To be eligible for the Mount Mary University Master of Science in Professional Counseling program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Have completed a minimum of 18 credits in human development, education, psychology, sociology, social work or communications, including an undergraduate statistics course, is preferred
• Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale OR equivalent evidence of successful academic achievement (e.g. GRE, MAT, 3.0 GPA in final 60 credits, 3.0 GPA in post-baccalaureate coursework)
• Submit all required application materials (see details below)

International Students: See additional application requirements and procedures or contact your graduate admission counselor for questions.

Fall Term

• Early admission: February 1
• General admission: May 1

Spring Term 

• October 1

Summer Term

• March 1

*Applications completed after the noted deadlines will be reviewed on an individual basis. 

How to Apply

1. Complete and submit the online Graduate Student Application.
2. Submit the nonrefundable application fee. The application fee is waived for Mount Mary alumni. Contact your graduate admission counselor to obtain the alumni waiver code.
3. Submit your official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended. You will need to contact each institution (typically the registrar’s office) to have your transcript sent directly to Mount Mary University. If you are in the process of completing a bachelor’s degree, send your current transcript at the time of application and then send your final transcript once your degree is conferred. If you previously attended Mount Mary, you do not need to request Mount Mary transcripts, but you should provide transcripts from other schools, if applicable. Official transcripts can be submitted via mail or electronically to:
   • Graduate Admission Office, Mount Mary University, 2900 N. Menomonee River Parkway, Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597
   • mmu-admissop@mtmary.edu 
4. Submit three letters of recommendation. The recommendations should be from professionals and/or professors able to comment on abilities and commitment. Instructions are provided in the Graduate Student Application.
5. Write and submit a career goals statement. The statement should specify your objectives, experience and/or skills contributing to your decision to pursue graduate study in counseling. Please include your name on the statement.
6. Complete and submit a criminal background check. Submit a criminal background check (state and federal screening) through CastleBranch. When completed in CastleBranch, the Professional Counseling Department will have access to the results of your background check. It is not necessary to email the results of your background check if completed via CastleBranch.

Application materials can be uploaded via your application portal, or submitted via postal mail or email to:

• Mount Mary University, Graduate Admission Office, 2900 N. Menomonee River Parkway, Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597
• mmu-admissop@mtmary.edu

Once you submit all application materials, the Counseling Program Director will contact you to schedule an interview. Admission decisions will be made after all application materials are received and the interview is completed. 

• Flexible class schedules with accelerated 2-year, full-time and part-time study options. 
• Knowledgeable instructors who are licensed and well-connected in the counseling profession.  
• Small class sizes for in-person interaction with student-oriented faculty and peers. 
• Convenient learning experience, with 25% of coursework delivered online, allowing students to balance their studies with personal and professional priorities. 
• Opportunities for employment in hospitals, schools, private practice, corrections setting, mental health clinics, substance abuse facilities and other clinical settings. 
• Excellent preparation for a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision or doctoral studies in other related professions. 

In the past year, 37 Clinical Mental Health Counseling students graduated with: 

• 100% program completion rate* 
•  95% licensure examination pass rate* 
• 100% job placement/doctoral admissions rate* 

*Vital Statistics 2025
Plan and Timeline
Annual Assessment Report
 
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Requirements: The 60-credit clinical mental health counseling specialization offers unique coursework in advanced trauma counseling, dual diagnosis and psychopharmacology, and requires you to:

Complete all required and elective program coursework (see below)
Perform 700 on-site hours of clinical/internship experiences at selected clinical sites
Pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE).

By completing the clinical mental health counseling graduate program, you will be eligible for two training licenses from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services:

Licensed Professional Counselor: Initial Training (LPC-IT): You qualify for this upon graduating from the program. To become a fully Licensed Professional Counselor, you will need to complete 3,000 of post-master’s supervised clinical counseling experience and pass the National Counselor Exam.
Substance Abuse Counselor: Initial Training (SAC-IT): We are an approved of a Substance Abuse Counselor Pre-certification Program. You may qualify for the SAC-IT this while you are enrolled in the program.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum Sites: Our faculty will help you secure a practicum/internship site where you will complete 700 hours of clinical/internship experiences: one semester of supervised practicum (10 hours per week for a total of 100 hours on-site) and two semesters of counseling internship (20 hours per week, for a total of 300 hours each semester on site). Practicum/internship sites for clinical mental health counseling students are located primarily in southeastern Wisconsin.

Transfer Credits: A maximum of 9 credits or 30 percent of total program credits, whichever is greater, may be transferred from other regionally accredited institutions with the approval of the program director. All transfer credits must be at a grade B or better and documented with official transcripts. Credit earned prior to admission will be evaluated during the admission process only.

Post-Master's Certificate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: This option is designed for those who previously earned a master’s degree related to counseling, seek Professional Counselor licensure in the State of WI, and need 18 credits or less to meet education requirements for licensure as determined by Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services.

• Complete all required and elective program coursework (see below) 
• Complete 100-hour practicum and 600 on-site hours of internship experiences in a K-12 school setting 
• Pass Praxis 2 Professional School Counselor Exam 

• CON 622: Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 
• CON 714: Addiction Counseling 
• CON 720: Counseling Assessment  
• CON 770: Psychopathology 
• CON 775: Psychopharmacology 
• CON 785: Advanced Issues in Clinical Mental Health Counseling 
• CON 796: Counseling Internship I (CMHC placement) 
• CON 797: Counseling Internship II (CMHC placement)  

Counseling Clinical Rehabilitation emphasis is an optional add-on to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization and prepares you to provide counseling services to people with disabilities. The program also offers 9 credits of specialized coursework in foundations in clinical rehabilitation counseling, case management, psychiatric rehabilitation and medical aspects of disability.  

By completing the Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Emphasis, you will meet the educational requirements toward becoming a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), the national credential from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC).

Students are also eligible to seek licensure as a Professional Counselor in the state of Wisconsin by completing 3,000 hours of post-master's supervised clinical counseling experience and passing the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Examination (CRC Exam) offered by the CRCC. Further national certification may also include Certificated Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) and Certified Case Manager (CCM). 

Post-Master's Certificate in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
This option is designed for those who previously earned a master’s degree in counseling from a CACREP accredited program and are eligible for Professional Counselor licensure in the State of WI.

The Certificate of Completion in Trauma Counseling course series was created for counselors, educators, and treatment specialists who wish to become trauma-informed helpers who can provide therapy or support individuals, groups, and families impacted by trauma. The trauma field is rapidly developing and expanding, creating a unique need for helpers specializing in trauma and trauma-related work.

Trauma Counseling Course Series: Individuals who wish to become a trauma-informed helpers may take Trauma I (CON 650) and either Trauma II (CON 651) or Trauma III (CON 652) at MMU. Each three-credit graduate-level course provides 45 clock hours of instruction by qualified educators. Those who successfully complete Trauma I and either Trauma II or Trauma III, for a total of 90 clock hours of instruction, will receive a certificate of completion. This series of courses is designed to document a level of educational competency once completed. The certificate of completion may be used to meet the educational equivalency necessary to receive national certification through the either the Association of  Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS) or International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP).).

Those who are or become Licensed Professional Counselors would need to take professional responsibility for participating in additional professional development and securing an internship experience and/or a post-master’s 3,000-hour experience that would meet national certification standards. This trauma series does not offer supervised clinical hours.

Certificate of Completion Requirements: The Certificate of Completion in Trauma Counseling requires two, 3-credit graduate-level courses, which provide a total of 90 hours of instruction. You must complete both courses with grades of B or better to receive the certificate of completion.

Required Coursework (6 credits)
CON 650: Trauma Counseling I (3 credits)
CON 651: Trauma Counseling II (3 credits) OR
CON 652 Trauma Counseling III (3 credits)
See detailed course descriptions in the Academic Catalog.

For more information about the Certificate of Completion in Trauma Counseling, contact Dr. Carrie King, Counseling Department Chair.

Chi Sigma Iota is an international honor society for professional counselors. Chi Sigma Iota values academic and professional excellence and aims to promote the development of a strong professional identity through the members of the society and their contributions to the mission of realizing a healthy society through fostering wellness and championing human dignity. 

In addition to academic and professional recognition, you'll be able to build relationships with students, professionals and faculty members. As a member of Chi Sigma Iota you'll also have access to professional development resources and leadership development opportunities.

Who can join the Mu Mu Upsilon Chapter?
The Mu Mu Upsilon chapter of Chi Sigma Iota was established at Mount Mary University in Spring of 2024. The chapter was established to provide Mount Mary's Counseling students with more opportunities to foster their professional identities, collaborate with colleagues, get access to quality resources, and connect with other counseling professionals.

Membership eligibility requirement are:

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization, dual specialization with School Counseling, or with Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling emphasis
• Have completed at least one semester of graduate coursework
• Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher

Membership invitations will be sent to eligible students at the start of each spring semester.

If you are interested in learning more about Chi Sigma Iota membership, please reach out to our current chapter faculty advisors, Dr. Amanda Arnold (arnolda@mtmary.edu) or Dr. Claire Whetter (whetterc@mtmary.edu).

For information on how to be come a member of Chi Sigma Iota, visit their website.

CACREP Accredited Program: The Master of Science in Professional Counseling’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through 2031. 

CACREP is the national accrediting body for graduate level counseling programs that approves high quality training programs that meet the highest academic standards for counselor education.  

Graduates of CACREP accredited programs can more easily obtain State counseling licensure, will find greater portability between State licensing boards and are eligible to work in Veterans Affairs and with employees of other federal agencies that require graduation from a CACREP accredited program.  

 

Carrie King, Ph.D., LPC, NCC
Professor, Counseling Department Chair, Program Director for School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Phone: (414) 930-3262
Email:kingc@mtmary.edu
Expertise: Career development, counseling children and adolescents, counseling theories, ethics, multicultural counseling, school counseling, psychopharmacology, clinical supervision

Tammy H. Scheidegger, Ph.D., LPC, NCC
Associate Professor; Director of Clinical Experience
Phone: (414) 930-3434
Email: scheidet@mtmary.edu
Expertise: Trauma counseling, eating disorders, family therapy, psychopathology, clinical supervision

Terri Jashinsky, Ph.D., LP, CRC
Associate Professor; Program Director for Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
Phone: (414) 930-3239
Email: jashinst@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: Addiction counseling, assessment, program evaluation, career development, clinical rehabilitation, clinical supervision

Claire Whetter PhD, LPC, NCC
Assistant Professor
Phone: (414) 930-3173
Email: whetterc@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: Women's mental health, perinatal mood disorders, dialectical behavioral therapy, and trauma counseling

Melissa Kraemer Smothers, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Phone: (414) 930-3276
Email: kraemerm@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: Counseling techniques and theories, group procedures in counseling, trauma counseling, clinical supervision

Marion E. Toscano, PhD, LPC (WI), LCPC(MD), NCC
Associate Professor, Director for Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision
Phone: (414) 930-3420
Email: toscanom@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: LGBTQ, spirituality, multicultural counseling, statistics and research

Amanda Arnold, Ph.D., LPC (WI), NCC
Assistant Professor
Phone:& (414) 930-3353
Email: arnolda@mtmary.edu 
Expertise: Counseling theories, supervision, counseling student/counselor mental health, qualitative research