Counseling Degree Programs in Tennessee

East Tennessee University is located in the heart of Johnson City on 340 acres in the shadow of Buffalo and Cherokee Mountains. The school was founded in 1911 as East Tennessee State Normal School, dedicated to educating teachers. In 1925, the school name changed to East Tennessee State Teacher’s College, expanding in 1943 to a full range of liberal arts courses. At that time, the school name changed to East Tennessee State College until gaining university status in 1963. There are 11 colleges that use four campuses and several satellite facilities at East Tennessee. The area surrounding the campus offers a variety of restaurants, music venues and a thriving community theater to keep students occupied when they are not attending classes in state-of-the-art facilities.

Department of Counseling and Human Services

The Department of Counseling and Human Services at East Tennessee University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the area of Human Services and Counseling. Students who enter the department develop the skills necessary to become competent, ethical and caring counselors in a variety of industries. Programs include clinical opportunities that include practicums, internships or other types of field placement so that students gain on-the-job knowledge to accentuate their classroom learning.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Community Agency)

The Community Agency concentration in Counseling prepares students for positions as counselors in community mental health centers, private practice or substance abuse centers, as well as many other types of counseling agencies. Programs can be designed so that students may become Licensed Professional Counselors. The program requires 60 credit hours as well as practicums and internships. All prerequisites for practicum and internships must be passed with a “B” or higher.

Higher Education

The Higher Education Counseling concentration is designed for students who professionally identify as counselors and who work in higher learning institutions. Students are prepared to meet the needs of students attending colleges, universities and community or technical colleges. Because college is a unique time in a person’s life, there can be issues that face students at college they did not face while attending high school. It may be a student’s first time away from family or a non-traditional student may be facing a new career. Students in the Higher Education concentration intern at various sites throughout the East Tennessee campus.

Couple and Family

Counselors have been working with couples and families for more than 100 years, but it has been over the past 35 years that the need for couple and family therapy has become prominent. Couples and family therapy is different than individual and group therapy in that family systems can provide unique challenges. The faculty members who teach Marriage and Family Therapy courses have more than 100 combined years of experience, bringing real world perspectives into the classroom.

School Counseling

Students in the School Counseling concentration at East Tennessee fulfill the requirements of the State of Tennessee for full licensure as a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 school counselor. In addition, the coursework is often reciprocal with other states. School counselors are considered professional counselors and educators. Students who enter this concentration have a passion for helping children and adolescents through providing a program of well-coordinated services within a school.

Accreditation

• Counsel for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Contact

School of Graduate Studies
Box 70720
Johnson City, TN 37614
Telephone: 423-439-4221
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

Lincoln Memorial University, located in Harrogate, Tennessee, is about 55 miles north of Knoxville. The campus sits among the pristine Appalachian Mountain range, and is named for Abraham Lincoln. Despite the fact that President Lincoln was a native of neighboring Kentucky, after the Civil War he suggested to General O.O. Howard, a Union Army officer, that he organize an institute of higher learning for the people of Cumberland Gap. In 1888, General Howard joined Reverend A.A. Myers, founder of the Harrow School, which educated elementary students, and others to establish Lincoln Memorial University. The school was dedicated on February 12, 1897 in commemoration of President Lincoln’s birthday.

Master of Education in Counseling & Guidance

Students who successfully complete the Master of Education in Counseling & Guidance at Lincoln Memorial are prepared for professional positions in counseling both school and non-school settings. The program places heavy emphasis on interpersonal and helping relationships, so students should expect considerable commitment on their part. Students must consult with their faculty advisor regarding proper course sequencing. Students may choose concentrations in Counseling or Pre-K-12 Counseling.

Mental Health Counseling

Students may also choose a concentration in mental health counseling at the graduate level at Lincoln Memorial. Students develop the skills, knowledge and proficiencies necessary to meet the needs of clients in community agency and mental health facilities. Students who successfully complete the program will be qualified for licensure by the State of Tennessee. Students must obtain their own personal ACA Student Membership and must be covered by insurance provided with their membership.

Accreditation

• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Contact

School of Education
Lincoln Memorial University
6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway
Harrogate, TN 37752
Telephone: 423-869-3611 or 800-325-0900
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

Middle Tennessee University is located in Murfreesboro and is the oldest institution in the Tennessee Board of Regents system. The school began as the Middle Tennessee Normal School, one of three schools opened to train teachers in the state. The school has a 500-acre main campus, an agricultural campus, an aerospace facility and horse science center. The school has been named a military-friendly institution by GI Jobs Magazine and has the first federal Vet Success on Campus program in the state of Tennessee. The school opened in 1911, becoming a four-year teacher’s college in 1925. In 1943, the school became Middle Tennessee State College, gaining university status in 1965.

Master of Education in Professional Counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Middle Tennessee is designed to train students to work in a variety of mental health settings, requiring 61 credit hours. Students who successfully complete the program meet all educational requirements for licensure in Tennessee. Students must complete an online application and provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. In addition, students must provide official GRE test scores, three recommendations, a Professional Counseling recommendation form and a current resume.

Master of Education in Professional Counseling (School Counseling)

The School Counseling concentration at the graduate level at Middle Tennessee is a 49-hour degree program that emphasizes developmental school counseling. Students who successfully complete the program meet all educational requirements established by the State of Tennessee for licensure as a school counselor. Students must provide an online application, official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, as well as official GRE test scores, three recommendations, a supplemental application and a current resume.

Accreditation

• Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• American Council on Education

Contact

Clinical Mental Health
College of Graduate Studies
MTSU Box 42
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Telephone: 615-898-5933
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

School Counseling
College of Graduate Studies
MTSU Box 42
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Telephone: 615-898-2559
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

The University of Memphis was originally known as the West Tennessee State Normal School, founded in 1912 for the purpose of educating teachers. The first classes at the university chose blue and gray as the school colors, representing those of the opposing armies during the Civil War as a way to commemorate the reuniting of the country after the war. In 1925, the name of the school was changed to the West Tennessee State Teachers College, becoming Memphis State University in 1941. The school gained university status in 1957, becoming Memphis State University. In 1994, the name of the school was changed to the University of Memphis. Today, the school has an enrollment of 21,000, and has 24 Chairs of Excellence, the most of any Tennessee university.

Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research

The Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research offers master’s level degrees in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling, as well as a doctorate level degree in Counseling. Admission to each program is handled separately with specific admission criteria. Students entering the doctorate level programs must complete the degree in ten years. The department focuses on creating sophisticated practitioners and researchers. The counseling programs have a strong scientist-practitioner base.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration at the master’s level at the University of Memphis focuses on the fundamental social/behavioral science skills necessary to provide assistance to clients at a wide variety of mental health counseling institutions. Students develop skills in research methods, data analysis, measurement, evaluation, human development, learning and cognition.

School Counseling

The School Counseling concentration at the master’s level at the University of Memphis focuses on the skills necessary to counsel students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12. Students learn concepts and theories in counseling, as well as how to counsel in individual and group settings. Students also learn to deal with cultural differences often found in the school setting.

EdD Degree Program Major Counseling

The doctorate program in counseling at the University of Memphis prepares students for careers as professional practitioners in a variety of facilities, including student personnel and education. Students must have a master’s degree in counseling in order to be accepted into the program. The course of study prepares students for careers as leaders in professional counselor or researcher positions. The program does not prepare students for licensure as a psychologist. Students must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities they have attended. In addition, students must submit a GRE score, complete an admission application and three letters of academic and/or professional references. Students must also interview with faculty and submit a writing sample.

Accreditation

• Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Contact

Graduate Admissions
University of Memphis
200 Wilder Tower
Memphis, TN 38152
Telephone: 901-678-3685
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

Founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church as Chattanooga University in 1886, the school operated as a private school for 83 years. In 1889, the school consolidated with another church-related university, East Tennessee Wesleyan University at Athens, and the name of the school was changed to Grant University. In 1907, the school was renamed University of Chattanooga. In 1969, the school, along with Chattanooga City College, a junior college, merged with the University of Tennessee, which is the oldest land-grant university in the country. The campus is located just a few blocks from Chattanooga, a city that is known for its natural beauty and for its strong industrial background. There are more than 600 industries in Chattanooga, which sits in the foothills of Lookout and Signal Mountains at the Moccasin Bend of the Tennessee River.

Master’s in Education Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration with a Master’s in Education is designed for students who wish to work as counselors in human service agencies. Students learn in traditional classroom settings as well as practicums and internships. This allows students to gain hands-on work experience in a community agency under the direct supervision of a site host and a university supervisor. The program requires 600 clock hours, which is approximately 40 hours per week, in counseling or related activities at the site. The internship may be spread over two semesters at 20 hours per week.

Master’s in Education School Counseling Program

The graduate degree program with a School Counseling concentration prepares students for careers as professional school counselors. In addition to classroom learning, students undergo practicum and internships under the direction of both a university supervisor and a site host in order to gain real-world training. The program requires 300 clock hours in an elementary school setting and 300 clock hours in a secondary school setting.

Accreditation

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Contact

University of Tennessee Chattanooga
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Telephone: 423-425-4111
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

University of Tennessee at Knoxville began as Blount College in 1794, even before Tennessee became a state. Blount College was located where downtown Knoxville is today, and, unlike most colleges during that time, was nonsectarian. After 1809, the college could not gain funding, closing until 1820. That year, it reopened as East Tennessee College in partnership with the Hampden-Sydney Academy, which was a boy’s school that opened in 1817. In 1826, the college dissolved the partnership and moved to a new campus, now known as the Hill.

It became East Tennessee University in 1840, expanding to include agriculture and mechanical arts under the 1862 Morrill Act, which required instruction in those areas in order to grant federal land to the university. The university appeared to be growing until the Civil War broke out, forcing the school to close. The buildings were used for a Confederate hospital until they were occupied by Union troops, and the war ravaged the campus. A federal grant helped rehabilitate the university after the war, and in 1866, classes resumed. In 1879, the school was renamed the University of Tennessee.

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's Degree

Students who enter the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at the University of Tennessee develop the skills and knowledge to become counselor-scholars. Students learn to provide therapeutic relationships through efficient and effective counseling services in the clinical mental health facilities. The program is a 60-credit hour program and exceeds educational requirements for counselor licensure. Students undergo 1,000 hours of closely supervised counseling that capitalize on the interests of the student. Graduates of the program have found positions in private practice, mental health centers, residential treatment centers and many other specialized programs that serve children, youth and families.

School Counseling Master’s Degree

The Master’s in School Counseling is a 48-credit hour program that prepares students to become Professional School Counselors in schools. Students are taught the ASCA National Model, which is a comprehensive, data driven school counseling program. Students must undergo 700 supervised clinical hours in K-12 schools. The program fulfills the educational licensure requirements in Tennessee and many other states.

Counselor Education and Supervision Ph.D. Degree

The doctorate level degree in Counselor Education and Supervision prepares students for careers as supervisors, leaders, educators and researchers at an advanced level. The program is a 73-credit hour program, and students complete a minimum of 700 hours of supervised clinical, teaching, supervision and leadership experience. If licensure has not been obtained before the student enters the program, it can be customized to include endorsement for licensure. Graduates have obtained positions as university researchers, professors, community program directors and other supervisory positions.

Accreditation

• Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Contact

Department of Education, Psychology and Counseling
535 Jane & David Bailey Education Complex
1122 Volunteer Boulevard
Knoxville, TN 37996-3452
Telephone: 865-974-8145
Email: [email protected]
Program Website

When he was 79 years old, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt gave a $1 million gift to found Vanderbilt University in 1873. It was the only major philanthropy from Commodore Vanderbilt. Early that year, Methodist Bishop Holland N. McTyeire, who was from Nashville and the cousin of the Commodore’s young second wife, underwent medical treatment in New York, recovering at the Vanderbilt mansion. While there, he earned the respect of the Commodore who agreed with the Bishop’s desire to build a university in the south. The Bishop chose the site for the university, supervised construction and personally planted most of the trees that today fill the national arboretum. The college operated for the first 40 years under the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. After a dispute with church bishops over who would appoint trustees, the college severed ties with the church. The charter for the university was changed only once, and that was to officially name the school Vanderbilt University.

Peabody School Human Development Counseling Program

The Peabody School offers a Human Development Counseling Program that prepares students to work with individuals and families in professional counseling services. Students develop a strong foundation in human development, counseling theories and intervention strategies. Students may choose from two concentrations – School Counseling and Community Counseling.

School Counseling

The graduate level school counseling concentration prepares students to work as a guidance counselor for students in grades Kindergarten through twelfth. Students develop the knowledge and skills to address academic, social, psychological and emotional needs of students. The program provides all educational requirements for licensure in Tennessee.

Community Counseling

The Community Counseling concentration prepares students for a career in social service agencies, mental health centers and other organizations that deal with the mental health of individuals or groups.The program provides a strong foundation in developmental, cultural, and relational issues that affect the mental health of individuals and groups.

Accreditation

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Contact

Program in Human Development Counseling
Department of Human and Organizational Development
Vanderbilt University
Peabody #90
230 Appleton Place
Nashville, TN 37203-5721
Telephone: 615-322-8484
Email: [email protected]
Program Website