As athletes sit on the sidelines or get back on the field, maintaining mental skills training remains crucial. Get a degree that helps athletes prepare for their comeback and compete at the highest level.
University of Western States (UWS), a non-profit institution founded in 1904 in Portland, Oregon, is an integrated health sciences university with an enduring commitment to educating health care professionals. The university motto, “For the good of the patient” guides every aspect of the institution. UWS is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Passionate about sports, fitness and finding your niche in the field of health sciences? Complete the form to connect with an admissions advisor.
Learn more about our sports-related programs here:
SPORT AND PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY (SPP)
The sport and performance psychology (SPP) graduate program provides students with the skills in positive and applied sport psychology needed to enhance performance and transform lives. Taught by distinguished faculty with extensive sport psychology program experience, the curriculum educates students on the process of success, creating and leading highly effective teams, using positive motivation and communication techniques, as well as setting and achieving high goals. The program and faculty prepare graduates with the firsthand experience needed to serve as leaders in the sport, coaching, exercise, mental health counseling and wellness disciplines. There are options at master’s, doctoral and certificate levels within this program.
Master of Science (MS)
Using positive and applied sport psychology, the master’s program is designed to help students develop the foundational skills to enhance performance and maximize human potential. The degree consists of eight core courses and multiple elective options. Our curriculum is designed specifically to help students complete the specialized coursework requirements to become a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC®) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
MS-SPP FAST FACTS
- 100% online
- 5-6 quarters (1.5 years)
- Entry Term: Spring and Fall
- 54 quarter credits (36 semester)
Two optional concentrations in the MS-SPP program are also available.
Applied Practice Concentration
The applied practice concentration allows students to get a head start on the mentorship hours toward certification as a mental performance consultant (CMPC®).
Positive Coaching Concentration
The positive coaching concentration sets students up to enhance and expand their roles as athletic/business coaches, administrators or managers within their chosen field.
Doctor of Education (EdD)
UWS also offers a doctorate degree program (EdD) in sport and performance psychology. The EdD offers advanced training for individuals in psychology, education, coaching, business, health care, leadership and administrative careers. The degree is a blend between a research-oriented doctoral program and an applied clinical psychology doctorate designed to allow students to meet their specific career goals and educational needs.
Two optional concentrations offered within the EdD degree include:
Sport and Performance Psychology Consulting
The sport and performance psychology consulting concentration is a year-long experience focused on improving professional competence in applying the theories and techniques learned in the classroom with athletes and performers. Structured with the requirements of the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential in mind, students progress through the stages of securing a site, initial assessment, case conceptualization, intervention design, and implementation under the guidance of an experienced UWS faculty member listed on the CMPC Registry of Approved Mentors. The SPP Pre-Practicum course provides a unique opportunity to work with “standardized patients,” professional actors trained in presenting sport and performance concerns, after which students engage with actual performers in their chosen settings.
Positive Leadership and Administration
The positive leadership and administration concentration is intended to help leaders and their teams or organizations succeed through an increased understanding of human motivations and behaviors, and how to apply that understanding to achieve extraordinary results.
EdD-SPP FAST FACTS
- Online blended
- 8-12 quarters (2-3 years)
- Entry Term: Spring and Fall
- 86 quarter credits (57.3 semester)
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization
The Doctorate of Education in Sport and Performance Psychology, Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization (EdD-SPP, CMHC) is uniquely designed for students who are simultaneously seeking counseling licensure and advanced sport and performance psychology training to open the door to a wide array of career options. This integrated EdD degree in sport and performance psychology includes a master’s degree in CMHC conferred after the first 90 credits, prior to starting the doctoral portion of the degree, so that students can begin working as a professional counselor while completing their doctorate.
EdD-SPP, CMHC FAST FACTS
- Mostly online coursework with meaningful contact with instructors and peers
- 16 quarters (4-5 years) – flexible pacing for working professionals
- Entry Term: Spring and Fall
- 148 quarter credits (98.7 semester credits)
Applied Sport Psychology Graduate Certificate
The ASP certificate program is designed to help students complete courses that have been identified as meeting AASP’s Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC®) coursework requirements, enhance professional development in their current career, and/or explore their interest in the profession of sport and performance psychology.
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING (CMHC)
Our current cultural, political and medical landscape has made it abundantly clear how much our emotional, behavioral and mental health matters. There is no better time than now to pursue a degree in clinical mental health counseling.
Mental health counselors provide treatment to individuals, families, couples, children and groups. They treat clients with a variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, stress and suicidal impulses. They also help with mental and emotional health issues and relationship problems.
The University of Western States (UWS) clinical mental health counseling graduate program emphasizes a systems approach in which students consider the influence of families, groups, teams and organizations on individual mental health and performance.
Learn how you can become a healing force in your community with a degree in clinical mental health counseling from UWS.
Graduate-Level Degree Options
The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS-CMHC) program at UWS is designed for students who want to diagnose and treat those with mental health disorders as licensed counselors. As careers progress, students can become clinical supervisors and mental and behavioral health program administrators.
MS-CMHC FAST FACTS
- 100% online coursework with meaningful contact with instructors and peers
- 8-12 quarters (2-3 years) – flexible pacing for working professionals
- Entry Term: Spring and Fall
- 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits)
UWS also offers a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Sport and Performance Psychology, with a Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization. This program is an ideal option for candidates who may be interested in earning their clinical mental health counseling master’s and an EdD in sport and performance psychology in one streamlined program.
EdD-SPP, CMHC FAST FACTS
- Mostly online coursework with meaningful contact with instructors and peers
- 16 quarters (4-5 years) – flexible pacing for working professionals
- Entry Term: Spring and Fall
- 148 quarter credits (98.7 semester credits)
UNIQUE FEATURES OF THESE PROGRAMS
- Standardized patient component which provides unique and personalized learning for clinical mental health counseling students. Faculty design specific case studies, which create opportunities for students to apply their knowledge in simulated “real-world” scenarios with specially trained actors.
- Instructors that are active in the field.
- Dual-degree doctoral option.