Mental Health Counseling class.

Mental Health Counseling

Master of Science
  • 60 Credits
  • School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Bronx
  • Westchester
  1. Academics
  2. Programs & Degrees
  3. Mental Health Counseling
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Mental Health Counseling Program Overview

Mental health counselors are a vital resource for individuals and families, and help communities thrive. 

Our Mental Health Counseling program qualifies graduates to sit for the New York state professional licensing exam, and to seek initial employment towards meeting the 3,000-hour supervised experience required for licensure.

Your practicum and internship experiences will allow you to focus on specific types of counseling. 

Substance abuse counseling.

Career Opportunities

Mental health counselors work in settings including:

  • Family services 
  • Outpatient centers
  • Hospitals
  • Government
  • Private practice
  • Substance Disorders Programs
  • Community Agencies

Join us for our Upcoming Graduate Events

Join us for an upcoming graduate admissions event to learn more about our Mental Health Counseling program and explore how Mercy can help you meet your goals. 

RSVP for an event today. 

Why Study Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Mercy University?

25% Growth

Career Outcomes 
Job growth is more than four times faster than the national average for all professions.*

*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Flexible Options Available

Part-time and full-time study available. Day and evening classes can be taken at the Dobbs Ferry or Bronx campuses in NY, and some classes are also offered online.

60 Credits

Total Credits to Earn Your Degree
Classes in counseling and ethics, trauma and crisis, family assessment, research methods & diagnosis and treatment

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Mental Health Counseling Program Outcomes

By the end of this program, students should be able to: 

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Identify and apply the American Mental Health Counseling Association standards to qualify to take the licensing examination in Mental Health Counseling required by New York State

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Demonstrate mastery of Human Growth and Development, Social and Cultural Foundations, Theories of Counseling, Groups, Lifestyle and Career Development, Appraisal, Research and Program Evaluation, and Professional Orientation and Ethics.

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Identify and treat symptoms presented by clients

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Define, explain, and apply counseling methods for the assessment, diagnosis & treatment of mental disorders

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Apply current knowledge and research from social and behavioral sciences, including the use of technology, to the practice of counseling

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Identify and explain the impact of cultural diversity on counseling techniques and make appropriate applications

Salutatorian-Gina Walpole.

Degree Requirements

  • Successful completion of 60 graduate credits for Mental Health Counseling with a 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • 700 hours of fieldwork required
  • Successful completion of a written comprehensive examination (CPCE)

Outside The Classroom

Fieldwork involves two components: summer practicum and a full year of internship.  This fieldwork allows graduates to put their classroom learning into practice. We have strong relationships with clinics and other agencies in the greater New York area, ensuring that graduates are prepared with clinical experience and professional contacts. 

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CASAC-T Certification

Students can also pursue a CASAC-T Credential through the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) while they work on their mental health counseling degree in NYC. 

This credential allows students to be certified and paves the way for both direct patient care and supervisory positions in the area of substance abuse and addiction. As a Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee (CASAC-T), students complete an additional 350 hours of training in the Addiction Specific Standardized Curriculum.

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IHELP at Mercy University

Mercy University is here to help our students and communities succeed. The new Interdisciplinary Health Education Learning Program (IHELP) fellowship aims to expand internship opportunities that provide services for children, adolescents, and transitional-aged youth who are at risk for behavioral health disorders in high need and high demand areas for graduate Fellows in Mercy's School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Occupational Therapy programs.

Learn More about IHELP

Admissions Requirements

  • To be considered for our programs for mental health counseling, applicants should provide:
  • An official baccalaureate degree with a GPA of at least 3.00. We will evaluate applicants with a lower GPA for provisional acceptance.
  • Two letters of recommendation from degree-specific instructors or industry professionals.
    • NOTE: At least one letter must come from a professor. At this time, we cannot accept references from personal contacts, including friends, relatives, personal counselors or professionals outside the counseling field.
  • A current résumé
  • An 800-1,000-word personal statement that addresses these questions:
    • What does it mean to be a mental health counselor?
    • What influenced you to want to be a mental health counselor?
    • What are your three biggest strengths? Your three biggest challenges? How will your strengths and challenges impact you as a student in the mental health counseling program and as a future mental health counselor? If your GPA is below a 3.0, this must be one of your challenges that you discuss.
    • What influenced you to apply to Mercy University?

At Mercy University, we aim to help anyone learn how to become a therapist in New York and beyond. Should you have to leave your program for any reason, you can return using an abridged application:

  • Students who take leave for three semesters or less should resubmit their transcript and essay only.
  • Students who take leave for two years should resubmit their transcript, essay and résumé.
  • Students who take leave for three years should resubmit their transcript, essay, résumé and one updated recommendation letter.
  • Students taking leave for four or more years must resubmit their entire application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fulfill partial requirements for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor. The 60-credit course of study prepares you for licensure in counseling at public and private agencies or in private practice. The Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling is a licensure-qualifying 60-credit program. Graduates are eligible to seek initial employment towards meeting the 3,000-hour externship required for licensure as a mental health counselor in New York State.

Admission to the graduate program requires:

  1. Two professional letters of recommendation,
  2. A two to three page essay stating the applicant's reason(s) for pursuing a degree in counseling
  3. A resume
  4. Completion of a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an approved institution
  5. An undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale), including grades of B or better in one three-credit mathematics or statistics course.

If you do not meet all these requirements you may be admitted on a provisional basis until you have fulfilled the prerequisites or (in the case of GPA), demonstrated your ability to do adequate graduate-level work. You must complete the prerequisites within the first two semesters (or nine credits) of study. Master's Degree in Counseling or a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling.

Certification and licensure are not the same. Certification is done by specific certifying bodies, such as the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). Licensure is established by individual states.

Ultimately, the decision to become a CASAC is a personal one. The work can be challenging and test your limits, but it can also be incredibly rewarding for the right people. If you relate to these statements, you may be a good candidate for CASAC-T certification:

  • You want to specifically work with individuals dealing with addiction and substance abuse.
  • You're interested in a more challenging workload.
  • You want to expand the services you are able to offer.

To become a CASAC, you must:

  • Have at least a GED or high school diploma
  • Complete 350 hours of education in the Addiction Specific Standardized Curriculum
  • Have 6,000 hours of work experience or a degree like Mercy University's Mental Health Counseling program with equivalent field experience
  • Complete three Ethical Conduct Forms and Evaluations of Competency
  • Pass the IC&RC AOD examination

 

Mercy University's Mental Health Counseling degree program in NYC meets all the education requirements for licensed professional counselors. Graduates will also need to meet:

  • Experience requirements: Aspiring counselors must prove they have completed at least 3,000 hours of mental health counseling in an approved setting. This experience must include at least 1,500 hours of direct patient contact. Trainees should also gain experience in research, case management and other administrative tasks. Note that field experience is only applicable to this requirement following your successful completion of a mental health counseling program.
  • Examination requirements: Counselors must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) before they can legally practice. Once students graduate from our program, they will be eligible to take the exam.

Program Details & Curriculum

The 60-credit Master of Science Degree Program in Mental Health Counseling is organized as follows:

Level I: 18 Credits
Basic Foundational Knowledge, Theories and Skills

Level II: 27 Credits
Intermediate Pre-Internship Prep., Social Basis of Behavior and Assessment

Level III: 15 Credits
Advanced Specialty Concentration and Internship

Total: 60 Credits

For a full curriculum listing visit our catalog.

Download a copy of the sequence map for:

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