Department of Mental Health & Wellness

Mission

The mission of Harding’s Mental Health and Wellness program is to prepare counselors to provide caring, compassionate and competent counseling services in a variety of settings to a diverse population. To that end, students will be provided with current, practical, and ethical education consistent with Harding’s Christian foundations equipping them to be effective counselors capable of facilitating health change, growth and development.

Accreditation

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has granted accreditation to the following programs in the Department of Mental Health and Wellness within the College of Education at Harding University: Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.S.) and Marriage & Family Counseling (M.S.).

Mental Health & Wellness Licensing Disclosure Statement 

Harding University’s Cannon-Clary College of Education provides programs of study that, along with other qualifying criteria, allow candidates to apply for respective licenses as issued by the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling. It will be the responsibility of the candidate to determine what requirements may be in place in the state they choose to apply for a license. The programs of study may not, however, necessarily meet other states’ requirements for licensing in those states. It will be the responsibility of the candidate to ascertain what program and state requirements will be necessary in the state they choose to apply for a license. Each jurisdiction has its own criteria and procedures for licensure and requirements vary.

Admission Requirements:

Admission to Harding University is determined on an individual basis with the following criteria considered:

1. academic preparation
2. character
3. educational interests
4. academic potential.

Effort is made to admit all students who qualify and who can benefit from the unique educational program and opportunities available at Harding irrespective of their religious faith, national origin, sex, race or color. When applying, students should be aware of the distinct mission of Harding University and be willing to commit themselves to upholding institutional values.

Applicants must:

1. Hold a bachelor’s degree and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or more, or 2.75 on the last 60 hours, attested by official transcript(s); OR an earned master’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, attested by an official transcript.
   • Applicants for the Ed.S. must hold a master’s degree in counseling or a related field. With a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on all graduate work. A minimum of 54 credit hours above a bachelor’s degree that includes 6000-level courses or above is required before enrolling in the specific 12 hours of Ed.S. classes. Leveling hours may be required if master’s or equivalent courses total less than 54 hours.
2. GRE score are not required for any of the MHW programs but may be submitted if available. 
3. Abide by the University Code of Conduct. Counseling students must also abide by the Graduate Policies and Procedures and the Mental Health and Wellness Handbook.
4. Applicants holding a master’s degree and applying for a CACREP program will be evaluated individually to ensure CACREP master’s criteria is met.

Provisional Admission

A student who does not fully meet the requirements listed above may receive provisional admission, with the approval of the counseling faculty, if he or she holds a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation with a cumulative grade point average below 2.5 but not less than 2.34 attested by official transcript(s). Provisional status is removed when the student completes 12 graduate hours with at least a 3.0 grade point average, six of which must be in the academic area of concentration.

Application Procedure

1. Complete the online application.
2. Request official transcripts* be sent directly from previous institutions to admissions@harding.edu.
   *Note: Harding alumni and current students do not need to request Harding transcripts as they are on file.
3. In addition, applicants must submit
   1. three letters of reference that focus on the applicant’s academic and professional abilities.
   2. documentation of Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) immunization
   3. a professional resume
4. Each applicant will be interviewed by the program area graduate faculty. This interview will assess the candidate’s professional objectives, professional commitment, and the compatibility of the program with his or her goals and interests.

5. The applicant must complete and submit a writing sample.

6. The chair of Mental Health and Wellness or the director of each specific program may request additional information from the applicant prior to final approval for admittance to the program.

Other Program Requirements:

Upon acceptance into the program, students must consult with the director or assigned advisor of their program concerning the required course of study, register for classes online through Pipeline each term, and complete financial registration with the Business Office online.

Admission to the Mental Health and Wellness programs does not guarantee retention.

Courses completed outside of Harding University will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In addition, if a student has completed courses that are outdated or do not provide the necessary content, students may have to repeat courses at the discretion of the program director.

Leveling courses, if required, will not be included within the semester hour requirements for the Master of Science degree programs.

At least one semester before the initial internship semester in the MHW Program, request for admission to field placement must be made by filing the required application forms with the director of field experiences in MHW. Students must pass the faculty review processed in the semester preceding field placement.

Transfer and International Students:

Up to 9 hours of credit for coursework from other institutions accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation may be transferred if the institution is accredited by NCATE, TEAC, or a similar accrediting organization and the earned grade is a B or higher. All transfer hours are subject to the approval of the chair of Mental Health and Wellness and must be completed before a student’s last semester.

Students who (1) speak English as a second language, and have (2) not previously completed an undergraduate degree from an institution within the United States accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation must meet a minimum score on a nationally recognized test of English language proficiency such as the TOEFL or IELTS. 

The minimum scores acceptable for admission to the university are 79 on the TOEFL iBT or 6.0 on the IELTS. Scores must not be older than two years prior to the date of application to the university. Please note that individual programs may have more stringent minimum requirements.

Academic Standing Requirements

An average scholarship level of 3.00 is required in all course work. No grade below a C is acceptable for graduate credit (but will be used to calculate GPA), and only six semester hours of C credit may be counted. These must be balanced by six semester hours of A credit. Courses in which a grade of C or lower has been received may be repeated. If a student receives a grade of F, D, or a third C, the student is placed on academic probation.

Faculty

Chair: Todd Patten, Ed.D., LPC-S, NCC

Professors:

Todd Patten, Ed.D., LPC-S, NCC
Jenene Alexander, Ed.D., LPC, NCSP
     Director of Professional Counseling: Clinical and School
Justin Moore, Ph.D., LPC-S, LMFT-S
     Director of Marriage and Family Counseling Program
Lewis L. Moore, Ph.D.
     Director of the Counseling Center
Karl Wendt, Ph.D., LPC
     Academic Director of Professional Counseling at Harding University Northwest Arkansas Campus
Ervin E. “Gene” Wright, II, Ph.D., NCC, LPC-S
     Director of Clinical Experiences, Professional Counseling

Associate Professors:

Marc Fager, Ph.D., LPC-S
     Director of Field Placement, Professional Counseling
Kevin Shelby, Ph.D.

Programs

• Counseling (COUN), EdS

• Counseling Licensure Endorsement (GR)

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MCMH), MS
• Marriage and Family Counseling (MFC), MS
• Professional School Counseling (SCOU), MS
• Student Affairs (SAF), MS

• Counseling Skills Certificate (Graduate)