Master of Science in Counseling

This program will prepare you to use a combination of mental health and human development principles, methods, and techniques to help people achieve mental, emotional, social, and career development and adjustment. You will be able to work in a variety of settings, such as private, institutional, community, Christian, military, or nonprofit, providing counseling to individuals, couples, families, groups, and organizations.

Emotional and Mental Health

Counselors help people cope with emotional and mental problems stemming from marital and family issues, antisocial behavior, occupational stress, interpersonal relations, and bereavement. Professional counselors help clients identify goals and potential solutions to problems, improve communication and coping skills, strengthen self-esteem, and promote behavior change and optimal mental health. Those students who desire to treat all mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders may add a Mental Health Service Provider designation by completing 3,000 hours of post-master’s supervised experience.

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)

After completing the Master of Science in Counseling degree and completing a minimum of two years (at least 10 hours a week) of supervised professional experience, graduates are eligible to sit for licensure in Tennessee as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Reciprocity agreements may allow TN licensure to apply in other states. Students should check other state requirements before applying to the program.

In-Demand Profession

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of mental health counselors is expected to grow by 24% between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. Medial annual wages of mental health counselors in 2014 are $40,580. Industries employing the largest numbers of mental health counselors include local government, other health practitioners, outpatient care centers, individual and family services, and residential mental health and substance abuse facilities.

Curriculum

The clinical mental health counseling program is a two-year, 60 credit hour curriculum that prepares graduates to pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The curriculum consists of 42 credit hours of required coursework in human behavior and development, evidence-based practice, effective counseling strategies, ethical practice, and other core knowledge areas; 9 credit hours of clinical experience (practicum and internships); and 9 elective hours from selected topics such as crisis intervention, substance abuse counseling, child and adolescent counseling, child sexual abuse, end of life issues, and physiological psychology and pscyhopharmacology. Because Milligan is a Christian college, part of the required coursework includes an ongoing discussion and examination of the theoretical and practical aspects of the integration of faith and learning.

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The program will prepare you to pursue licensure as a school counselor. The school counseling curriculum consists of 48 credit hours for licensed teachers and 54 credit hours for students without teaching licensure. Both the licensure and non-licensure tracks include an internship that is built into the hours. Because Milligan is a Christian college, part of the required coursework includes an ongoing discussion and examination of the theoretical and practical aspects of the integration of faith and learning.

In-Demand Profession

Employment of school and career counselors is expected to grow by 19 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rising student enrollments in elementary, middle and high schools are expected to increase demand for school counselors. As enrollments grow, schools will require more counselors to respond to the needs of their students.

Curriculum

The School Counseling concentrations (Concentrations Two and Three) are either a two-year, 48 credit hour curriculum (for those students who are already licensed teachers) or a two-year 54 credit hour curriculum (for those students who are not licensed teachers). The curricula consist of 27 credit hours in core courses in human behavior and development, effective counseling strategies, ethical practice, and other core knowledge areas; 9 credit hours of clinical experience (practicum and internship); and 12 hours in courses involving counseling and assessment of children and adolescents and other issues specific to educational settings. Those students who are not licensed teachers complete 6 additional hours in curriculum methods and education of exceptional students.

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Minimum requirements for admission to the MSC program are as follows:

1. APPLICATION: Completed application with personal statement. Our application process is simple. You can apply online or download a paper application. Just call us and we’ll walk you through it.
2. UNDERGRAD DEGREE: Completed baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited college with overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0.
3. TRANSCRIPTS: Official transcripts from every college attended whether or not the applicant graduated from that school
4. GRE: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required if an applicant’s overall undergraduate grade point average is 3.00 or higher. Official GRE scores must be submitted to Milligan College.
5. REFERENCES: Two professional or educational recommendations (Have your reference submit one online!)
6. PREREQUISITES: An undergraduate degree that includes the following prerequisite courses:
   • At least 9 hours of psychology courses, including General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Research Methods or Statistics
   • Computer Competency (3 hrs) (can be fulfilled through documented computer competency)
7. INTERVIEW: Interview with faculty admissions committee may be required

How to Apply

In order to be considered for admission by the MSC Admissions Committee, the following steps must be completed:

1. Read the mission statement and lifestyle expectations on the application. Your signature on the application indicates your understanding and acceptance of these expectations.
2. Apply online OR Complete the print application form and submit to the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies with a non-refundable application fee of $30.00. Please make your check payable to Milligan College (you may also pay by credit card according to the instructions on the application form).
3. Arrange for the submission of ALL college transcript(s) for both undergraduate and graduate work. Transcripts must be mailed by your college(s) directly to the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies.
4. Select two persons to complete the reference forms and forward to each the online reference form or a printed form and a stamped envelope. They must be professional or educational references. Your reference forms must be received by the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies before you can be considered for admission.
5. Request that your official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores be sent to Milligan’s Office of Graduate & Professional Studies. Milligan College’s GRE code is 1469.
6. If you are an international applicant, please have your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score sent directly from the Educational Testing Service to Milligan’s Office of Graduate & Professional Studies. All international applicants must have taken the TOEFL within the last two years. You cannot be exempted from this requirement unless English is your native language, or you are a U.S. citizen, or you have received an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.

Please return all application materials to:

Office of Graduate & Professional Studies
PO Box 22
Milligan College, TN 37682.

Please feel free to contact the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies to verify the receipt of the above application requirements. If you have any questions, please contact the college at 800.262.8337 or 423.461.8424 or by e-mail.

Expectations and Responsibilities

All students at Milligan are expected to uphold the expectations and responsibilities for student lifestyles of Milligan College. We at Milligan adopt specific rules on the basis of our belief that God’s Word, as the final rule of faith and practice, speaks on many matters pertaining to personal conduct.

Specifically, the Milligan College adult student agrees to abide by a lifestyle commitment in which he or she refrains from illegal drugs, pornography, profanity, dishonesty, sexual immorality, unethical conduct, vandalism, and immodest dress.

Students are expected to seek to serve Christ in an atmosphere of trust, encouragement, and respect for one another.

International Students

*If you are an international applicant, please have your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score sent directly from the Educational Testing Service to Milligan’s Admissions Office. All international applicants must have taken the TOEFL within the last two years. You cannot be exempted from this requirement unless English is your native language, or you are a U.S. citizen, or you have received an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.