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The Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) prepares students to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).

The Counseling program is designed to serve students who range in life experiences. This is reflective of the community they will ultimately serve. Students will be exposed to a variety of approaches for treating mental health, from the latest research on the relationship between neuroscience and mental health to eastern philosophies and treatments that have been practiced for thousands of years. Students benefit from an experiential curriculum, accomplished faculty comprised of working mental health professionals and innovative electives, such as art therapy, mindfulness, and dealing with PTSD.

The MAC is typically completed in about three years, with three semesters a year and two classes per semester for 10 semesters. Students can also complete the program in about two years if they elect to take three classes per semester for seven semesters.

The professional mental health counseling programs at St. Edward’s University educate, train, and prepare highly skilled, ethical, compassionate mental health professionals grounded in humanistic values that focus on prevention, wellness, personal growth, and a commitment to respecting and promoting human dignity.

Our programs emphasize the client-counselor relationship, creative and experiential modalities, and our curriculum reflects multiple and varied theoretical perspectives with guidance to support students in developing their own framework for community and clinical practice.

Our programs create a transformative environment which allows students to enter their field with an understanding of their own social locations and the role of power, privilege, and difference within institutional, social, intimate, and therapeutic relationships.

Learning Goals

Upon completing the MAC concentration degree plans, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical foundations of counseling, describe their own professional style and approach, and integrate theory and style into practice
• Demonstrate an understanding of applied ethical standards and the ability to practice counseling using ethical and moral principles
• Demonstrate the skills required for effective client evaluation and assessment, treatment planning, and implementation of appropriate counseling strategies and techniques and appropriate follow-up methods

The MAC program offers an educational and training experience that prepares students to work as professional counselors or marriage and family therapists in a variety of settings, including hospitals, residential treatment centers, nonprofit agencies, government, for-profit organizations and private practice. As graduates of the program, students may choose to focus on working with children, adolescents, adults, families or couples.