Certificate of Graduate Studies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The Certificate of Graduate Studies in Mental Health Counseling, offered online and on campus in Virginia Beach, is a professional certificate that will serve as an endorsement to licensure and for counselor continuing education for additional state credentialing requirements. This is not for initial licensure. Candidates must hold a master’s or doctorate in any mental health field and eligibility to pursue licensure in the state where you work. Presented from a Christian worldview, this graduate certificate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling may help advance your career as a mental health professional by equipping you with specialized counselor training and providing additional state credentialing requirements.
Through the Clinical Mental Health Counseling certificate, you will:
- Understand how to choose, administer, score and interpret these and other assessment instruments in counseling: achievement, aptitude, intelligence, interest and personality.
- Explore interventions and self-care in clinical, disaster, crisis and traumatic situations, including emergencies in which triage, support, referral and advocacy is required.
- Examine abnormal behavior as defined by the DSM, as well as diagnosis, treatment and spiritual dimension of these disorders and potential cultural overrides.
CGS allows students who have earned or who are in the process of earning a 60 credit master’s level degree in counseling to complete additional coursework to pursue career opportunities, state licensure or specialty certification. Courses taken at Regent University while completing an M.A. in Counseling can be counted toward the CGS, but students are not eligible for federal financial aid for course work beyond the 60 credit hours required for the degree.
A student who is not currently enrolled in the School of Psychology & Counseling (SPC) who wishes to complete the CGS must apply as a nondegree student. All courses must be taken at Regent. Courses cannot be transferred in to the CGS programs. All requirements for the CGS must be completed within five years. Students who earn an M.A. in Counseling through the SPC cannot earn a CGS in the same subject as their major.
2020-2021 Semester Check-In Deadlines:
All new students are expected to check-in for the semester 2 weeks prior to the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.
| Session | Semester Check-In | Session Start Date |
| Session A | Friday, August 14 | Monday, August 24 |
| Session M | Friday, September 11 | Monday, September 21 |
| Session B | Friday, October 16 | Monday, October 26 |
| Session C | Tuesday, January 5 | Monday, January 11 |
| Session T | Friday, January 29 | Monday, February 8 |
| Session D | Friday, March 5 | Monday, March 15 |
| Session E | Friday, April 30 | Monday, May 10 |
| Session F | Friday, June 11 | Monday, June 21 |
Application Process:
- Complete Your Online Application
Submit your application using our Regent University Online Application. - Pay Your $50 Application Fee
Pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee by check or money order mailed to Regent University, Enrollment Support Services, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464. - Provide Your Unofficial College Transcripts
We require an official transcript indicating successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Regent has partnered with DocuSign to offer a secure, electronic way for your previous college transcripts to be delivered on your behalf once you have registered for your first semester.
If you have an unofficial copy of your college transcripts, please email those to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SPC Certificate Application Pieces.
If you are an international student, or you earned college credit at non-US institutions, please submit your transcripts for a third-party course-by-course evaluation. Learn more and find recommended agencies. - Complete Your Admissions Questionnaire
Please complete a brief admissions questionnaire based on your professional goals and interests, and provide thoughtful and thorough responses. This will give us a better opportunity to get to know you and see how your objectives align with our programs. Once completed, the questionnaire will be sent directly to an admissions counselor who will be in touch with you to help complete the rest of your application. Access the Admissions Questionnaire.
Note: Current Regent M.A. students applying for admission to a CGS program must have completed at least one semester of the M.A. program before applying.
A maximum of 12 Regent credits may be allowed toward a degree if a nondegree student later applies for regular degree-seeking status. The applicant must submit the additional material required for degree status. The admissions committee will consider the application in the same way it would a new applicant.
2019-20 Tuition Rates
| Degree Level / Program | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
Certificate Program | $710 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state) |
Student Fees Per Semester
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $700 |
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $550 |
2020-21 Tuition Rates
| Degree Level / Program | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
Certificate Program | $710 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state) |
Student Fees Per Semester
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $750 |
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $600 |
*Rates are subject to change at any time.
CGS Requirements
Complete 18 credit hours.
Certificate must be completed within 5 years.
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.