Counseling (MS)

The Master of Science (MS) in Counseling is designed to prepare students to enter the Counseling profession via one of three primary concentrations:  Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, and a Combined program.  All students complete the same core coursework, and then additional specialization courses dependent on the chosen concentration.  All coursework emphasizes personal and interpersonal growth in addition to academic excellence, and students are taught the necessary knowledge and skills to be professional, ethical, and effective helpers within their chosen setting.  Program requirements, policies, and resources are all available in the Student Handbook which is reviewed during initial coursework, is available on the program’s Sharepoint site, and can be requested from program coordinators.  Additional secondary concentrations are also available in Addictions Treatment, Eating Disorders, Marriage and Family Therapy, Play Therapy, and Wellness Leadership.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration completes a 60-credit degree designed to prepare students to function as licensed clinical mental health counselors. The concentration provides the educational requirements outlined by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice as requisite to attaining clinical mental health counseling licensure. The clinical mental health counseling concentration is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a distinction that ensures program quality and can ease the application process for licensure.  Students should note that there are significant post-degree requirements to undertake prior to being licensed, including a licensure exam and between two and four years of paid post-graduate clinical experience. In addition to coursework, students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration must successfully complete a 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship in a mental health setting.  

School Counseling

The School Counseling concentration completes a 60-credit degree designed to prepare students to be a K–12 licensed professional school counselor. This concentration prepares students for the application process for New Hampshire licensure in school counseling, which also includes completion of a licensure exam.  PSU’s school counseling concentration is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and is the only school counseling program in New Hampshire to hold this prestigious distinction.  PSU's program also meets New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) licensure requirements. Licensure requirements are subject to change and candidates can find the latest NHDOE standards at https://www.education.nh.gov.  Students in the School Counseling concentration must successfully complete a 100-hour comprehensive public-school practicum and a 600-hour comprehensive public school internship. At the end of these two culminating field-based experiences, students will have gained experience in school counseling at the elementary, middle, and high school levels as required by NH Licensure requirements.

Combined Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling

The Combined concentration grants specialization in both Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling as part of a 76 credit degree, designed to prepare students to be licensed as both a Clinical Mental Health and School Counselor.  Students in this concentration will work closely with their advisor to complete required courses in both specialization areas.  Students will also complete internship experiences for both specializations to ensure license eligibility, totaling 1400 hours of experience in both school and clinical settings. 

Required Core Courses in this Major

Core Counseling Component

Course Title Credits
Core Counseling Component
CO 5010Professional Orientation and Ethics3
CO 5020Counseling Skills3
CO 5040Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships3
CO 5050Advanced Human Development3
CO 5070Research Design in the Helping Professions3
CO 5130Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health3
CO 5230Career Counseling and Development3
CO 5260Counseling Theories and Personality3
CO 5430Assessment for Counselors3
CO 5460Group Counseling3
CO 5720Addictions & Related Disorders3
CO 5770Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood3
CO 5100Practicum3
Elective Course3
Total Credits42

Required Concentration in this Major (Students choose one)

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Course Title Credits
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Component
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
Total Credits18-21

School Counseling

Course Title Credits
School Counseling Component
CO 5030Foundations of School Counseling3
CO 5080School Counseling Practice3
CO 5650Critical Issues in Schools3
CO 5780Working with Youth and Systems3
CO 5850Seminar and Internship in School Counseling6
Total Credits18

Combined Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling

Course Title Credits
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Component
CO 5600Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling3
CO 5670Working with Children and Families3
CO 5710Crisis and Trauma Counseling3
CO 5790Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning3
CO 5880Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling6-9
School Counseling Component
CO 5030Foundations of School Counseling3
CO 5080School Counseling Practice3
CO 5650Critical Issues in Schools3
CO 5780Working with Youth and Systems3
CO 5850Seminar and Internship in School Counseling6
Total Credits36-39

Optional Additional Concentrations in this Major

Addictions Treatment

Course Title Credits
Addictions Treatment Component
CO 5730Addictions Treatment Modalities3
Total Credits3

Marriage and Family Therapy

Course Title Credits
Marriage and Family Therapy Component
MFT 5010Foundational Methods in Marriage and Family Therapy3
MFT 5020Current Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy3
MFT 5030Foundations and Ethics in Marriage and Family Therapy3
MFT 5900Seminar and Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy3-9
Total Credits12-18

Eating Disorders

Course Title Credits
Eating Disorders Component
CO 5160Eating Disorders: Awareness and Prevention3
CO 5185Medical Aspects and Nutrition Counseling of Eating Disorders3
CO 5170Treatment Modalities for Eating Disorders3
Total Credits9

Play Therapy

Course Title Credits
Play Therapy Component
CO 5210Dynamic Play Therapies1
CO 5220Child Centered Play Therapy1
CO 5240Expressive Play Therapies1
CO 5250Special Populations in Play Therapy1
Add Four Elective Play Therapy Courses4
Adlerian Play Therapy
Special Topics: Play Therapy
Group Play Therapy
Nature Based Play Therapy
Play Therapy in School
Family Play Therapy
Play Therapy with Traumatized Children
Total Credits8

Wellness Leadership

Course Title Credits
Wellness Leadership Component
OH 5180Exploring Personal & Organizational Health3
OH 5200Communication in Socially Responsible Organizations3
OH 5100Full Spectrum Leadership3
Total Credits9

Counselor Education Core Learning Objectives - Students will be able to:

  1. Articulate and demonstrate the professional and ethical role of a counselor.
  2. Discuss and demonstrate techniques of cross-cultural counseling and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations.
  3. Describe the role that human growth and development plays in counseling interventions and modify these interventions as appropriate.
  4. Explain theories of career development and implement career interventions.
  5. Define and utilize counseling skills and advanced counseling interventions.
  6. Articulate theories of group counseling and utilize leadership skills in facilitating various types of groups.
  7. Identify and utilize various types of counseling assessments.
  8. Describe and conduct methods of research and program evaluation.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration Learning Objectives - Students will be able to:

  1. Articulate and apply foundational knowledge of clinical mental health counseling.
  2. Articulate and demonstrate various types of counseling, consultation, prevention, and intervention – including response to crisis and trauma and addiction.
  3. Discuss issues of multiculturalism, demonstrate multicultural competency skills, and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations in clinical mental health counseling settings.
  4. Analyze and utilize various types of clinical mental health counseling assessments.
  5. Critically evaluate and utilize research methods in the practice of clinical mental health counseling.
  6. Describe and employ principles of case conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment planning with a variety of populations.

School Counseling Concentration Learning Objectives - Students will be able to:

  1. Articulate and apply foundational knowledge of school counseling.
  2. Articulate and demonstrate various types of counseling, prevention, and intervention – including methods of program development and crisis response.
  3. Discuss issues of multiculturalism, demonstrate multicultural competency skills, and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations in school counseling settings.
  4. Analyze and utilize various types of school counseling assessments.
  5. Critically evaluate and utilize research methods in the practice of school counseling.
  6. Describe methods of promoting social, emotional, and academic development.
  7. Demonstrate methods of effective collaboration and consultation with school staff, students, parents, and community members.
  8. Explain the importance of and assume leadership roles in their respective schools.

The Combined Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling concentration includes all of the above learning objectives.

The concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to prepare students to function as licensed clinical mental health counselors. It provides the educational requirements outlined by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice as requisite to attaining mental health counseling licensures. PSU’s mental health counseling program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students should note that there are significant post-degree requirements to undertake prior to being licensed, including a licensure exam and between two and four years of paid post-graduate clinical experience.  Graduates work in both private and public clinical, healthcare, prison, residential, and school settings.

The concentration in School Counseling is designed to prepare students to be a K-12 professional school counselor.  PSU’s school counseling program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). It is the only school counseling program in New Hampshire to hold this prestigious distinction.  While in their program, students complete the educational requirement for the application process for New Hampshire licensure in school counseling, which also includes completion of a licensure exam.  Graduates work throughout the K-12 public and private school system in New Hampshire and surrounding states.

The Combined Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling concentration prepares students for both career paths listed above.

Mental Health professionals in all settings continue to be an area of identified need in New Hampshire, and post-graduation employment rates are very high for all concentration areas.