Program Overview
Credits: 60 credits
As the field of mental health counseling expands, so does the need for qualified counselors. Our CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Clinical Health Health Counseling program prepares you for New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) eligibility, while ensuring a general mastery of counseling service skills.
You’ll be trained in the application of psychotherapy principles, human development, and learning theory, as well as the etiology of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior to individuals, couples, families and groups. Upon graduation, you’ll become well-equipped to treat psychopathology and promote optimal mental health.
Licensure, Registration, and Certification:
The 60-credit-hour program qualifies students for New York State Licensure – Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), as well as license-eligibility in all 50 states and 3 territories. Graduates may also be eligible to apply for national certification as a professional counselor (NCC) and clinical mental health counselor (CMHC). Additional years of experience are required for NCC and CMHC certification.
Canadian graduates of Niagara University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program may have the opportunity to pursue registration as Registered Psychotherapists (RP) through the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Flexibility
Our courses are offered in the early evening in a variety of formats, including on-campus, online, and hybrid settings, to accommodate your schedule.
Affordability
Graduate assistantships, scholarship opportunities, and more than 60 different aid offers are available for qualified graduate students to make tuition more affordable.
Expert Faculty Advisement
You’ll receive individual attention and personal instruction from our award-winning faculty through small class settings and advisement throughout your studies.
Niagara University’s program in mental health counseling provided me with the necessary skills, education and training to enhance my counseling techniques. This program has not only prepared me to be a mental health counselor, but also for the coursework requirements for licensure in New York state, and nationally.Tomasina Cook
Discovery Awaits
What You’ll Study at Niagara University
You’ll begin your journey with foundational courses—such as Introduction to Counseling and Foundations and Ethics of Clinical Mental Health Counseling—and then progress to more specialized coursework in your second and third years. Throughout the program, you will develop essential counseling skills through applied learning experiences, receiving individualized guidance, feedback, and mentorship to strengthen your therapeutic competencies.
As part of your training, you will complete a 100-hour practicum followed by two internship experiences totaling 600 hours in a clinical setting under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional. These hands-on opportunities allow you to apply your knowledge in real-world environments and prepare you for professional practice.
Patrick P. Lee Scholarship
The Patrick P. Lee Scholarship for the Niagara University Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is designed for dedicated full-time graduate students enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, committed to mitigating the local mental health workforce shortage in Western New York.
Up to 5 scholarships totaling $30,000 each will be awarded and follow full-time graduate students through the three-year course of the program.
The Patrick P. Lee Foundation is a private family foundation committed to achieving immediate and measurable impact in the areas of Education and Mental Health. In education, the Lee Foundation supports post-secondary scholarships within mental health and other professional fields, fostering pathways to career opportunities. In the field of mental health, the foundation is steadfast in equipping the Western New York community with comprehensive mental health knowledge, embracing individuals living with mental illness, and providing access to high-quality mental health services.
Find Your Best Self
Knowledge, Experience, and Skill Development
Cultivate knowledge, skills, and dispositions critical to effective clinical practice
Foundational background in ethics, legal, and professional standards
Critical analysis and experience with theories, evidence-based treatment models, cultural competence, and self-awareness
Prepare to Soar
Academic, Experiential, and Career Pathways
Careers
Counseling in:
- Hospitals
- Mental health clinics
- Public agencies
- Private counseling practices
Accreditations
Ready to Apply?
Filling out an application is easy!
NU offers rolling admissions, which means that you can apply at any time for the upcoming semester. Applications are reviewed as they come in, and students are typically notified of an admission decision in 3-4 weeks. What’s stopping you?
Apply Now
Program Faculty
Molly McDermott, M.S., MHC-P
Graduate Assistant Dean, College of Education
School Psychology, Field Placement Coordinator
Adjunct Professor, Graduate Education