The Mental Health Counseling degree program, offered on PCOM's Philadelphia campus, prepares master’s-level graduates to pursue credentialing to work in the mental health field as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Our program meets the educational requirements in nearly all states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The mental health counseling master's program provides specialized training in cognitive behavioral therapy and training in empirically supported treatment techniques. Each course has a diversity learning objective. Students practice counseling skills in a simulated environment using the Standardized Training and Evaluation of Psychologists and Psychotherapists (STEPPS) program. This performance-based program provides an opportunity for students to practice their clinical skills and receive feedback.
APPLY ONLINE“A holistic approach is important to me as a provider as many individuals of color are not seen nor heard past the color of their skin. When I was looking at various programs, PCOM's values really stood out to me and I felt that I was able to align my own values with that of PCOM's.”
Shannon Tissera
“I have had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful professors/counselors that I have learned so much from. Not to mention meeting some amazing future colleagues that I cannot wait to make referrals for!”
Jillian Lynch
“I like that PCOM emphasizes conceptualizing the individual through their mind, body and spirit. I also like being at a school with different types of healthcare professionals and participating in an integrated learning environment.”
Samantha Stolker
"My degree at PCOM helped prepare me to provide trauma-informed behavioral health services in a sensitive, effective manner. PCOM also allowed me to learn how to effectively work as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team, which is a vital component for preventing and responding to medical trauma in healthcare settings.”
Nic Schmoyer-Edmiston, PhD, NCC, MS '21 (current faculty)
“I'm very interested in health psychology—working on an integrated clinical care team—and our interprofessional education program here at PCOM drew me to both the master's program and the [Clinical] PsyD program.”
Sarah Fox
“I always took a holistic approach to medicine. That's one of PCOM's core values and I appreciate how they integrated IPE to have all the programs come together.”
Melissa Peters
Our Counseling program emphasizes treatment of the whole person, incorporating knowledge of mind and body to promote health and wellness. Students complete a foundational curriculum and receive specialized training in cognitive behavioral therapy and suicide assessment.
The student advocacy project and poster session was developed to embody the essence
of the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics which suggests that counselors
should advocate at individual, professional, and systems levels to help reduce barriers
to client growth and well-being. To that end, students will identify a social advocacy
need, cause, and/or a vulnerable population for which they will develop and implement
a manageable action plan over three semesters.
PCOM's Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling degree requirements include 60 credits of coursework that includes two elective (6 credits) courses. As dictated by the state, all counseling students must complete a 100-hour practicum during the fall semester, followed by a 600-hour internship spanning the spring and summer semesters. PCOM students must also take and pass comprehensive exams which attend to various learning styles (multiple choice exam, case conceptualization paper, and a skills demonstration video). Lastly, students must also engage in an advocacy project that takes up to 10 hours over the course of their last year at PCOM and report on their advocacy project through a poster presentation.
For more information, please contact:
PCOM Office of Admissions
Email: admissions@pcom.edu
Phone: 215-871-6700 | Fax: 215-872-6719
Visit the application requirements page to learn about admissions requirements, the application process and the admissions process for PCOM's MS in Mental Health Counseling program.
PCOM is committed to helping students maximize funding sources and minimize student debt. Visit our Office of Financial Aid section to learn about cost of attendance, types of aid available and how to apply for financial aid.
Tuition CalculatorThe MS in Mental Health Counseling program:
Practice counseling in an ethical and legal manner that aligns with the American Counseling Association (ACA) (Professional Counseling Orientation & Ethical Practice);
Analyze individual and family development theories and models across the lifespan (Human Growth & Development);
Evaluate career development theories and models as they relate to the interrelationships of the client's world of work, mental well-being, relationships, and other life roles and factors (Career Development);
Demonstrate application of multicultural counseling competencies and social justice advocacy efforts (Social & Cultural Diversity);
Utilize counseling theories to guide case conceptualization, treatment planning, and clinical practice (Counseling & Helping Relationships);
Apply the theoretical foundations of group counseling and group work to maximize group effectiveness and address the cultural needs of clients (Group Counseling & Group Work);
Select, administer, and interpret assessments and test that are grounded in evidence-based counseling practices (Assessment & Testing);
Use ethical and culturally relevant strategies for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research (Research & Program Evaluation);
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in theory and practice (Specialty Area: CBT);
Apply the principles of working in an Inter-professional collaborative team aimed at treating the whole person (Specialty Area: Interdisciplinary whole person approach).
PCOM offers a standardized patient program where students practice counseling skills in a simulated environment with faculty review sessions.
Students participate in multiple clinical interviews using the Standardized Training and Evaluation of Psychologists and Psychotherapists (STEPPS) program. STEPPS is a performance-based program that provides the opportunity for students to practice their clinical skills and receive feedback. The STEPPS program consists of standardized patients (SPs), who are individuals specifically trained to accurately simulate medical and mental health conditions in a standardized way that facilitates the assessment of the student's counseling skills.
Each STEPPS video is digitally recorded. Students are able to review their STEPPS clinical interviews, track their progress, and use feedback to inform personal learning goals. Additionally, each student is assigned a PCOM faculty member/supervisor who will evaluate and review each of their STEPPS interviews. Students then have the opportunity to receive feedback from their supervisor in a face-to-face conference. Finally, students write a reflection paper following each STEPPS interview wherein they reflect on their performance, including strengths and areas they would like to improve.
Each incoming first-year student chooses a second-year student as their mentor. Second year students serving as mentors meet with first-year students as often as the two would like but at least once a month. This mentoring relationship often lasts as long as the mentee is a student but often extends after graduation. This mentorship program was created as a result of student interest and is sustained by the program director and an interested student.
Many of us are drawn to the counseling field because empathy is part of our way of
being, knowing, and understanding. However, it can be a challenge to translate our
natural interpersonal skills into the counseling setting. The personal growth group
provides students who are looking to grow in this area the opportunity to continue
developing their empathy and interpersonal skills as well as see group processes in
action. Members of the group engage in this growth opportunity with their fellow students
to be able to meet goals with the support of their peers and the facilitator. The
group functions like a closed counseling group and runs for 6 to 8 sessions depending
on the changing needs of the group members.
Here in PCOM's Counseling Program, we have a group geared toward people who are either members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community. The group is centered on creating avenues for fellowship and service among community members and allies. We split our time between bonding, processing life, and pursuing means for giving back. We focus on ensuring that the group is led by members of the community, too!
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