The Master of Science in Mental Health Care and Christian Integration (MS) degree was created to serve individuals who already possess a clinical degree and desire to integrate their faith in their practice as clinicians, or for pastors who want more training in applied counseling but without the clinical sequence of the CMHC program.
All Richmont students complete coursework in biblical studies, practical theology, and the integration of applied psychology and practical theology. Through the pursuit of the MS degree, the integration component may be taken in. Although this degree is not designed to lead to licensure as a counselor, MS graduates may pursue further study in counseling elsewhere or use this training to supplement training received at another institution.
The MS in Mental Health Care and Christian Integration is designed to meet the needs of the following students:
Although the MS degree is NOT designed to lead to licensure or to any independent practice of counseling, it essentially extracts the integrative track from the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with minor alterations and additions. It requires 31 hours of coursework as outlined in the program sequence. The MS degree can be completed in a minimum of three semesters but cannot extend past three academic years from the time of matriculation.
Program Objectives
Objective 1: Graduates understand the methods and models of integrating counseling and Christian theology.
Courses such as CED6302: Deconstruction in Counseling, CED7362: Integrative Theology for Counselors, and the various clinical theology courses are designed to assist the student in the integration of counseling and Christian theology. Christian faith is viewed as the primary source by which to identify and enlighten a healthy psychology. The skills of integration are seen as fundamental to the other areas of the program. A growing awareness and intent toward a healthy personal spiritual formation is expected of each graduate.
Objective 2: Graduates understand integrating their faith and profession in their personal lives in an experiential sense.
Integration is not taught as merely an intellectual enterprise but is addressed as a part of personal integrity. CED6112: Personal and Spiritual Life of the Counselor and clinical theology courses teach students to examine how psychological and theological truths impact their personal lives and can be integrated into their identity. Course requirements include experiential elements to facilitate this aim.
Objective 3: Graduates bring relevant information from the traditional theological areas of biblical studies, theology, and church history to their counseling.
Biblical studies are addressed in CED6352: Biblical Anthropology and CED7362: Integrative Theology for Counselors. Elements of systematic theology are covered in CED7362: Integrative Theology for Counselors and in some electives. Church history is surveyed in CED6362: Practical Integration. This set of courses is designed to draw explicit implications from these pivotal sources for Christian faith and practice and to relate them to psychology and counseling.
Objective 4: Graduates are equipped to interpret issues of mental health and disorder from a consistently Christian worldview. Given that human well-being and alleviation of suffering are foci of the study of psychology, the application of integrative perspectives to mental health is a focus of the curriculum. Students learn to distinguish between mental and spiritual health, and spiritual versus psychological problems. The role of biology in mental and spiritual conditions is covered, and students are encouraged to develop a worldview to incorporate these dimensions.
Objective 5: Graduates who practice counseling are sensitive to faith and spirituality issues in their counseling. Students who complete this degree and are qualified to practice counseling will be able to address spirituality and faith issues in the counseling room and to do so in ways consistent with professional ethics.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Mental Health Care and Christian Integration curriculum consists of a minimum of 32 semester hours.
Mental Health Care Curriculum (17 hours)
| CED5122 | Foundations in Counseling | 2 |
| CED6113 | Helping Relationships | 3 |
| CED6143 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| CED6802 | Trauma in Developmental Context | 2 |
| CED6512 | Introduction to Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy | 2 |
| CED7462 | Couples, Marriage and Family Therapy I | 2 |
| CED7113 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
Integration Curriculum (14 hours)
| CED6112 | Personal and Spiritual Life of the Counselor | 2 |
| CED6302 | Deconstruction in Theology and Counseling | 2 |
| CED6362 | Practical Integration | 2 |
| CED6352 | Biblical Anthropology | 2 |
| CED7132 | Theodicy and Trauma Counseling | 2 |
| CED7362 | Integrative Theology | 2 |
CEDx2x2
| Counseling and Spirituality Integration Elective | 2 |
1 Year Program Sequence
Below is the suggested sequence of courses for a student pursuing the basic Master of Science in Mental Health Care and Christian Integration
Two-year program sequence options are available from the Records Office.
Fall Semester I: 11 hours
| CED5122 | Foundations in Counseling | 2 |
| CED6113 | Helping Relationships | 3 |
| CED6512 | Introduction to Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy | 2 |
| CED6802 | Trauma in Developmental Context | 2 |
| CED7362 | Integrative Theology | 2 |
Spring Semester I: 13 hours
| CED6112 | Personal and Spiritual Life of the Counselor | 2 |
| CED6143 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| CED6302 | Deconstruction in Theology and Counseling | 2 |
| CED7462 | Couples, Marriage and Family Therapy I | 2 |
| CED7132 | Theodicy and Trauma Counseling | 2 |
CEDx2x2
| Counseling and Spirituality Integration Elective | 2 |
Summer Semester I: 7 hours