

Students in the Military and Veterans program complete their clinical experiences working with military and veteran clients under the supervision of licensed field supervisors and program faculty.

Licensure

Licensure as a Professional Counselor in Virginia
At this time in Virginia, licensure as a Professional Counselor requires a master’s degree in counseling, 60 hours of graduate course work in counseling, a 4000-hour, post-master’s clinical residency, and successful completion of the licensure examination. The program of studies for all of the M.Ed. degrees in counseling at William & Mary includes all the required areas of classroom and clinical instruction needed for licensure as a Professional Counselor in Virginia and most other states. The entire 60 hours need not be taken during the M.Ed. program. Students in programs requiring less than 60 hours for graduation may elect to complete the 60 hours required for Virginia licensure before or after they graduate.