What you’ll learn in this article…
- Utah Tech's 18-seat counseling and clinical psychology master's starts fall 2027.
- The program plans APA master's accreditation, not CACREP.
- Students train at Utah Tech's Mental Health Community Clinic under supervision.
Can a brand-new counseling master's program with no licensure exam history still get you to a Utah CMHC license? Utah Tech University in St. George has received approval to launch a counseling and clinical psychology master's in fall 2027, with supervised training at its Mental Health Community Clinic. The KSL report describes coursework in counseling, diagnosis, ethics, and cultural responsiveness.
Tuition, credit hours, and application deadlines remain unpublished. APA expanded accreditation to master's-level clinical, counseling, and school psychology programs in 2024; six U.S. programs hold it as of 2026. Utah Tech plans to pursue APA accreditation once eligible. First-cohort applicants should confirm the curriculum meets Utah DOPL licensure and supervised-hour standards.
What Utah Tech Announced: The Verified Program Snapshot
For many applicants, the appeal of a brand-new program is also its main risk: you get an early seat in a deliberately small cohort and a curriculum that may feel current, but there is no licensure exam track record yet to judge it by. Utah Tech's announcement fits that trade-off.
The university has confirmed a new counseling and clinical psychology master's on its St. George campus, with a fall 2027 start and an 18-student inaugural cohort. The format is in-person, not online, a key detail for students comparing Best Master's in Counseling in Utah. Lisa Scott, a licensed psychologist and assistant psychology professor, will direct the program. Students will get clinical training for counselors through closely supervised care at the Utah Tech Mental Health Community Clinic, which is open to the broader community.
What students will study
Students choose one of three specialty areas: aging and grief, spirituality and religion, or trauma. Coursework themes include diagnosis, ethics, supervision, cultural responsiveness, and responsible use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in mental health care. Utah Tech also says it plans to pursue American Psychological Association accreditation as the program becomes eligible.
The student interest signal is strong. About 90 percent of surveyed psychology students at Utah Tech indicated interest in a master's program.
What We Don't Know yet: Tuition, Credit Hours and Application Deadlines
Section content unavailable.
Accreditation: APA Master's Accreditation vs. CACREP for a Brand-New Program
APA master's accreditation is still in its first cohort era
The American Psychological Association expanded accreditation to master's programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology in 2024.1 Accreditation is voluntary,2 and as of 2026 only six master's programs nationwide hold APA accreditation.1 The six include Capella University's MS in Clinical Psychology, the University of Denver's MA in Clinical Psychology, and the University of North Dakota's MA in Counseling Psychology.3 That small pool means there is little long-term track record for applicants to weigh, and many employers and state boards are still learning how the credential fits licensing pathways.
What Utah Tech's intent does and doesn't mean
Utah Tech has said it intends to pursue APA accreditation once the new program becomes eligible. Intent is not accreditation, and the first fall 2027 cohort is likely to start before any APA decision is reached. New programs generally need to enroll students and produce outcome data before an accreditor can complete review. As of now, the clinical psychology and counseling master's program is not accredited by APA.
APA vs. CACREP for a brand-new counseling program
CACREP has long been the established accreditor for counseling programs, and it remains the benchmark many state counseling license applications expect. APA master's accreditation is a newer, voluntary route aimed at health service psychology master's programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Because the CACREP vs. APA accreditation pathway is still so new, applicants should verify which accreditor a state board accepts for mental health counselor licensure before choosing a brand-new program.
Utah Tech's stated intention to pursue APA accreditation is a promise about the future, not a credential. Before accepting an offer, ask for the written accreditation timeline, including submission dates and what happens for enrolled students if the timeline slips.
From Degree to License: Utah Counselor, MFT and Psychologist Pathways
Licensure in Utah has shifted toward precise supervision thresholds, but the route you take depends on which license you want and whether the degree actually satisfies DOPL standards.
Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC)
Utah DOPL requires a qualifying master's or doctorate with at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits.1 The program coursework must include diagnosis, ethics, and psychopathology, and documentation must show a practicum or internship of at least 700 supervised clinical hours, including 240 direct client therapy hours.2 For licenses issued after May 1, 2024, you need 3,000 total supervised hours, including 1,200 direct client care, 100 clinical supervision, at least 25 direct observation, and no more than 25 group supervision hours shared with other applicants.3 The required exam is the NCMHCE, and current DOPL materials add 2 hours of approved suicide prevention training.3
Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
The LMFT path is separate. Utah DOPL requires a qualifying master's or doctorate and 3,000 supervised hours after education, including 1,200 direct client care, 100 clinical supervision, at least 25 direct observation, and the same group supervision cap.4 Exam details are set by DOPL rule, so prospective AMFTs should confirm the current exam requirements with DOPL before applying. DOPL also requires 2 hours of approved suicide prevention training.4
Psychologist
A master's degree, including Utah Tech's new counseling program, does not lead to psychologist licensure in Utah. Students considering a Master's in Counseling to PhD Psychology route should know that psychologists need a doctorate from an APA-accredited or DOPL-equivalent program, 4,000 supervised hours including 1,000 hours of mental health therapy and 100 hours of clinical supervision, plus the EPPP and the Utah Psychologist Law and Ethics exam.5
Verify before you commit
Because the Utah Tech program has no graduates yet, nobody can point to a completed cohort's licensure outcomes. Before enrolling, ask DOPL and the program director whether the planned coursework and practicum sequence match the 60-credit, 700-hour practicum requirements12 and set you up for the post-degree supervision hours.
Related Articles
Utah Tech vs. UVU: How the New Program Compares With Nearby Options
Utah Valley University's CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling master's program requires 60 credits and runs five semesters in person at Orem.1 Utah Tech's new counseling and clinical psychology master's is scheduled to start in fall 2027 in St. George, with tuition and total credit hours not yet published.
Accreditation and format
- Utah Tech: A counseling and clinical psychology master's with community clinic placements and specialty tracks in aging and grief, spirituality and religion, or trauma. The university plans to pursue APA master's accreditation once eligible.
- UVU CMHC: CACREP accredited through 2034, 60 credits, five semesters, in person in Orem.2 Tuition is set annually by the Utah Legislature and listed on UVU's graduate tuition page.
- UVU MFT: COAMFTE accredited since 2024, 54 credits4, five sequential semesters, in person in Orem.3 Tuition is adjusted each spring.4
What to weigh
Location is a practical filter: St. George versus Orem. Utah Tech's southern Utah placement may reduce travel time for students near Washington County, while UVU serves the Wasatch Front. Utah Tech's supervised training will happen at its Mental Health Community Clinic, which could simplify accruing direct client contact hours. For applicants who want a fully established credential path today, UVU's CACREP and COAMFTE designations are already in place; Utah Tech's APA route is an intention, not a current accreditation. Applicants should check whether a program's expected credential aligns with the license they plan to pursue.
Accreditation intent is not the same as accreditation. Get the program's licensure pathway, supervised hours, and tuition promises in writing before you enroll.
