CMHC and CLRC Gate Processes
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CRCN) programs utilize a set of built-in checkpoints throughout their respective programs to ensure that students have completed the necessary steps to successfully proceed through the fieldwork requirements needed to graduate and obtain licensure. All gates are zero-credit, pass-or-fail courses. Gate courses are not available to students who are not currently in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (CLRC) programs. Gate courses will not affect your GPA or credit load, but because gates are Pass/Fail, 100% is required on all assignments to pass.
Students on a 2025-2026 Degree Completion Plan (DCP) or later must complete all gates to graduate.
Students on DCPs earlier than 2025-2026 should consult the FAQs below for guidance.
Learn more about each gate, special circumstances, and action plans, and frequently asked questions below.
Gate Courses
Gate 1/Counseling Foundations: Orientation to the Program (COUC 503)
Gate 2/Field Placement Preparation and Professional Readiness (COUC 508)
Gate 3/Practicum Application and Fieldwork Readiness (COUC 650)
Gate 4/Internship I Application and Career Readiness (COUC 685)
Gate 5/Internship II Application and Future Planning (COUC 690)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- ALL questions about fieldwork (practicum or internship) applications, documents, site supervisors, special circumstances, or affiliation agreements should be directed to the Fieldwork Office.
- I am on a DCP from before 2025-2026 and do not have the gates on my DCP. Are the gates still required?
- It depends. You may not need all gates, depending on where you are in your program.
- Gate 1 (COUC 503): Not required for DCPs before 2025-2026
- Gate 2 (COUC 508): Not required for DCPs before 2025-2026
- Gate 3 (COUC 650): Required if you have not taken COUC 692 Practicum
- Gate 4 (COUC 685): Required if you have not taken COUC 693 Internship I
- Gate 5 (COUC 690): Required if you have not taken COUC 694 Internship II
- Auto-enroll does not apply to DCPs prior to 2025-2026: You may need to request a Prerequisite Override Request through Academic Advising to be registered in a Gate course.
- It depends. You may not need all gates, depending on where you are in your program.
- When should I take a Gate course?
- Gate 1 (COUC 503) should be taken alongside COUC 500.
- Gate 2 (COUC 508) should be taken in your second semester.
- Gates 3-5 must be taken one semester before your planned fieldwork.
- Ex. To take Practicum in Spring 2028, take Gate 3/COUC 650 in Fall 2027.
- Ex. To take Practicum in Spring 2028, take Gate 3/COUC 650 in Fall 2027.
- I’m in Gate 3, 4, or 5 but did not find a fieldwork site for next semester by the deadline. What should I do?
- Contact LUOAdvising@liberty.edu to discuss course withdrawal options. Major assignments are directly tied to your site placement and are time-sensitive.
- Contact LUOAdvising@liberty.edu to discuss course withdrawal options. Major assignments are directly tied to your site placement and are time-sensitive.
- Will I pass the gate if I don’t have 100% on every assignment?
- You must have 100% on every assignment to pass. The quizzes allow unlimited attempts; you can retake them as many times as needed to achieve full points.
- You are not penalized for late submissions, but all assignments must be submitted.
- Please note that fieldwork application deadlines are non-negotiable.
- Can I work ahead?
- Yes, just know that your assignments may not be graded immediately.
- If you are inactive for over 10 days, you will begin receiving automated inactivity notifications.
- If you are in Gates 1 or 2, please communicate with your FAM that you have worked ahead.
- For Gates 3-5, there is no need to notify the gate overseers about working ahead.
- I worked ahead, and now I’m getting notices that I’ve been inactive in the course. Will I be dropped?
- No. If you have submitted work in the course, you will be marked as attending.
- If you are in Gates 1 or 2, please communicate with your FAM that you have worked ahead.
- For Gates 3-5, there is no need to notify the gate overseers about working ahead.
- I had several classes completed, but broke enrollment and returned on the new DCP. Can earlier gates be waived?
- If you were re-admitted on a DCP 25-26 or later, you must complete all gates, regardless of how many classes you’ve already completed. Contact Academic Advising to request prerequisite overrides to allow you to take gates concurrently.
- If you were re-admitted on a DCP 25-26 or later, you must complete all gates, regardless of how many classes you’ve already completed. Contact Academic Advising to request prerequisite overrides to allow you to take gates concurrently.
- Is my background check still valid?
- Your background check needs to be less than one year old in order to be valid.
- Questions about background check should be directed to counbackground@liberty.edu.
- I’m experiencing an error on one of the gate assignments (not related to SimCare or the Fieldwork applications).
- Please reach out to COUNgates@liberty.edu.