Northwestern College of Iowa

What you'll study

Coursework combines foundational counseling theory, clinical skills training, and applied practicum/internship placements in supervised local settings. Sample content indicated in the program materials includes family and marriage counseling models and interventions; specifically, CMHC515 covers the history and research foundations of marriage and family counseling and surveys models such as Systemic and Strategic, Structural, Experiential, Intergenerational and Psychoanalytic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Mindfulness-based, Solution-Focused, Narrative approaches, and the Gottman approach. A Christian perspective on interventions is incorporated across relevant courses.

Entry requirements

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with official transcripts required (NWC alumni have a streamlined process and need not resubmit NWC undergraduate transcripts).
• Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; applicants with GPA below 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission on a case-by-case basis.
• No GRE required and no application fee; materials are reviewed on a rolling basis and qualified applicants will be invited to a virtual interview with faculty.
• Updated résumé required and a background check must be completed through CastleBranch.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for clinical work in a variety of settings—community agencies, hospitals, private practice, and rural health settings among them—and for pursuing state licensure as professional counselors. The program emphasizes skills needed to provide culturally sensitive, ethical, and faith-informed clinical services and readies students for the CPCE.

Scholarships & funding angle

Program materials list general student resources and handbooks but do not specify scholarships. Prospective students should contact the university's financial aid and graduate studies offices to learn about tuition assistance, scholarships, employer tuition benefits, and payment plans that may apply to working professionals in online programs.