Support Others with a Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness
Mental health and wellness are crucial for overall quality of life. However, people often need assistance to improve their mental and emotional resiliency. If you feel called to help others in this way, you can earn your Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness at Grand Canyon University. You’ll learn the skills necessary to support others as they journey toward emotional and behavioral wellness.
Offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, this MS in mental health and wellness is a broad survey of the biological, social, cultural and spiritual factors that comprise mental wellness. Students are inspired to become ethical leaders in their chosen field by exploring community-wide change, cultural diversity and ethical issues. There is an emphasis on the seamless integration of the fields of health, wellness and health care.
Learn Best Practices for Psychological Support and Care in the Mental Health and Wellness MS Program
The master’s in mental health trains students to develop a compassionate mindset toward those in need of a helping hand. Students focus on evidence-based practices that can support clients who are struggling to cope with mental, emotional or behavioral issues. At GCU, students grow into more effective communicators, ethical servant leaders and capable critical thinkers.
Some of the courses included with this degree program include the following:
- Mental Health, Wellness and Health Care Integration
- Documentation, Research and Information Literacy in Mental Health and Wellness
- Ethics and Cultural Diversity in Mental Health and Wellness
- Community Health
- Human Development
As a modern university, GCU recognizes the importance of flexibility and convenience in higher education and professional development. Students enrolled in this Master of Science in mental health and wellness program can study from anywhere at any time via our interactive online learning platform. Expand your perspective by engaging with a diverse community of peers and fully qualified instructors who are leaders in their field. Through intensive, focused coursework, students will acquire the following core competencies:
- Understand the health challenges commonly faced by individuals with behavioral or mental health disorders
- Examine the implementation of community-wide programs focused on preventive or interventional approaches
- Know the fundamentals of evidence-based research in the mental health and wellness field
- Understand early and modern ethical models in relation to the mental health and wellness professions
Students demonstrate their mastery of the coursework by completing the Mental Health and Wellness Capstone, which includes a real-world exploration of the field.
Incorporate Mental Health into Your Professional Journey
The online MS in mental health and wellness is an appropriate choice for students who wish to expand their understanding and enhance their career qualifications in the mental health field. This degree does not lead to clinical licensure as a counselor or psychologist. Instead, students explore means of integrating mental health concepts into their field of expertise as working professionals.
Graduates are prepared to support others with evidence-based mental health intervention. This versatile degree is appropriate for professionals who work in a variety of fields, including the following:
- Law enforcement
- Human services
- Education
- Community health
- Management/human resources
Future leaders with this degree are equipped to deliver education and coaching to clients in a non-clinical setting, with an emphasis on working toward a healthier lifestyle and better quality of life.
Program Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the liberal arts. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
This course is an introductory course in mental health and wellness practices. The purpose of the course is to develop a basic understanding of mental health and wellness practices and wellness approaches. An overview of mental health disorders, basic overview of treatment practices, and the Dimensions of Wellness are covered.
Course Description
This course covers ethics and cultural diversity as it relates to mental health and wellness. The history of ethics is addressed, including how early ethical models evolved into modern ethical codes in the mental health and wellness professions. How ethics relates to legal standards and issues such as records and billing are addressed. Cultural diversity, sensitivity, and competence are covered.
Course Description
This course in developmental psychology emphasizes the physical, social, cognitive, personality, spiritual, and moral developments within an individual. The course is designed to provide an understanding of the transitions of life from conception to death.
Course Description
This course provides an examination of group dynamics, types of group process structures, and various strategies used for group facilitation. The course shows how group dynamics is applied to various participants in both therapeutic and organizational settings. The course explores the purpose of group interventions as a viable treatment approach and how the dynamics of a group impacts its participants.
Course Description
This course examines health and prevention at the community level. This course examines the implementation of community wide change through intervention, prevention and program evaluation. Students will explore current research related to topics relevant to Community Psychology.
Course Description
This course provides a comprehensive overview of mental health and wellness practice in a community healthcare setting. The importance of documentation, including the maintenance, accuracy, and integrity of health care records, as well as the ethics and policies concerning documentation is covered. The basics of research in the mental health and wellness field, such as data collection, interpretation, and the ethical implications of research, are covered. Information literacy is also covered, to provide a basic framework of common terminology and communication in the integration of mental health and medicine.
Course Description
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of mental health, wellness, and health care, including the integration of these three fields. The course covers common mental health disorders, treatments, and supportive services, as well as an integrated focus on the mind and the body. The course examines the health challenges often faced by individuals with behavioral or mental health disorders, and it reviews appropriate services, interventions, preventative services, and treatments to achieve and maintain health and wellness.
Course Description
This course provides a practical, real-world exploration of the mental health and wellness field. Special focus is given to careers in mental health and wellness. The common duties and tasks performed by workers in the mental health and wellness field are investigated. Concepts covered throughout the program are examined through practical application. This course is the last course in the program of study; all other course work must be completed before this course.
Online
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere. GCU offers the most experienced leadership in delivering online degree programs. Full-time faculty members and fully trained adjunct instructors, equipped with strong academic backgrounds and practical experience in their fields, support you every step of the way. Designed with the career-oriented professional in mind, our online classes provide an intimate environment that stimulates engaging and challenging discussions. Choose from programs across our distinct colleges, in high-demand employment areas. Classes begin frequently.
Evening
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom. Night classes are designed for a specific number of students, providing a warm and nurturing environment that supports an engaging experience. In an evening cohort, you will progress through your degree program with the same career-minded classmates, providing an opportunity to network and forge relationships that go beyond the classroom. Classes begin frequently at various locations, including our main campus.
* Please note that this list may contain programs that are not presently offered as program availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability of the program.
* The Department of Education defines how an institution must calculate a program's On-Time Completion rate for federal disclosure purposes. The On-Time Completion rate is based on a program's published required number of months to complete all degree requirements as provided in the institution's catalog. Completion statistics are updated every January and are based on the cohort of students who started the program in the same year and then graduated within the published program length .
Online and Evening program disclosures (18 months)* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.