Mental Health Counseling (M.S.E.)
60 credits
NYSED 31303
The M.S.E. program in mental health counseling is designed to prepare mental health counselors who will work in mental health clinics, community mental health centers, hospitals, nonprofit counseling agencies, college and university counseling centers, and corporate mental health services (e.g., employee assistance programs, personnel departments, mental health support units) and are eligible to open independent private practices after licensure. This rigorous, applied training program includes 60 course credits (in semester hours) plus a minimum 600-hour mental health counseling internship. The program has a practitioner-scientist orientation and includes a strong multicultural and social justice counseling emphasis.
All courses in the program are delivered in an on-ground format. The program can be completed full time in two years (with summers) or part time in three years (with summers).
Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Licensure exam after the completion of 3,000 hours of supervised post-degree mental health counseling practice.
The M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) for the period of January 2015 through January 2026.
CIP Code
51.1508 - Mental Health Counseling/Counselor.
You can use the CIP code to learn more about career paths associated with this field of study and, for international students, possible post-graduation visa extensions. Learn more about CIP codes and other information resources.
Applicants seeking admission to the M.S.E. program in mental health counseling must meet the general requirements for admission to graduate study in the Graduate School of Education and these program-specific admission criteria:
- possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
- show evidence of professional promise (personal, interpersonal, and intellectual characteristics appropriate to the profession and the ability to communicate effectively); evidence should be contained in the student’s application for admission, or may be sought in an interview with a member of the program faculty, if deemed appropriate
- have earned a minimum graduate and undergraduate grade point average of approximately 3.0 (B or better)
- provide two reference reports
- demonstrate proof of immunization against measles, mumps, meningitis, and rubella
Program of Study
The 60-credit program includes a 600-hour, on-site, supervised internship completed during the fall (PSGE 6651) and spring (PSGE 6653) semesters.
The curriculum includes the following courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSGE 5621 & PSGE 5623 | Foundation of Professional Counseling and Consultation and Clinical Instr Couns Process 1 | 6 |
| PSGE 6602 | Human Development 2 | 3 |
| PSGE 6607 | Assessment in Counseling 3 | 3 |
| PSGE 6630 & PSGE 6632 | Group Counseling and Pre-Practicum in Groups 4 | 6 |
| PSGE 5631 & PSGE 5633 | Couns Theory & Practice and Pre-Practicum in Applications of Counseling Theory to Practice 5 | 6 |
| PSGE 6640 & PSGE 6642 | Career Counseling and Practicum in Career Counseling 6 | 6 |
| PSGE 6645 | General Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSGE 6650 & PSGE 6651 | Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling and Field Experience I in Mental Health Counseling (Requires 300 hours on internship) 7 | 6 |
| PSGE 6656 | Multicultural Counseling 8 | 3 |
| PSGE 6653 | Field Experience II in Mental Health Counseling (Requires 300 hours on internship) | 3 |
| PSGE 5625 | Theories Fam Couns: Asst | 3 |
| PSGE 6609 | Advanced Assessment and Appraisal in Counseling 9 | 3 |
| PSGE 6659 | Trauma Interp Neurobio 10 | 3 |
| PSGE 5204 | Research Methods in Counseling 11,12 | 3 |
| PSGE 6605 | Counseling Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| PSGE 0705 | Master's Comprehensive Exam/Assessment in Counseling | 0 |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- 1
PSGE 5621 Foundation of Professional Counseling and Consultation and PSGE 5623 Clinical Instr Couns Process are co-requisites.
- 2
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 6312 Psychology of Cognition and Affect in lieu of PSGE 6602. PSGE 6312 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 3
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 7613 Intell Asst: Child/Adult in lieu of PSGE 6607. PSGE 7613 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 4
PSGE 6630 Group Counseling and PSGE 6632 Pre-Practicum in Groups are co-requisites.
- 5
PSGE 5631 Couns Theory & Practice and PSGE 5633 Pre-Practicum in Applications of Counseling Theory to Practice are co-requisites.
- 6
PSGE 6640 Career Counseling and PSGE 6642 Practicum in Career Counseling are co-requisites. Note that PSGE 6641 Pract Career Counseling is equivalent to PSGE 6642 Practicum in Career Counseling.
- 7
PSGE 6650 Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling and PSGE 6651 Field Experience I in Mental Health Counseling are co-requisites.
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 8672 Social and Ethical Responsibilities in Counseling Psychology in lieu of PSGE 6650, but must still take PSGE 6651. PSGE 8672 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 8
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 6603 Multicultural Issues in Professional Psychology in lieu of PSGE 6656. PSGE 6603 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 9
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 7612 Assessment in Personality in lieu of PSGE 6609. PSGE 7612 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 10
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 7435 Neurobiological Bases of Human Behavior in lieu of PSGE 6659. PSGE 7435 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 11
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology students pursuing the M.S.E. in Mental Health Counseling en route to the Ph.D. may take PSGE 7681 Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology and Education I in lieu of PSGE 5204. PSGE 7681 may apply towards both the Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees.
- 12
PSGE 5203 Introduction to Research may also fulfill this requirement.
Completion Requirements
To complete the M.S.E. in mental health counseling, students must meet the following requirements:
- strictly adhere to the principles of academic integrity of Fordham University Graduate School of Education and to the ethical principles of the profession
- complete the prescribed program of study, including 60 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree, with a minimum of 54 graduate credits taken at Fordham with the approval of an adviser
- maintain a minimum overall graduate grade point average of 3.0 (B or better)
- complete an end-of-program comprehensive assessment
- complete a 600-hour mental health counseling internship
Students may be terminated from the program if they fail to complete any of these steps.