Master of Science (MS) Degree in Mental Health Counseling

The mental health counseling master's program provides specialized training in cognitive behavioral therapy and training in empirically supported treatment techniques.

PCOM offers two MS counseling programs:

• Mental Health Counseling (60 credits)
• Counseling and Clinical Health Psychology (48 credits)

The mission of the Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program is to prepare highly skilled, compassionate counselors to provide evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and collaborative treatment.

Grounded in the cognitive-behavioral tradition, this program trains practitioner-scholars to offer assessment, therapeutic interventions, consultation, program evaluation, social justice advocacy and follow-up services. Incorporating knowledge of the biopsychosocial model, the program provides a foundation for ethical practice that facilitates the well-being of individuals, families and communities.

The program prepares master’s level graduates with the attitudes, knowledge and skills to pursue further doctoral training and/or credentialing as a licensed professional counselor in many states.

Program Objectives

• The program meets the requirements required for licensure as a licensed professional counselor in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and many other states.
• Upon graduation, students in the program are able to demonstrate that they meet professional, legal and ethical counseling practice standards.
• The program will prepare students to use evidence-based counseling practices in mental health counseling interventions.
• The program graduates students who have completed 60 credits of coursework and supervised field experience, typically in two years and in no more than five years.
• The program’s graduates demonstrate knowledge of issues related to providing services to individually and culturally diverse clients, providing services that are culturally competent and sensitive to individual diversity.

Our program is designed to:

• Prepare practitioner-scholars who possess a comprehensive understanding of the field of mental health counseling across theoretical, research and applied practice domains.
• Prepare students to understand counseling history and philosophy.
• Prepare students for individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.
• Provide students with an understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society.
• Instruct students in counseling, consultation and psychotherapy processes.
• Model and instill the values of advocacy and social justice.

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 his or her 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.

• This curriculum fulfills the course requirements for becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in many states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey. [Watch video: "What Can I Do With an LPC?"]
• The addictions and correctional counseling specialization provides students with a foundational curriculum, additional coursework, and specialized practicum experiences to prepare them to work in addiction recovery and correctional settings.
• According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis Behavioral Health Workforce Projections, demand for mental health counselors is projected to exceed supply by 2030.