Winebrenner Theological Seminary

$300/month Tuition

Mission Statement for the Winebrenner Theological Seminary MACC Program:
The Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling Program equips individuals, utilizing Christian principles and evidence-based modalities, to become mental health counselors.

Please note: Our application for the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling is currently closed. Applications for the Fall 2027 cohort will open later this year. See below for key dates and process information.

If you’d like to receive updates about future application cycles and admissions information—or schedule a meeting with our Director of New Student Engagement—you can do so here

Key Dates & Process

Application Window: September 2026 – December 31, 2026. Submit your completed application during this period to be considered for admission.

Group Interview Period: March 2027. Applicants will participate in a group interview. All transcripts and references must be submitted before attending the interview.

For specific questions or additional information, please click here, and we will get back to you.

Become the Counselor You Were Designed to Be

You are a Christian with deep compassion for people. You wish to serve your community as a professionally trained, licensed counselor.

Our Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling program is for you. The program prepares you to be an effective clinical mental health counselor who integrates Christian values and worldview into your service to clients. Inquire today.

Program Description

The program is designed to equip men and women to work in multiple settings (i.e. private practice, community mental health agencies, hospitals, government, and business settings) where they can help bring spiritual, emotional, and psychological wellness into people’s lives. The objectives of the MACC program are to deliver a high quality education required by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP), and to prepare students to meet the requirements of the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSW&MFTB) to become licensed as professional Clinical Mental Health Counselors.

Program Objectives

1. Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Knowledge: Graduates will

demonstrate knowledge of human and lifespan development, group dynamics, counseling theories, etiology, clinical terms, evidence-based approaches in treatment planning and prevention for a broad range of mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

2. CMHC Skills & Practice: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to research, analyze, select, and utilize evidence-based techniques, therapeutic skills, and assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes in individual, group, couples, and family counseling settings.

3. Cultural Awareness: Graduates will demonstrate awareness and understanding of the impact of social, cultural, and spiritual factors that influence both the counselor, the client, and the therapeutic relationship and outcomes.

4. Professional Identity: Graduates will embody a professional identity as a clinical mental health counselor through understanding and application of counseling philosophy, ethical standards, legislation, government policy, and regulatory processes relevant for professional practice, community engagement, and advocacy.

5. Professional Practice: Graduates will employ strategies for interfacing and documenting work with multiple delivery modalities, networks, and third-parties to manage issues in clinical mental health counseling.

6. Utilization of Christian Principles: Graduates will articulate an awareness and understanding of spiritual formation and the practical, ethical, and respectful integration of spirituality in counseling while demonstrating a Christian worldview.

Career Paths

〉 Licensed Professional Counselor
〉 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
〉 Higher Education Counselor
〉 Drug & Alcohol Counselor
〉 Addictions Counselor
〉 Director of Human Services Agency
〉 Geriatric Counselor

CACREP Accredited

Winebrenner Theological Seminary is accredited by CACREP through March 31, 2026. This accreditation status recognizes the educational quality of the program and allows graduates to apply for licensure in the State of Ohio. Winebrenner’s status can be confirmed at https://www.cacrep.org/program/auto-draft-150/

Winebrenner Theological Seminary is also fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada.

Licensure

Upon completion of the MACC degree, you will meet the requirements to take the licensure exam. Students may enroll in a licensure program if they will be physically residing in a state or territory where the program meets the educational requirements for licensure while attending Winebrenner Theological Seminary. Students residing in a state or territory where the program does not meet the educational requirements for licensure may contact the Program Director iiames@winebrenner.edu, to explore available options. Inquire today.

Program Contact Info

Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling
950 North Main Street
Findlay, OH 45840

Dr. Mary Iiames
iiames@winebrenner.edu

Click Here to Inquire

Course Requirements

The MACC program is comprised of 64 credit hours of traditional counseling courses including 6 credit hours of general theology courses.

General Theological Education

General Theological Education Requirements (6 credit hours):

Christian Thought

Applied Theological Concepts for Clinical Counseling (IS 6950)

Biblical Studies (Choose one)

New Testament Foundations

Old Testament Foundations

A Survey of the History of Christianity

The Ministerial Person

(Another Biblical Studies course may be taken upon approval of the Chief Academic Officer.)

Core Counseling Courses

MACC Requirements (64 credit hours):

Foundations for Seminary Studies (required in the first trimester of study)

Introduction to Clinical Mental Health [C]

Counseling Theories

Helping Skills

Human Growth and Development

Group Counseling

Career Counseling

Multicultural Counseling

Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling

Diagnosis of Mental and Emotional Disorders [C]

Research and Evaluation

Psychopathology [C]

Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders [C]

Personality Assessment [C]

Crisis and Trauma-Informed Care and Counseling

Counseling Children and Adolescents

Family Counseling and Relations

Counseling the Dying and Grieving

Addictions and Counseling

Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling [C]

Internship I in Clinical Mental Health Counseling [C]

Internship II in Clinical Mental Health Counseling [C]

An additional elective is also offered: Human Sexuality and Clinical Counseling

[C] = Clinical Courses

Sample MACC Syllabi

Admission Process

Requires an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0
Participate in an interview with the program director and/or other MACC faculty
Provide a current resume

Featured Student: Maddy Mooney

Featured Alumnus: Angie Swonger

When God called Angie Swonger into Winebrenner’s Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) program, she was not at all the “traditional, straight-out-of-university” graduate student. Having already taught in the public school system for over 20 years, Angie was serving in her local church as an ordained pastor (Church of God, Anderson).

It was 2015 when her senior pastor approached her about the new counseling program Winebrenner had launched. His affirmation of Angie’s gifts combined with God’s inner promptings moved Angie to investigate what Winebrenner was offering.

Once she was confident that Winebrenner’s MACC program was for her, Angie prayed… Read Angie’s full story…