New Graduate Program: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Submitted on July 14, 2026
Georgetown College is proud to announce our first new graduate program outside of teacher education since the 1950s. The Counselor Education program at Georgetown College has received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to offer a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with approval pending from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). The program, which will enroll its first students in Fall 2026, prepares students to become competent, ethical, and culturally responsive mental health practitioners dedicated to serving diverse communities. This program builds on Georgetown’s outstanding programs in Teacher Education and Psychology.
Through rigorous coursework and supervised clinical experiences, the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program equips graduates with the skills, knowledge, and professional identity needed to provide high-quality mental health services and make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
“This new program is a perfect fit both for the College and for the Commonwealth,” said Provost Jonathan Sands Wise. “As a Christian College dedicated to forming students in a welcoming and challenging educational community, Georgetown is uniquely suited to help form the next generation of exceptional counseling in Kentucky and our region.”
“This program fulfills the College’s mission to prepare students to make a positive difference in the world,” said President Rosemary Allen. “Its dynamic new director, Dr. J.C. Ausmus, is committed to preparing students for professional excellence and for applying their degrees in a real-world context.”
“Joining Georgetown College at this pivotal moment has been incredibly exciting,” said Dr. J.C. Ausmus. “The launch of the Counselor Education Program represents an important investment in both the future of the College and the future of mental health care in Kentucky.”
Ausmus continued, “As a native Eastern Kentuckian, it’s especially meaningful to be part of a program dedicated to preparing the next generation of professional counselors to serve communities across the Commonwealth. We know that many Kentuckians, particularly those in rural and underserved regions, continue to face barriers to accessing quality mental health care. Our goal is to prepare highly skilled, ethical, and compassionate clinicians who are equipped to make an immediate and lasting impact wherever they serve. Georgetown College has a long tradition of preparing graduates to lead with purpose, and we’re proud to extend that mission through a program that will help strengthen Kentucky’s behavioral health workforce for generations to come.”
The program will begin this fall (2026) with a small cohort as the College works toward full recognition by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This is the highest recognition for a counseling program and guarantees a high level of quality and peer review. Students who start the program now will retroactively receive CACREP certification once the program is fully accredited.
Anyone interested in the program should contact Dr. J.C. Ausmus, Dean of Counseling Education, via email at [email protected].
