Advanced Certificate in Mental Health Counseling

SUNY New Paltz

The 24-credit advanced certificate in mental health counseling is a bridge program that addresses the needs of two distinct cohorts, both requiring supplemental coursework and training to qualify for licensure as mental health counselors in New York State. Students with 36- or 48-credit degrees in mental health counseling will accrue the additional credits needed to meet the 60-credit education requirement for licensure, while those with 36-60-credit degrees in other areas of counseling (or a closely related helping-professions discipline) will acquire the specialized courses and fieldwork necessary to retrain as mental health counselors. All students complete the 9-credit practicum/internship sequence (COU530, COU771, COU772 ), which includes more than 600 hours of supervised mental health counseling experience, plus 15 additional credits based on a review of their prior graduate transcripts and identification of specific courses needed to fulfill licensure requirements. Admission to the program is in the fall (deadline February 1st) and in the spring (October 15th).

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences