Masters in Mental Health Counseling Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling Program?
It is a two year, full-time, 60-credit Master of Arts program accredited by the State of New York. The program is offered by the Department of Psychology, which is situated within the Colin Powell School of Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York of the City University of New York.


Q2: Will completion of this program allow me to become a licensed professional counselor?
Yes. The CCNY MA in Mental Health Counseling program meets all education requirements for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. Graduates are automatically eligible to take the licensing exam once they fulfill the state post graduate supervised work requirement. For information regarding licensure requirements, see the website for the New York Education Department Office of the Professions.


Q3: Is the program CACREP-accredited?
At this time, the CCNY MA in Mental Health Counseling program is not accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The program is, however, aware of the value of CACREP-accredited status for programs and students, and is actively working towards becoming accredited.


Q4What is the deadline for applications?
February 1st is the annual application deadline. Applicants whose applications are completed by January 1st will receive a decision by no later than March 15th


Q5How do I apply for admission?
To apply, visit the Graduate Studies Admissions page on the College website:
https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-studies 


Q6: I’ve submitted my application. What happens next?
All applications are thoroughly reviewed by Mental Health Counseling program faculty. Strong candidates are invited for a one-on-one interview with up to 2 MHC faculty members. Invitations to interview usually begin mid-February, regardless of when an application was received, and continue to as late as early April, depending upon the total number of applications in the admissions cycle. Final decisions are generally rendered by April 15th, although accepted applicants are generally informed within two weeks of interviewing. All applicants can track the status of their application in ApplyYourself, the system where all applications are submitted.


Q7How many students apply for the program and how many are accepted?
In recent years we have received up to 190 applications and have accepted 20-30 applicants (modal cohort size: 24). We are unable to accept more than 30 applicants per year.


Q8Do you accept students for the spring semester?
No. We only accept students for the fall semester of each year.


Q9: Do you take part-time or non-matriculating students?
No. We are a full-time program that requires students to be able to take five classes for three consecutive semesters and four classes in
the fourth semester while also completing 600 hours of internship (approximately 20 hours per week) during their last year in the program. In addition, students complete one elective course of their choosing at any point during the program, including either the summer or winter sessions.


Q10What academic requirements must be met to be eligible for admission?
The minimum requirements are classes in introductory psychology, child development, abnormal psychology, psychological statistics, experimental psychology, or their equivalents. Most applicants have completed a bachelor’s degree majoring in psychology.


Q11What is the minimum grade point average (GPA) to be considered for admission?
In general, we expect applicants to have an overall GPA of at least 3.2 and a GPA in psychology of at least 3.5. Moreover, we expect students to earn at least B’s in their undergraduate psychological statistics and experimental psychology classes.


Q12Do students who do not meet these academic criteria have any chance of being considered for admission?
We try to be flexible in our evaluations and examine each transcript in detail, taking into account the nature of the courses completed and whether the student shows improvement towards the end of their undergraduate training.


Q13Will classes taken years ago be accepted?
We have no set policy regarding number of years since completed coursework, but we do expect at least some required classes to have been taken within the last five years.


Q14What other requirements are there aside from academics?
Applicants are expected to have supervised work or volunteer experience helping others and to be able to substantiate that experience by providing a letter from their supervisor. Applicants who advance to stage two of the admissions process are also required to participate in an interview with faculty as part of their evaluation for admission.


Q15Are letters of reference required?
Yes, at least two letters of recommendation are required, three are preferred. We request that at least one be from a supervisor for any relevant applied experience (e.g., work or volunteer experience that demonstrates generalized counseling skills) and one from an academic instructor.


Q16: Is the GRE required?
No. The GRE is not required for admission; however, if an applicant has taken the GRE then it is requested that they submit their scores with their online application.


Q17When are classes scheduled?
Classes are scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am – 12:30 pm, 2 pm to 4:30 pm, and 5 pm to 7:30 pm. One day will have all three times filled and the other only two, with the specific days (T/Th) and times varying by semester.


Q18Is it possible to work while completing the program.
It is very difficult to work more than 20 hours per week during the first year in the program. Students must be full-time and carry five classes per semester. During the second year (semesters 3 and 4 in the program) it is difficult to work even part-time: Students work at their internship for roughly 20 hours per week in addition to the full-time required coursework.


Q19Do students find their own placements for the required internship?
The program provides students with a list of pre-approved internships to which they can apply; however, the list is not exhaustive, and students are encouraged to look for and recommend additional options that suit their professional interests. New internship sites must be approved by the program before a student is allowed to officially select it as a placement. Placements are competitive, so students are encouraged to being applying as soon as January for placements beginning in August/September. All of our students have found placements if they began their search in the spring semester prior to the fall in which their placements must begin.


Q20: What if I am accepted and discover that I cannot attend - may I defer admission?
Students may defer beginning the program for one year, after which they must file a new application.


Q21: What is the tuition?
Please check the City College Bursar's Website for the list of current tuition and other fees.


Q22: Is funding available? 
Although there are no internal fellowships, grants, or other direct funding streams available for Mental Health Counseling students, applicants are encouraged to seek external awards to offset the cost of tuition. Applicants can also consult with the CCNY financial aid office to see if there are any loans or programs for which one is eligible. There are also opportunities to work as a Teaching Assistant, which is a salaried position within the department.


Q23: Can I work as a Teaching Assistant (TA)?
Yes!  All accepted MHC students are guaranteed a job as a Teaching Assistant within the Department of Psychology if they so desire. Pay is determined by the specific course being taught. Details regarding the TA opportunities are provided upon acceptance to the program, and prior to having to make a decision regarding attendance.


Q24: Are there research opportunities?
Research is neither a required nor integrated part of the MHC program; however, there are many faculty members in the department with active programs of research. This includes faculty who do not teach within the MHC program. Students are welcome to reach out to any faculty members to inquire about research opportunities. It is recommended that students weigh carefully the additional demand that this would represent. The MHC program is designed to train students to become professional counselors, and there is little time available to invest in other endeavors.


Q25Can I transfer classes from another institution?
No more than 9 credits may be transferred from other accredited graduate programs. In all cases, the classes must be approved by the director of the program. First semester classes must be approved before the first day of classes. Students must provide an official unopened transcript from the institution at which the classes were taken and as well as syllabi for any courses meant to replace required courses in the MHC curriculum. In some instances, a catalogue course description may be acceptable if a syllabus is not available. The classes should have been completed within the last 5 years.


Q26: I am an international student. Do I have to take the TOEFL or another test of English language proficiency, and if so, what are the minimum required scores?
International applicants may be required to take a test of English language proficiency.  Citizens from certain countries are exempt from this requirement (see below for a list of exempt countries).  If you are not a citizen of an exempt country, then a language test is required with the following minimum scores:

Minimum TOEFL/IELTS scores: 550 (PBT), 79-80 (IBT) or 6.5. See below for the list of countries exempt from the TOEFL/other English proficiency exams.

TOEFL EXEMPT COUNTRIES: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, England, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland (Northern), Ireland (Republic of), Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malta, Montserrat, Mauritius, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
(List current as of Spring 2021)


Q27: Does the program offer any online courses? The MHC program does not offer any online options at this time. All courses are offered in-person and students are expected to be on campus and in class for all required classes.


If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, then please contact Dr. Tiffany Floyd at  tfloyd@ccny.cuny.edu

Last Updated: 07/29/2021 16:54