Graduate Programs

Pursuing graduate programs in counseling and psychology is an exciting endeavor.  Several excellent training options are offered to meet participants’ personal and professional goals.

Master’s Degree (M.A.)

in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Department of Psychology offers a graduate counseling program that provides coursework and experiential training designed to prepare individuals for careers in the counseling profession. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits* the 60-credit clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program that is specifically designed for students who plan to meet licensure requirements in the state of Indiana (or states having similar requirements) as a mental health counselor.

Valpo’s CMHC program is the only such program of its kind in the region housed within a psychology department.

*The clinical mental health counseling program at Valparaiso University is accredited under the 2016 CACREP standards as a mental health counseling program.

Graduate Certificate

in Trauma-Informed Care

The Certificate in Trauma-Informed Care is a 15-credit online program designed to provide participants with foundational knowledge about trauma and the ability to apply that knowledge to their specific settings in order to increase effectiveness with traumatized populations. The program is primarily online and is appropriate for students and professionals in mental health, education, crisis and emergency services, medical settings, criminal justice, law and law enforcement, non-profit and human services agencies, and anyone who works with individuals or systems exposed to trauma. Because most graduate degree programs require elective coursework, students can often embed some certificate courses within their degree program.

The certificate program is open to degree-seeking and non-degree graduate students meeting the admission requirements, as well as current undergraduate students eligible to take graduate-level courses. An application for admission to the certificate is required.