Program Information ◊ Mental Health Licensure

Licensure as a Mental Health Counselor

In 2005, Teachers College received approval from New York State to offer a License-Qualifying Mental Health Counseling Program.  Along with completion of the coursework outlined below and those required by the broader Ed.M. program, students can become eligible for licensure when they complete 3000 hours of post-master's supervised experience in the practice of mental health counseling and pass a national examination.

Mental health counselors can work in a variety of settings (clinics, schools, hospitals, agencies, human resource units, private practice, etc.) in the delivery of mental health services to client and client systems.  The Education Law Article 163 describes mental health counseling as: 

• The evaluation, assessment, amelioration, treatment, modification, or adjustment to a disability, problem, or disorder of behavior, character, development, emotion, personality or relationships by the use of verbal or behavioral methods with individuals, couples, families or groups in private practice, group, or organized settings; and
• The use of assessment instruments and mental health counseling and psychotherapy to identify, evaluate and treat dysfunctions and disorders for purposes of providing appropriate mental health counseling.

Mental Health Counseling Coursework--Required Content Areas (Students are responsible for consulting with their Advisors regarding the most updated list of required coursework):

(i)         human growth and development; (one of the following)

1.         HUDK 4022 -- Developmental Psychology:  Childhood (3)

or

2.         HUDK 4023 -- Developmental Psychology:  Adolescence (3)

or

3.         HUDK 4024 -- Developmental Psychology:  Adulthood and Life Span (3)

or

4.         HUDK 5029 -- Personality Development and Socialization Across Life Span (3)

(ii)        social and cultural foundations of counseling;

1.         CCPJ 4873 -- Winter Roundtable on Cross-Cultural Psychology and Education (1)

Including any two of the following courses:

2.         CCPJ 5165 -- Racial-Cultural Counseling Laboratory (4)

or

3.         CCPJ 5020 -- Racism and Racial Identity in Psychology and Education (3)

or

4.         CCPJ 5164 -- Perspectives in Multicultural Counseling (3)

(iii)       counseling theory and practice;

(both required)

1.         CCPJ 4064 -- Theories of Counseling (3)

2.         CCPJ 5371 -- Foundations of Counseling Skills (3)

(iv)       psychopathology (any one of the following);

1.         CCPJ 5563 -- Psychological and Cultural Aspects of Abnormal Behavior (3)

or

2.         CCPX 5032 -- Personality and Psychopathology (3)

or

3.         CCPX 5034 -- Developmental Psychopathology (3)

(v)        group dynamics;

1.         CCPJ -- Group Counseling (3)

(vi)       lifestyle and career development;

1.         CCPJ 5062 -- Career Counseling and Development (3)

(vii)      assessment and appraisal of individuals, couples, families and groups;

1.         CCPJ 5060 -- Assessment in Counseling (3)

Including one of the following courses:

2.         HUDM 5059 -- Psychological Measurement (3)

or

3.         HUDM 4050 -- Introduction to Measurement (3)

(viii)      research and program evaluation; (both required)

1.         ORLJ 4009 - Understanding Behavioral Research (3)

2.         HUDM 5055 -- Evaluation of Institutions, Programs and Curricula  (3)

(ix)       professional orientation and ethics;

1.         CCPJ 4560 -- Professional and Ethical Issues in Psychological Counseling (3)

(x)        foundations of mental health counseling and consultation; (both required)

1.         CCPJ 5371 -- Foundations of Counseling (3)

2.         CCPJ 5563 (to become 5167) -- Multicultural Consultation and Organizational Development (3)

(xi)       clinical instruction;(both required)

1.         CCPJ 5360 -- Practicum in Career and Personal Counseling (4)

2.         CCPX 5630 -- Case Conference (0)

(xii)      recognition and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment; and

two hours direct contact

1.         Offered via CEOI  

(xiii)      one-year (at least 600 clock hours) supervised internship or practicum in mental health counseling.

Fieldwork placement in one of the three below:

1.         CCPJ 5260 -- Fieldwork in Mental Health (2 semesters 3+3 or 3 semesters 2+2+2)

or

2.         CCPJ 5263 -- Fieldwork in Elementary School Counseling (2 semesters 3+3 or 3 semesters 2+2+2)

or

3.         CCPJ 5265 -- Fieldwork in Secondary School Counseling (2 semesters 3+3 or 3 semesters 2+2+2)

TOTAL REQUIRED LICENSURE SEMESTER HOURS:  54 plus CEOI --                                                                                                                   

GRAND TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS REQUIRED:         60