MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Program Overview

The 60-credit Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling prepares students to become skilled, ethical, and compassionate professional counselors. Through primarily in-person coursework, experiential learning,

supervised skills practice, practicum, and internship, students develop the knowledge and clinical skills needed to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and across a range of mental health needs.

Students learn to assess and diagnose mental health concerns, develop treatment plans, build effective therapeutic relationships, and provide evidence-informed counseling interventions. The program emphasizes the integration of counseling theory and practice, professional identity development, ethical practice, multicultural responsiveness, advocacy, and ongoing self-reflection.

The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is registered with the New York State Education Department as meeting the educational requirements for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor in New York State.

The program can be completed full-time in two years, including summer coursework. Students may also attend part-time; all degree requirements must be completed within the University’s established time limit.

Admission Requirements

The Counselor Education Department’s Admissions Committee reviews all completed applications. Please prepare the following items for inclusion in your online application:

Required

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• One official copy of transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work.
• Minimum grade point average of 3.0 for all undergraduate work or strong evidence of recent academic achievement.
• Successful completion of 9 undergraduate credits in the social sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, education, philosophy, anthropology, political science, history, economics, geography, criminology, gender studies, communication).
• An updated resume.
• Response to the essay admissions questions.
• Completed dispositions self-assessment.
• Three professional letters of recommendation from persons familiar with your professional/academic activity, interpersonal skills, and overall qualifications.
• International students must meet these additional requirements for admission: International Graduate Admissions | SUNY New Paltz.

Preferred

• Coursework in any of the following: abnormal psychology, personality, counseling theories, lifespan development, culture/diversity, behavioral assessment, group behavior, inferential statistics, social science research methods.
• Applied human services experience - can be volunteer, paid, or an internship.

This program leads to NYS licensure as a mental health counselor and can be completed full-time in two years, including summer classes:

Two Year Study Plan

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 Repeatable course.

This program leads to NYS licensure as a mental health counselor and can be completed on a part-time basis in three years, including summer classes:

Three Year Study Plan

Graduate Checklist

Academic Good Standing, Transfer Credits, and Degree Deadline

• Students must maintain an average grade of B in graduate-level courses.
• The Counselor Education Graduate Program may accept up to nine credits of graduate work taken elsewhere in which a grade of B or better was earned.
• All degree requirements must be completed within five years after admission to degree candidacy.

Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are available to selected students each year. Current stipends are $7500 per year plus a six-credit tuition scholarship per semester. Assistantship duties involve assisting in faculty teaching. Inquiries should be addressed to the Chair of Counselor Education Graduate Program. Other means of financial support is available to selected students each year in positions such as:

• Assistant in the Counseling Education Department.
• Academic Advisor to undergraduate psychology students,
• Graduate Intern at the Career Advising and Development Center, and
• Technical Assistant at the Disability Resource Center.

For further information, contact the Office for Psychology and Counselor Education Graduate Programs.

Program Learning Outcomes

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Objectives

Professional Counseling Orientation & Ethical Practice 

Career Development 

• PO-07- Students understand career development across the lifespan for diverse clients, how to integrate career concerns with mental health concerns, and demonstrate ethical and culturally competent career counseling strategies. 

Counseling & Helping Relationships 

• PO-08- Students learn theories and models of counseling, including a systems approach to conceptualizing clients.
• PO-09- Students learn the foundational ingredients of effective counseling and psychotherapy, particularly development of an empathic, collaborative therapeutic alliance and therapeutic skills that foster movement toward clients’ goals and potentialities. Students demonstrate basic competence in utilizing psychotherapy skills fundamental to all theoretical approaches, conduct an intake interview with initial assessment and case conceptualization, and facilitate counseling sessions.. 

Group Counseling & Group Work 

• PO-10- Students learn the theory and practice of group counseling. Students demonstrate understanding of types of groups related to clients’ goals; ethical and professional concerns related to group work; leadership issues and skills; group dynamics; stages of group development; therapeutic factors evoked within groups; application of contemporary theoretical approaches; and standards of practice.

Assessment & Testing 

• PO-11- Students will gain knowledge needed to administer, interpret, and utilize psychological tests and other sources of assessment data in community, clinical, and other mental health settings.

Research & Program Evaluation 

• PO-12- Students will understand how to apply principles of effective research to evaluating counseling research to inform their counseling practice and to participate in practice-based research at their counseling site.

Crisis Counseling & Disaster Mental Health

• PO-13- Students learn theory, research, and practice in crisis counseling and disaster mental health 

Professional Dispositions 

• PO-14- Students demonstrate the interpersonal capacity to relate to others in the appropriate and professional manner expected of clinical mental health counselors. 

Clinical Mental Health Counseling 

• PO-CMHC-01- Students understand the theories and models of clinical mental health counseling and are able to effectively use client case conceptualizations to assess, diagnose, and identify and apply appropriate treatment modalities to a wide range of client situations. 

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Mission Statement

The mission of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is to produce graduates who:

• Function as highly skilled and ethical counselors in individual, couples, and group settings.
• Demonstrate mastery of major counseling theories and skills and show the ability to utilize them therapeutically in clinical settings.
• Have strong foundational knowledge in human growth and development and can use it to inform their therapeutic work with individuals, couples, and groups.
• Value and respect diversity and demonstrate multicultural competency working with therapy clients from diverse backgrounds.
• Show mastery of skills necessary to work therapeutically with clients who have experienced crises, disasters, and trauma.
• Possess an adjustment-oriented approach that emphasizes prevention, wellness, early intervention, and advocacy, along with diagnosis and remediation of pathology.