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 5010 | Professional Orientation and Ethics | 3 |
| CO 5020 | Counseling Skills | 3 |
| CO 5040 | Diversity and Advocacy in Helping Relationships | 3 |
| CO 5050 | Advanced Human Development | 3 |
| CO 5070 | Research Design in the Helping Professions | 3 |
| CO 5130 | Psychopharmacology and the Biological Basis of Mental Health | 3 |
| CO 5230 | Career Counseling and Development | 3 |
| CO 5260 | Counseling Theories and Personality | 3 |
| CO 5430 | Assessment for Counselors | 3 |
| CO 5460 | Group Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5720 | Addictions & Related Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5770 | Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood | 3 |
| CO 5100 | Practicum | 3 |
| Elective Course | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Required Concentration in this Major (Students choose one)
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling Component | ||
| CO 5600 | Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5670 | Working with Children and Families | 3 |
| CO 5710 | Crisis and Trauma Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5790 | Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning | 3 |
| CO 5880 | Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling | 6-9 |
| Total Credits | 18-21 | |
School Counseling
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| School Counseling Component | ||
| CO 5030 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5080 | School Counseling Practice | 3 |
| CO 5650 | Critical Issues in Schools | 3 |
| CO 5780 | Working with Youth and Systems | 3 |
| CO 5850 | Seminar and Internship in School Counseling | 6 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Combined Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling Component | ||
| CO 5600 | Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5670 | Working with Children and Families | 3 |
| CO 5710 | Crisis and Trauma Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5790 | Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning | 3 |
| CO 5880 | Seminar and Internship in Mental Health Counseling | 6-9 |
| School Counseling Component | ||
| CO 5030 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| CO 5080 | School Counseling Practice | 3 |
| CO 5650 | Critical Issues in Schools | 3 |
| CO 5780 | Working with Youth and Systems | 3 |
| CO 5850 | Seminar and Internship in School Counseling | 6 |
| Total Credits | 36-39 | |
Optional Additional Concentrations in this Major
Addictions Treatment
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Addictions Treatment Component | ||
| CO 5730 | Addictions Treatment Modalities | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Marriage and Family Therapy
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage and Family Therapy Component | ||
| MFT 5010 | Foundational Methods in Marriage and Family Therapy | 3 |
| MFT 5020 | Current Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy | 3 |
| MFT 5030 | Foundations and Ethics in Marriage and Family Therapy | 3 |
| MFT 5900 | Seminar and Internship in Marriage and Family Therapy | 3-9 |
| Total Credits | 12-18 | |
Eating Disorders
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Eating Disorders Component | ||
| CO 5160 | Eating Disorders: Awareness and Prevention | 3 |
| CO 5185 | Medical Aspects and Nutrition Counseling of Eating Disorders | 3 |
| CO 5170 | Treatment Modalities for Eating Disorders | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Play Therapy
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Play Therapy Component | ||
| CO 5210 | Dynamic Play Therapies | 1 |
| CO 5220 | Child Centered Play Therapy | 1 |
| CO 5240 | Expressive Play Therapies | 1 |
| CO 5250 | Special Populations in Play Therapy | 1 |
| Add Four Elective Play Therapy Courses | 4 | |
| 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 Credits | 8 | |
Wellness Leadership
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Leadership Component | ||
| OH 5180 | Exploring Personal & Organizational Health | 3 |
| OH 5200 | Communication in Socially Responsible Organizations | 3 |
| OH 5100 | Full Spectrum Leadership | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Counselor Education Core Learning Objectives - Students will be able to:
- Articulate and demonstrate the professional and ethical role of a counselor.
- Discuss and demonstrate techniques of cross-cultural counseling and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations.
- Describe the role that human growth and development plays in counseling interventions and modify these interventions as appropriate.
- Explain theories of career development and implement career interventions.
- Define and utilize counseling skills and advanced counseling interventions.
- Articulate theories of group counseling and utilize leadership skills in facilitating various types of groups.
- Identify and utilize various types of counseling assessments.
- Describe and conduct methods of research and program evaluation.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentration Learning Objectives - Students will be able to:
- Articulate and apply foundational knowledge of clinical mental health counseling.
- Articulate and demonstrate various types of counseling, consultation, prevention, and intervention – including response to crisis and trauma and addiction.
- Discuss issues of multiculturalism, demonstrate multicultural competency skills, and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations in clinical mental health counseling settings.
- Analyze and utilize various types of clinical mental health counseling assessments.
- Critically evaluate and utilize research methods in the practice of clinical mental health counseling.
- 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:
- Articulate and apply foundational knowledge of school counseling.
- Articulate and demonstrate various types of counseling, prevention, and intervention – including methods of program development and crisis response.
- Discuss issues of multiculturalism, demonstrate multicultural competency skills, and advocate on behalf of multicultural populations in school counseling settings.
- Analyze and utilize various types of school counseling assessments.
- Critically evaluate and utilize research methods in the practice of school counseling.
- Describe methods of promoting social, emotional, and academic development.
- Demonstrate methods of effective collaboration and consultation with school staff, students, parents, and community members.
- 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.