The Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling is a 60-credit graduate training program designed to prepare students to be entry-level mental health counselors in a variety of settings including schools, community agencies, hospitals, and clinics. The program is designed for full-time study and has a strong clinical focus. It adheres to the standards for state and national accrediting groups. Students complete a 100 hour practicum and 900 hour internship allowing them to develop clinical skill-sets, while applying what they learned in academic courses. Students must also pass an exit exam (CPCE) that compares their knowledge in pertinent content areas to national norms. After graduating from the Mental Health Counseling program, students are required by the state to complete 3,000 post-graduate supervised hours and pass a state licensing exam in order to be granted a New York State License in Mental Health Counseling.

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Graduation Requirements
Students are required to earn grades of B or better in all courses in order to remain in the program. If a grade less than B is earned in any course, the student must meet with the program director and will be placed on academic probation and may be subject to dismissal.

Grades below B will not count toward graduation. Core courses must be retaken. If it is an elective, the course may be repeated or another elective may be substituted.

Toward the end of their coursework students will take the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) which tests their knowledge in eight core areas: Human Growth and Development, Social and Cultural Foundations, Helping Relationships, Group Work, Career and Lifestyle Development, Appraisal, Research and Program Evaluation, Professional Orientation and Ethnics. Passing the CPCE is required for completion of the program.

After passing the CPCE and working under a licensed supervisor for 3,000 hours, students will be eligible to take the New York State licensing exam to be licensed as a Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).

For more details, please contact www.NYSED.gov.
www.NYSED.gov.


Resource Links
www.nymhca.org
New York Mental Health Counselors Association

www.counseling.org
American Counseling Association