In addition to having nearly 50 undergraduate majors, Marietta College is also home to three advanced-degree programs that prepare graduates for thriving careers in health-related professions.
From 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, April 14, Marietta will shine the spotlight on its Physician Assistant Studies, Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate programs. The Marietta College Graduate Program Open House is free and open to the public.
The Department of Psychology, which houses the Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs, is located in Mills Hall’s fourth and fifth floors. The accessible building is located on Putnam Street near the corner of Sixth Street.
The Master of Arts in Psychology degree prepares students for doctoral programs in psychology or to prepare them to work at the master’s level in a psychology-related field. The College offers two tracks for the MAP degree: a full-time track that is designed to be completed over a two-year period; and BA/MA track for undergraduate psychology majors who can complete a 3+2 program in five years.
Both tracks consist of 36 hours of graduate psychology courses, including 24 hours of advanced general psychology coursework, six hours of experiential electives related to an internship experience in psychology, and six hours of empirical thesis research that concludes with a written thesis and successful oral thesis defense to a committee.
MAP graduates have continued their education in doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Industrial Organizational Psychology, Higher Education Administration and earned juris doctorates. Recent graduates are also employed in a variety of careers, including being directors of community services agencies, mental health crisis intake managers, statistical-survey consultants, behavioral therapists in children’s hospitals, and psychology faculty at colleges around the U.S.
“Our program has a great track record of our graduates being accepted into doctoral programs at institutions like West Virginia University, Texas Tech University, and the University of North Carolina, We also have graduates working for a variety of employers, like the National Survey & Evaluation Center, Brown University, Concordia College, a number of law firms, and a host of mental health facilities,” said Dr. Mary Barnas, Director of the MAP Program. "The program is affordable and a great opportunity to further your education in a highly supportive environment.”
New this year is the 22-month (60-hour) graduate program that results in a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The program includes evening classes, which are stacked to allow for flexible use of time, and online course offerings every term.
In addition to the core curriculum, the program also includes 100 hours of practicum over the course of the first spring, and then 600 hours of professional internship during the second year. Students must complete 300 hours in the fall and 300 hours in the spring in order to fulfill requirements for licensure and for accrediting purposes. The program is for undergraduate students looking to continue their studies, as well as for people who are already providing some level of mental health services who are not currently license-eligible.
Graduates of this program are eligible to pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Clinical counselor (LPC) in every state in the U.S.
“The Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a new program, which is designed to prepare individuals to seek licensure as Professional Counselors,” said Dr. Michael Williams, Director of the CMHC Program. “Those who are interested in a career in a helping profession are encouraged to come to the open house and meet faculty, explore the facilities of the department and have questions answered regarding admissions and career options.”
The Physician Assistant Studies building is located at the corner of Third and Butler streets. The building is also accessible.
Marietta College’s Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Program selects only the top 36 applicants for the 26-month graduate curriculum. Graduates of this program are prepared to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination as soon as they graduate from the program. In 2017, every graduate from that class passed the exam the first time they took it. Historically, Marietta students consistently surpass the national graduation rate and the first-time pass rate for certification. And nearly all of Marietta’s graduates obtain immediate employment, with more than two-thirds practicing in Ohio and the Appalachian region.
“Attending our open house is a wonderful way for those interested to learn more about our program, to meet and chat with our faculty, staff and current students, and to see our incredible facility — all in just a couple of hours,” said Miranda Collins, Director of Marietta’s Physician Assistant Studies graduate program. “While websites are a great resource of information, I don’t think they compare to physically visiting a place and actually meeting the people to get the ‘real’ feel for the program.”
To RSVP for the Physician Assistant program, please contact the Physician Assistant Department at (740) 376-4458 or dlc006@marietta.edu. To RSVP for the Psychology or Clinical Mental Health Counseling Open House please contact (740) 376-4974 or hdd001@marietta.edu.