Mental Health Counseling, MS
Campus: Westchester
This 60-credit program in Mental Health Counseling provides students with a strong foundation in clinical counseling and specialized knowledge in groundbreaking research and prepares graduates to become licensed practitioners in mental health counseling with specialties and emphases on areas ranging from loss and grief counseling, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress and resilience, and positive psychology. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on skills development using role-playing and group exercise, as well as interview techniques, research methods, and internships.
Graduates of this program are eligible for New York State certification in mental health counseling and are prepared for a variety of professional counseling positions as well as advanced training in specific theoretical approaches and training at the doctoral level.
This program also provides the foundational credits for students considering careers in higher education advisement or who might wish to move on to a doctoral program.
Prerequisites
Admission requirements include a Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. Applicants who haven’t completed such a major may be required to complete General Psychology and Social Psychology prior to beginning graduate study.
Degree requirements include 16 required core courses and four elective courses (from one of three elective tracks). Close advisement from the department advisor is necessary for this program because courses typically require completion of prerequisite courses in a strict specified order and additionally require passing grades of "B" or better and department approval.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PSY 630 | Helping Relationships: Counseling Theories and Techniques I | 3 |
| PSY 631 | Helping Relationships: Counseling Theories and Techniques II | 3 |
| PSY 632 | Orientation to Addiction: Etiology, Screening, Treatment | 3 |
| PSY 652 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| PSY 658 | Group Dynamics | 3 |
| PSY 672 | Psychopathology and Personality Disorders | 3 |
| PSY 674 | Integrating Seminar: Professional Orientation and Ethics | 3 |
| PSY 675 | Field Experience: Internship I | 3 |
| PSY 676 | Field Experience in Counseling: Internship II | 3 |
| PSY 687 | Foundations of Mental Health Counseling and Consultation | 3 |
| PSY 677 | Research and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PSY 678 | Career and Lifestyle Development | 3 |
| PSY 679 | Marriage and Family Systems and Counseling: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment | 3 |
| PSY 685 | Social and Cultural Foundations of Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 686 | Appraisal and Assessment of Individuals, Couples, Families, and Groups | 3 |
| PSY 694 | Practicum in Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| Elective Track | ||
| Select one of following tracks: | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
General Track
- Select four PSY 600-level electives with assistance of department advisor
Trauma and Loss Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 601 | Death, Meaning and Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 613 | Current Perspectives on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 614 | Current Perspectives on Grief Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 622 | Trauma and Loss: Empirical Perspectives | 3 |
Substance Abuse Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 640 | Addiction Counseling I: Individual and Group | 3 |
| PSY 641 | Addiction Counseling II: Family and Group | 3 |
| PSY 654 | Appraisal: Assessment, Reporting and Treatment Planning | 3 |
| PSY 670 | Case Management in Treating Addictions | 3 |
Total Credits: 60