Build a thorough foundation in advanced principles of mental health counseling at a graduate level, while earning the educational requirements necessary for licensure in New York State. Offered online and at our Buffalo campus. Meet our counseling & clinical psychology faculty.
Program Specs
Credits: 60 credits
Program Length: 2 years; fall and spring starts
Campus: Buffalo, Online
Weekend Program: One weekend each month (Friday, 6 – 10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.), each course meets for two weekends. Ten on-campus weekend courses and six online courses, plus three semesters of supervised internship.
Online Program: Offered in a recommended sequence of 16 courses, plus three semesters of supervised internship. All online students are expected to visit the campus for residency placement (five days on two occasions) to complete part of their coursework.
Practicum: 100 hours; includes 40 direct (face-to-face) hours
Clinical Internship: 600 hours (minimum); students will complete 240 direct hours in individual and group counseling
Supervised Clinical Internship: Nine credit hours
Comprehensive Examination: Format same as licensure exam in effort to prepare students
You will meet the requirements for New York State licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) after completing at least 3,000 hours of post-degree supervised experience in clinical mental health counseling, two years of practice and passing the National Clinical Mental Health examination.
Our master's in clinical mental health counseling is right for you if ...
You hope to work one-on-one with individuals and desire to develop an understanding of the tools of counseling the are suitable for building careers in private and public mental health agencies.
You need the flexibility of a program that fits your busy schedule — you don’t have time to put your life on hold. In Medaille’s weekend CMHC program, you’re a full-time student, but you meet only one weekend per month until starting practicum and internship. You may also earn your master’s degree online, receiving the same student-centered, practitioner-based learning as you would on campus.
You know your future lies in the mental health field and are interested in specializing in specific areas, such as self-esteem, stress management, grief and loss, advanced helping, and family, parenting and marital problems.
What can you do with a clinical mental health counseling master's degree?
The job market for clinical mental health counseling is strong, giving counselors the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, including:
Hospitals
Managed care organizations
Employee assistance programs
Community agencies
Substance abuse treatment centers
Career centers
Colleges, universities and schools
Specialty clinics and programs
Nonprofit agencies and government institutions
2020 Medaille Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
- Students Enrolled in 2020: 146
- Employment Rate in the field for 2020: 73%
- Number of Graduates: 44
- Completion Rate: Due to the pandemic and many students changing or delaying their Plans of Study, this number was difficult to accurately calculate.
- Comprehensive Exam Pass Rate: 100%
- NCMHCE Pass Rate for 2019 (not yet available for 2020): 50% (national average ~50s)
- Faculty-to-Student Ratios: 1:12
“I was super excited about the opportunity to share my story at Medaille, and hope that it was able to help and inspire those in attendance. I am grateful to the Medaille community for giving me a chance to raise awareness about mental health and make an impact in the Buffalo community.”
— Buffalo Bills Safety & All-Pro Jordan Poyer
Best Online Master's in Mental Health Counseling Programs 2022
Medaille College has been ranked as one of the year's best schools for earning a master's degree online by OnlineMastersDegrees.org. Medaille College was recognized for excellence as one of the Best Online Master's in Mental Health Counseling Programs 2022, and was among only six percent of postsecondary institutions across the nation to earn this prestigious ranking.
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Medaille’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to provide students with a thorough foundation in advanced principles of mental health counseling at a graduate level, and provide an understanding of the tools of counseling that is suitable for building careers in private and public mental health agencies. Available in both weekend and online formats, this program meets New York State Office of Professions educational requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor. For out-of-state students, please consult your professional counseling organization for specific licensure requirements.
Vital Statistics Report 2021-2022
Online Programs: Medaille College Agrees to Professional Licensure Disclosure
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
Medaille College's Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP accreditation provides recognition that the content and quality of the education you will receive has been evaluated extensively and meets standards set by and for the profession.
A State-of-the-Art Training Experience
The Medaille Family Counseling Center serves as a counselor-in-training facility for students enrolled in Medaille College’s CMHC program. Collaborating with BestSelf, Inc., this mental health clinic satellite is fully licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health, offering families and individuals evidence-based mental health therapy, as well as affording graduate-level students an in-depth, firsthand learning experience that is unparalleled in Western New York.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Mission Statement
The mission of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program at Medaille College is to provide students with a thorough grounding in advanced principles of mental health counseling at a graduate level; provide students with an understanding of the tools of counseling that are suitable for building careers in private and public mental health agencies; provide students with advanced research-based knowledge in the area of group and individual counseling, counseling techniques and testing and diagnosis; provide students with a full understanding of the professional and ethical issues relevant to mental health counseling and consultation; provide students with detailed knowledge of multicultural and career issues in counseling; and most importantly to provide students a clear professional identity as a future counselor.
Clinical Mental Health Master's Program Objectives
The program objectives for the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree are:
Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice
Value all aspects of professional functioning, including history, roles, organizational structures, ethical standards, legalities, advocacy, and credentialing.
Social and Cultural Diversity
Interpret and apply core theory and research of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels and in multicultural contexts.
Human Growth and Development
Interpret and apply core theory and research of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels and in multicultural contexts.
Career Development
Apply core theory and research of career development, the psychology of work, and related factors in career planning and decision-making.
Helping Relationships
Deliver ethical and effective counseling and consultation services consistent with professional research and practice across a range of settings in a multicultural society.
Group Work
Apply methods, skills, and other group approaches in a multicultural society using theories of group counseling, principles of group dynamics, facilitation styles, and direct experiences.
Addresses Assessment
Analyze principles of testing and measurement, and incorporate social, ethical, and cultural factors in both individual and group methods of assessment and evaluation.
Research and Program Evaluation
Apply research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation to inform ethical and culturally relevant evidence-based practice and to advance the counseling profession.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialty Areas
Students understand the theories and models of clinical mental health counseling and are able to effectively use client case conceptualizations to assess, diagnose, and identify and apply appropriate treatment modalities to a wide range of client situations.
Professional Dispositions
Students demonstrate the interpersonal capacity to relate to others in the appropriate and professional manner as expected of professional counselors.
Connect with CMHC!
Library Resources and Guides for CMHC Students
New York State Mandated Reporter Resource Center
Handshake - Job Opportunities for Medaille Graduates
Additional Resources for Students:
American Counseling Association (ACA)
The American Counseling Association is the flagship organization and the largest counseling organization in the world with some 57,000 members and 18 divisional affiliate organizations. ACA has written a comprehensive Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice that all professional counselors are expected to read and understand. There are currently 17 Divisions comprising ACA. ACA was founded in 1952.
American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)
The American Mental Health Counselors Association was founded in 1978 and is the ACA Division representing the profession of Mental Health Counselors. The AMHCA also has a separate Code of Ethics from ACA, though the two Codes are consistent on major issues.
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA)
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) is a national and bilingual organization dedicated to the enhancement of the counselling profession in Canada. This dynamic site provides information about the profession of counselling to CCPA members, to those of you who are interested in joining the national counselling association and to members of the public who wish to learn more about the association and the counselling profession in Canada.
College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario
The College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario (CRPRMHTO) will be the governing body for psychotherapists and mental health therapists in Ontario.
The CRPRMHTO was established by the Psychotherapy Act in 2007 and is represented by its transitional council. In July 2009, staff of the Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC) provided the Registrar of the transitional council with an overview of the OFC's work and with the requirements for compliance with the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, as amended, that the CRPRMHTO will eventually have to meet. The CRPRMHTO is developing its regulations and setting standards of practice that will enable it to become fully operational. The OFC will work closely with the transitional council.
National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC)
The National Board for Certified Counselors is the national credentialing board for professional counselors. Mental Health Counselors seeking national certification may take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) in order to become a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC). While national certification differs from state licensure, most states use the NCE as their counselor licensure examination.
New York Mental Health Counselors Association (NYMHCA)
The New York Mental Health Counselors Association is the advocacy organization representing the clinical counselors of New York State, They work to obtain licensure, and our continuing role is to protect and enhance the rights of counselors to practice the profession.
New York State Office of Professions
Practitioners, called mental health counselors, are trained in counseling and psychotherapy to treat individuals with mental and emotional disorders and other behavioral challenges. Mental health counselors address mental health, human relationship, education and career concerns within ethical, developmental, preventive and treatment contexts. Mental health counselors demonstrate a concern for the short-term and long-term well-being of individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations.
Medaille’s (Clinical) Mental Health Counseling program is designed to meet the academic licensure requirements and to prepare graduates to sit for the licensing exam required by New York State Office of Professions. That licensing exam is National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) and applicable to many states.
Medaille (Clinical) Mental Health Counseling Faculty can provide guidance on out-of-state licensure, education, and internship criteria; however, it remains the charge of the student to evaluate requirements for the state or country in which he or she intends to work. Student’s will want to save all syllabi, books and material from the (Clinical) Mental Health Counseling Program as the out-of-state licensing boards often need copies of these materials. Medaille makes no guarantee that the completion of a degree or coursework for graduate credit will permit the student to obtain licensure in their particular location.
For Non-NYS Students
American Counseling Association: Licensure & Certification - State Professional Counselor Licensure Boards
Program News
Medaille College is excited to welcome Buffalo Bills Safety & All-Pro Jordan Poyer to its Buffalo campus on Thursday, May 26, for an exclusive community event focused on mental wellness and recovery from addiction.