MHC Masters Question

[MC2013OH]

Hello all, thank you for taking the time to read my post. This is my first post on SDN, but I have been reading past threads for the last two weeks. I have a question that I was hoping people already in the field of Counseling or going to school for could help me with. I do appreciate all feedback.

I am set to graduate next week with my Bachelor's in psychology from a state university in northern Ohio. My end goal is to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in my state and work in either a community health agency or hospital and eventually after gaining the needed supervised hours, private practice. My current school offers a M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that is CACREP accredited. The school has a good reputation. I have been admitted to the program but I am having reservations. I currently commute 50 minutes to campus and pay $250 a semester in premium downtown parking. I have done this the last four years for my undergrad and it has not been fun or easy, to say the least, but I do love the University and the education I have received.

Alternatively, I have come across different online Masters in CMHC. I have noticed the sentiment here toward online degrees, but the convenience of working around full time work and the fact that I wouldn't have to drive so far to class are hard to ignore. One program in particular is at Mid America Christian University, a small liberal arts school in Oklahoma City. The program is not CACREP accredited but does meet Ohio standards for licensure. Has anyone heard of this school? Also, it is a not for profit, christian institution if that matters. I am not interested in for profit, online only schools. I guess my main question is whether employers will look down on an online MHC degree even if it came from a not for profit school which seems to have a decent reputation in it's area.

Sorry for long post, but your help is very much appreciated.

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[mcvcm92]

I guess my main question is whether employers will look down on an online MHC degree even if it came from a not for profit school which seems to have a decent reputation in it's area.

I think the answer to your question is yes, they will likely see the degree as less valuable. Online degrees are not really valued, especially in interpersonal fields like counseling and psychology. It seems like the program at your school is good & accredited, so you should do that one... it's a hassle with transportation, but it's definitely manageable! Also, the online program you mentioned is not accredited... so it's not really a good idea. Best of luck.

 

[Goobernut]

Greetings I'm originally from Oklahoma, so I'm familiar with Mid-America. It has a reputation for "working adult" education programs. It isn't in the same camp as "University of Phoenix" but it isn't as highly regarded as OU or OSU are either. Or to compare to another religious affiliated private school, Oklahoma Baptist University. Or Oklahoma City University (which is the Methodist run university).

Do you have any practicums as part of your curriculum? How do they have it set up for you to actually work with clients so that you gain face to face time? Do they assist you in this process? What is the population that you want to work with when you graduate.

Mid-America isn't CACREP accredited because OK doesn't require it for their state LPC license either.

 

[MBellows]

Mid-America isn't CACREP accredited because OK doesn't require it for their state LPC license either.

Not doing something simply because it isn't required isn't what I would call a desirable trait in graduate students or an institution that trains them.

 

[MC2013OH]

Greetings I'm originally from Oklahoma, so I'm familiar with Mid-America. It has a reputation for "working adult" education programs. It isn't in the same camp as "University of Phoenix" but it isn't as highly regarded as OU or OSU are either. Or to compare to another religious affiliated private school, Oklahoma Baptist University. Or Oklahoma City University (which is the Methodist run university).

Do you have any practicums as part of your curriculum? How do they have it set up for you to actually work with clients so that you gain face to face time? Do they assist you in this process? What is the population that you want to work with when you graduate.

Mid-America isn't CACREP accredited because OK doesn't require it for their state LPC license either.

Thanks for your response. I am glad to get to read your insight into MACU. It has been for hard for me to understand what kind of school MACU is. They seem so small and there is not much on the internet about them.

MACU does have practicums and an internship but I would be responsible to find placement in my state. Also, Ohio requires more internship hours so I would have to make arrangements with the school to take more hours to fulfill Ohio requirements. My goal is to work with adults in mental health settings and individual counseling. Again, thanks for your insight...Ohio is a long way from Oklahoma so I can't visit the school to see things for myself.

 

[Goobernut]

Not doing something simply because it isn't required isn't what I would call a desirable trait in graduate students or an institution that trains them.

I completely agree. It's one of the reasons I'm not getting an LPC in the state of OK.

OP, in full disclosure, I applied to schools in OK and I did NOT apply to Mid America because there are much better schools to go to in OK. I really think that an online counseling program is not the best place to learn to interact with people. I know that's what the practicums are for, but if they are going to make you do all the legwork, what are you paying them for? Is there a chance that the practicum issue could keep you from graduating?

I've just heard horror stories of the whole practicum thing being handled badly. Make sure you know how to be your own advocate MC2013OH.

On a side note, why when someone has a screen name like the OP's do I hear it in my head in a "speak and spell" voice?

 

[Slugathor]

Thanks for your response. I am glad to get to read your insight into MACU. It has been for hard for me to understand what kind of school MACU is. They seem so small and there is not much on the internet about them.

MACU does have practicums and an internship but I would be responsible to find placement in my state. Also, Ohio requires more internship hours so I would have to make arrangements with the school to take more hours to fulfill Ohio requirements. My goal is to work with adults in mental health settings and individual counseling. Again, thanks for your insight...Ohio is a long way from Oklahoma so I can't visit the school to see things for myself.

Yeah, the part I bolded is never a good thing. It sounds all so great.....till you actually go through the practicum/internship process with the placement coordinator. The process at a brick and mortar university is already frustrating enough, I cannot imagine the stress caused by finding your own.

 

[Slugathor]

Thanks for your response. I am glad to get to read your insight into MACU. It has been for hard for me to understand what kind of school MACU is. They seem so small and there is not much on the internet about them.

MACU does have practicums and an internship but I would be responsible to find placement in my state. Also, Ohio requires more internship hours so I would have to make arrangements with the school to take more hours to fulfill Ohio requirements. My goal is to work with adults in mental health settings and individual counseling. Again, thanks for your insight...Ohio is a long way from Oklahoma so I can't visit the school to see things for myself.

Interesting....do you want to work with the SPMI population?

 

[FallenMind]

Hello all, thank you for taking the time to read my post. This is my first post on SDN, but I have been reading past threads for the last two weeks. I have a question that I was hoping people already in the field of Counseling or going to school for could help me with. I do appreciate all feedback.

I am set to graduate next week with my Bachelor's in psychology from a state university in northern Ohio. My end goal is to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in my state and work in either a community health agency or hospital and eventually after gaining the needed supervised hours, private practice. My current school offers a M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that is CACREP accredited. The school has a good reputation. I have been admitted to the program but I am having reservations. I currently commute 50 minutes to campus and pay $250 a semester in premium downtown parking. I have done this the last four years for my undergrad and it has not been fun or easy, to say the least, but I do love the University and the education I have received.

Alternatively, I have come across different online Masters in CMHC. I have noticed the sentiment here toward online degrees, but the convenience of working around full time work and the fact that I wouldn't have to drive so far to class are hard to ignore. One program in particular is at Mid America Christian University, a small liberal arts school in Oklahoma City. The program is not CACREP accredited but does meet Ohio standards for licensure. Has anyone heard of this school? Also, it is a not for profit, christian institution if that matters. I am not interested in for profit, online only schools. I guess my main question is whether employers will look down on an online MHC degree even if it came from a not for profit school which seems to have a decent reputation in it's area.

Sorry for long post, but your help is very much appreciated.

If it's not CACREP accredited, run away...far away. I understand the hassle of going to campus for classes and driving for internship (I'm finishing my M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling). But CACREP accredited programs set the standards. It's like wanting to get a doctorate in Clinical Psychology without the program being APA accredited. It's a waste of time and money.

I will say this though: I've met people who have gone to unaccredited programs and they're working on their licensure right now. It just depends on where you want to go and what you want to do). My take, however, has always been to avoid programs that are unaccredited.

 

[FallenMind]

Hello all, thank you for taking the time to read my post. This is my first post on SDN, but I have been reading past threads for the last two weeks. I have a question that I was hoping people already in the field of Counseling or going to school for could help me with. I do appreciate all feedback.

I am set to graduate next week with my Bachelor's in psychology from a state university in northern Ohio. My end goal is to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in my state and work in either a community health agency or hospital and eventually after gaining the needed supervised hours, private practice. My current school offers a M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that is CACREP accredited. The school has a good reputation. I have been admitted to the program but I am having reservations. I currently commute 50 minutes to campus and pay $250 a semester in premium downtown parking. I have done this the last four years for my undergrad and it has not been fun or easy, to say the least, but I do love the University and the education I have received.

Alternatively, I have come across different online Masters in CMHC. I have noticed the sentiment here toward online degrees, but the convenience of working around full time work and the fact that I wouldn't have to drive so far to class are hard to ignore. One program in particular is at Mid America Christian University, a small liberal arts school in Oklahoma City. The program is not CACREP accredited but does meet Ohio standards for licensure. Has anyone heard of this school? Also, it is a not for profit, christian institution if that matters. I am not interested in for profit, online only schools. I guess my main question is whether employers will look down on an online MHC degree even if it came from a not for profit school which seems to have a decent reputation in it's area.

Sorry for long post, but your help is very much appreciated.

If it's not CACREP accredited, run away...far away. I understand the hassle of going to campus for classes and driving for internship (I'm finishing my M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling). But CACREP accredited programs set the standards. It's like wanting to get a doctorate in Clinical Psychology without the program being APA accredited. It's a waste of time and money.

I will say this though: I've met people who have gone to unaccredited programs and they're working on their licensure right now. It just depends on where you want to go and what you want to do). My take, however, has always been to avoid programs that are unaccredited.

 

[MBellows]

But CACREP accredited programs set the standards

Now, this is half true. In the ACA there is some contention about whether or not CACREP is the end-all and be-all of accreditation standards. You have some big names that back it, but there's also a lot of backlash against it. CORE is a good example, we have a history of producing people who go into the field now called CMHC and we're older than CACREP (CORE contributed to the development of CACREP by providing it guidance on standards).

That said, there are clear benefits of CACREP accreditation, normally you won't have to fight for recognition of a state board after graduation. In the coming years insurance boards may be easier to get on, but I'm sure they'll probably be just fine if you go on to get a CCMHC certification through the NBCC. Also, they have a strong academic program as far as the required coursework goes (requiring family/marriage, crisis intervention, and drug work), but that can usually be supplemented through any college either during the process of getting a degree or post-degree.

 

[MC2013OH]

Thanks for the responses and advice everybody. I made the decision to accept admission to my current school, mainly due to the fact that it is CACREP accredited. I want to make myself as marketable as possible and put myself in the position to get the best education I can in my area, and CACREP seems to be the way to go. Commuting to school will not be fun, but to me it is worth it. I also didn't like the idea of online education ,besides the fact that it is convenient. I really want to learn all I can, and it seems the class room is the best place for that.

 

[MBellows]

Thanks for the responses and advice everybody. I made the decision to accept admission to my current school, mainly due to the fact that it is CACREP accredited. I want to make myself as marketable as possible and put myself in the position to get the best education I can in my area, and CACREP seems to be the way to go. Commuting to school will not be fun, but to me it is worth it. I also didn't like the idea of online education ,besides the fact that it is convenient. I really want to learn all I can, and it seems the class room is the best place for that.

Congratulations on making the best decision that you could! I agree that online is a bad idea.