Mental Health Counseling is a distinct profession with national and state standards for education, training, and clinical practice. Mental Health Counselors provide a full range of services for individuals, couples and families, and groups. The Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling Program at Marist College provides the academic preparation necessary to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in NY State. The 60-credit Mental Health Counseling Program emphasizes the personal and professional growth of its students, fostering self-awareness and a deeper understanding of others. The Program curriculum is rich in coursework stressing the theory and practice of counseling, assessment, and research, and underscores the importance of a multicultural approach. Counselors-in-training gain the knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality mental health care to help their clients function effectively in all aspects of their lives.
For over 30 years, Marist College has provided graduate study in psychology. During that time, the MA in Psychology program established itself as a leader in the Hudson Valley Region in offering students a robust academic experience, combining both theoretical and research foundations with applied, practical experiences in the helping professions. As NY State enacted the law creating the Licensed Mental Health Counselor, the successful MA in Psychology program was revised and expanded, and the 60-credit, MA in Mental Health Counseling Program was established. Thus, the Marist MA in Mental Health Counseling Program was one of the first programs to be approved by the NY State Education Department as meeting the academic requirements for individuals to become licensed as mental health counselors. The Program meets or exceeds the academic requirements for the licensing of professional counselors in many other states as well.
