Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Online Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling 

Since its inception in 2018, the on campus MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Merrimack College has graduated nearly 80 students and earned a reputation as one of the area’s best CMHC master’s programs. You can also choose to complete the program online! Whichever modality you pick, you’ll benefit from the same rigor, expert faculty, and close-knit community. Read on to discover which option is right for you.

What the on campus and online graduate programs have in common:

• The same rigorous curriculum, taught by Merrimack’s expert faculty
• Earn your M.S. in 2 years of full-time study, or 3-4 years part-time
• Includes 700 hours of hands-on clinical training (100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours)
• Meets the requirements of MA & NH state licensing boards to apply for the designation of Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
• Aligns with the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) standards
• Aligns with Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards

Differences between the on campus and online master’s degree:

Learning Outcomes – What You Will Learn in the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

In either the online or on campus graduate program, you will receive a foundational curriculum in counseling skills and techniques, diagnoses, assessments, and interventions to meet the needs of culturally diverse individuals, families, and communities. You will be exposed to individual and group treatment modalities and complete a 12-month clinical internship training with a community-based mental health agency.

By the completion of the program, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate a continually broadening sense of self-awareness and self-monitoring across a spectrum as a means to foster: (a) Practice conducted within the boundaries of competencies and (b) Commitment to lifelong learning;
• Engage in reflective practice (i.e., reflection on action) and self-assessment as a means to foster: (a) engagement with scholarship, critical thinking, and (b) a commitment to the development of the profession;
• Demonstrate knowledge of and respect for scientific knowledge of the bases for behavior (biological, cognitive-affective, and lifespan human development) and incorporate this knowledge into professional practice;
• Be familiar with and appreciate research methodology and techniques of data collection and analysis appreciate scientifically derived knowledge;
• Demonstrate an ability to form and maintain professional, productive, and respectful relationships with clients, peers/colleagues, and supervisors,
• Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity in working professionally with diverse individuals, groups, and communities who represent various cultural and personal backgrounds and characteristics;
• Apply ethical concepts, codes, laws, rules, and regulations to professional activities with individuals, groups, and organizations;
• Articulate an awareness of multiple and differing worldviews, roles, professional standards, and contributions across contexts and systems, and identify distinctive roles of related professionals;
• Assess and diagnose problems and issues associated with individuals, groups, and/or organizations by utilizing systematic approaches to gathering data to inform clinical decision-making; and
• Apply and evaluate interventions designed to alleviate suffering and promote the health and well-being of individuals, groups, and/or organizations.

Mental Health Counseling Career Opportunities

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts very rapid growth in clinical mental health counseling jobs over the next decade, with jobs projected to increase by more than 20 percent. Graduates of Merrimack’s clinical mental health counseling program have a job placement rate of nearly 100 percent, based on their top-notch training and the program’s strong reputation among employers. Our alumni have found immediate employment with mental health counseling organizations such as: