Fairfield University’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree is a Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited 60 credit hour program which offers counseling courses under the guidance of faculty members who are nationally recognized in
the field. The program fulfills the 60 credit hour requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Connecticut. We also offer a Sixth Year Certificate of Advanced Study (SYC) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The SYC is a 30-credit hour degree designed for students with a master's degree in a counseling field seeking to be licensed as a Professional Counselor in
Connecticut. Fairfield’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is ranked #1 for top value counseling master’s degrees in Connecticut. What is Professional Counseling? Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals (American Counseling Association, 20/20 Consensus Definition of Counseling). This degree is unique in the
mental health marketplace in that the emphasis is on the helping relationship and the client's ability to heal promoted through a mental wellness perspective. How are Professional Counselors Trained? Professional Counseling framework is based on culturally relevant, normal life span development with a focus on wellness to empower individuals to reach their potential. Within this perspective, licensed professional counselors are trained to build authentic, therapeutic
relationships, to empower clients through identification of strengths, and to provide appropriate diagnoses when necessary to facilitate client development. Professional Counselors incorporate work and personal client goals into treatment planning. The Fairfield University Clinical Mental Health Counseling program training centers on the nationally recognized nine core areas of knowledge and skills: In addition to these basic training, we offer courses on Trauma and Crisis Intervention and Addiction required for Connecticut Licensed Professional Counselors as well as Grief and Loss, Spirituality and Wellness, Co-Occuring Disorders and other specialized courses. Where
do Professional Counselors Work? Our students are provided with an excellent educational foundation that leads to licensure (i.e., LPC) and work in counseling settings including mental health agencies, college counseling centers, hospitals, and private practice. The LPC license is a broad license that facilitates providing counseling services to individual groups, couples, and families. Further, Professional Counselors are the only mental health providers trained in career
counseling. Application deadlines for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling programs are October 1 and January 15. We are extremely proud of our student body in the Counselor Education Department. They are dedicated and consistently achieve at the very highest levels. Our graduates: View the Counselor Education Department Fairfield University
Program Outcomes Report (PDF) for the academic year 2020-21. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has accredited the MA programs in School and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In January 2017, after being reviewed on all 241 2009 Standards, CACREP accredited the School and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs for eight years through March 31, 2025. CACREP accredited the Fairfield counseling programs in 1986, the first programs in Connecticut to receive this accreditation. Training & PreparationDelivery systems used for program instruction are publicized for students in the Student Handbook. The program uses didactic in-person instruction for core courses which are
all held in Canisius Hall on campus. Most skills courses (Counseling Relationships and Skills, Practicum, and Internship) are held in the Counselor Education Lab and Training Center located in Dolan West on campus. Faculty use Blackboard to post syllabi, submit assignments, and share resources. Delivery systems used for teaching core courses are described in the syllabi. As students increase and refine their clinical skills they are encouraged to: participate as coaches in several core
courses; participate as process observers for the group, career, and theories courses; and engage in research, writing, and professional presentations with faculty. Combined with ongoing supervision, these various opportunities solidify a set of teaching, research, and supervision skills, that when added to the high level of clinical training, create a bridge for entry into the professional field or post-master's studies. The Counselor Education Lab and Training Center is housed in Dolan West on the Fairfield University Campus. This state-of-the-art facility was created with the purpose of training our Counselor Education students. Our training facility includes
an office for the clinical coordinator, two seminar classrooms, an observation room with a two-way mirror, and six rooms equipped with iPad technology allowing faculty to observe and monitor students practicing counseling skills and interventions. Mission StatementThe Counselor Education Department, as a program within a Jesuit community, maintain a primary focus on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion globally (i.e., social action and advocacy) and the use of Ignatian pedagogy in our pursuit of academic, as well as clinical excellence. We subscribe to a belief in the inherent worth and dignity of each person; to the need to develop throughout the lifespan a greater sense of self-realization; to a commitment to serving a diverse society; to a commitment of service to others both for the prevention and remediation of life’s problems; and to the pursuit of the highest standards of excellence in the counseling profession. We are committed to training our students to meet the needs of diverse communities by including experiences throughout their training that provide exposure to a variety of settings. Within these experiences we provide students with support and opportunities for challenges that encourage them to become compassionate, reflective, and critical advocates and practitioners as they work with individuals and communities in the pursuit of increased self-awareness and well-being. We as faculty members in Counselor Education acknowledge our obligation as gatekeepers to students who will pursue professional preparation as clinical mental health counselors or school counselors and to the larger public to be served by our graduates. In our role as gatekeepers, we value the input of and collaboration with our stakeholders in creating a climate of professional care and consistency from a compassionate, supportive view. Student Learning Outcomes1 Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice Graduates will identify as a professional (school) counselor aligned with ethical and legal standards of practice and dispositions as indicated by CCS-R. 2 Social and Cultural Diversity Graduates will demonstrate understanding of, sensitivity to, and advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion issues in counseling. 3 Human Growth and Development Graduates will incorporate theories and models for optimal lifespan development to empower and promote resilience and wellness across the lifespan. 4 Career Development Graduates will apply career theory and models to serve and advocate for career development of diverse clients’ career, vocational, and educational needs across the lifespan. 5 Counseling and Helping Relationships Graduates will apply theories, models, and principles in developing a therapeutic relationship and in providing assessment, case conceptualization, and intervention to promote client empowerment and change. 6 Group Counseling and Group Work Graduates will demonstrate use of group work theoretical foundational knowledge to achieve experiential efficacy of facilitating groups. 7 Assessment and Testing Graduates will demonstrate ability to assess client/student issues for appropriate and effective delivery of services. 8 Research and Program Evaluation Graduates will demonstrate the fundamental ability to conduct, access, and critique evidence-based research, to improve treatment and program outcome. 9 Professional Practice Clinical Mental Health Counseling Graduates will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to effectively assess, conceptualize, diagnose, and treat clients in a variety of settings. 10 Professional Practice of School Counseling Graduates will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to effectively promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of all P–12 students through data-informed school counseling programs. Course OfferingsRequired Courses
*Grades of B or better are required in all clinical coursework. A detailed list of course requirements, offerings, and more can be viewed in the University’s course catalog. AdmissionApplicants to the Counselor Education Program must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university (or the international equivalent) and give promise of meeting the standards set by the School. Matriculation to the program is through an application process. The process begins with the application packet submitted to Graduate Admissions. After successful review of a completed application, the candidate will be invited to attend both an individual and a group interview process during interview day. Successful candidates are then invited to the program. Those who confirm attendance post invitation are invited to a new student orientation. Stag Spotlight Krista DobsonClass of ’18 "I came to Fairfield on the recommendation of an alum. While researching the program, I became increasingly impressed by the academic rigor, faculty interests/specialty, location, class size, and flexibility of class schedules. What I liked most about my education at Fairfield is that I received the foundational knowledge to craft a career that is reflective of my interests. An advanced degree is required in my field and I would recommend Fairfield as the majority of the faculty are very supportive and engaged. An advanced degree has allowed me to work in a number of diverse environments that have been both professionally and personally enriching." — Krista Dobson '18 James GeislerClass of ’14 "The quality of education I received at Fairfield University is unlike any educational experience I have had thus far. What I valued the most was how much the faculty value relationship-building with students. The quality of education students receive is among the highest in the state for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I left Fairfield University with an ability to lean into new experiences and to grow in professional and personal ways that I feel confident to say would have been absent without this education. My mentor and former professor, Dr. Diana Hulse, encouraged me to pursue my PhD in Counselor Education and I applied and was accepted into Oregon State University's PhD program." — James Geisler MA'14 Latest Clinical Mental Health Counseling NewsFairfield University Collaborates for a Healthier Connecticut The FCHC Scholars Program is a one-year program designed to train behavioral health graduate students to work in team-based care. More About Clinical Mental Health CounselingRead the Message Welcome to the Counselor Education program! The Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling programs at Fairfield University are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Our training following the humanistic narrative which recognizes the major role that the counselor-client relationship plays in promoting therapeutic change. As such, the program faculty emphasize interpersonal learning as a core competency, along with academic and clinical skill competencies. The Counselor Education faculty are dedicated to preparing our graduates for licensure and certification aligning with the mission of the American Counseling Association “to enhance the quality of life in society by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing the counseling profession, and using the profession and practice of counseling to promote respect for human dignity and diversity.” Our programs provide opportunities that serve to further our students' professional development or increase their readiness for post-master’s studies. Our commitment to our three-tier practicum supervision model; a model often seen only in doctoral training programs, is evidence of our focus on training professional and school counselors. In addition to the standard coursework aligning with CACREP accreditation, our students have many opportunities to gain additional preparation in supervision, research, group work, substance abuse counseling, and spirituality in counseling. We welcome you to join and experience our program. Dilani Perera, PhD Diversity and Inclusive ExcellenceLearn More Diversity and Inclusive ExcellenceAs a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice. Career & Professional OpportunitiesLearn More Career & Professional OpportunitiesConnecticut Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) are trained “principles of psycho-social development and behavioral science to the evaluation, assessment, analysis, diagnosis and treatment of emotional, behavioral or interpersonal dysfunction or difficulties that interfere with mental health and human development. "Professional counseling" includes, but is not limited to, individual, group, marriage and family counseling, functional assessments for persons adjusting to a disability, appraisal, crisis intervention and consultation with individuals or groups” (Connecticut General Statues Chapter 383c. Sec. 20-105aa). Connecticut offers a tiered licensing system. At Fairfield University, our counseling graduates are trained to provide the above services from a perspective that is sensitive to race/ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and other cultural variables. Upon completion of a minimum of a 60-credit hour master’s degree M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, passing the state required licensure examination, and necessary background checks, graduates are eligible to seek Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LPC-A) credential that leads to paid mental health positions. Professional Counselors may be employed in a wide variety of settings, including:
Professional Counselors provide the following services:
Please visit the Department of Public Health's page for more information on Professional Counselors in Connecticut. FacultyLearn More FacultyOur faculty in the Counselor Education Department is second to none, receiving some of the highest accolades in the profession. Our faculty:
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhen you are ready to apply, you can create an online application. Please plan to spend about 10 - 15 minutes completing the application. You can create the application and return to the platform in the future to submit it if you require additional time. You should be prepared to answer a series of questions pertaining to your biographical information, program of interest, and educational/ work background. Additionally, you will be required to enter the names and contact information for two references. As part of the application process, you will be required to submit all official college transcripts (sent directly from your institutions), two recommendations (submitted directly from your references who will receive a unique email link), a personal statement, resume, and test scores (required for programs leading to state certification). Please note, you may submit the online application prior to submitting the required supplemental materials. For any questions about the online application please contact Fairfield University Graduate Admission. In 1-2 pages, please respond to the following questions:
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Accreditation from CACREP is voluntary. Those institutions who wish to receive this accreditation are required to meet a rigorous set of program and faculty standards. For the incoming student, a CACREP accredited program is beneficial for a few reasons:
Applicants for the Master of Arts degree must hold an earned Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.67 is strongly recommended. Applicants for the Sixth Year Certificate of Advanced Study must hold an earned Master's degree from an accredited college or university, completed with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00. Yes, you are able to take up to six (6) credits in the School Counseling program and up to nine (9) credits in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program as a non-matriculated student before being accepted into the program. At a minimum, it takes 2 years. On average, it takes our students approximately 2.5 to 3 years to complete the program. Classes will cover various topics including counseling theories, fundamental counseling skills, group counseling, multicultural issues, research, assessment, ethical and legal codes, and career counseling. Yes. Once you are accepted into the program, you will receive a letter notifying you of your advisor's name. You will then be asked to contact your advisor to set up a meeting to discuss and design your plan of study. Elective classes are offered in the program; however, depending on your plan of study, you may or may not have an opportunity to take them. No. Classes are offered with the graduate student's schedule in mind. We offer weekday classes at night from 4:55-6:55 p.m. and from 7:15-9:15 p.m., as well as weekend classes. The program's Clinical Coordinator will assist you in finding a practicum and internship site. To begin the practicum process, you must first turn in a completed, signed, Application for Practicum to the Clinical Coordinator by the date indicated on the Departmental Calendar. Then, you and the Clinical Coordinator will arrange to meet to discuss your career objectives and the availability of practica sites within your area of interest. Once the availability of a practicum site is confirmed, you will be asked to contact the site to arrange an interview. For internships, some students will stay at their practicum sites. In other cases, students will have identified sites through contacts that they have made during practicum experiences. Others will require assistance from the Clinical Coordinator in finding and securing an internship site. In all of these cases it is the student's responsibility to take the appropriate steps to secure a site within a timely manner, which will require meeting with or contacting the Clinical Coordinator to ascertain that a particular course of action or setting is appropriate. Practicum cannot be taken over the summer. Clinical Mental Health Counseling students have the opportunity to take one semester of internship during the summer. School Counseling students do not. Internships are a two-semester (10-month), full-time commitment for those school counseling students who do not hold a Connecticut Teaching Certificate but wish to be certified as school counselors. For all others, the internship will consist of a 600-hour experience that can be completed in either one or two semesters. You do not need to be licensed to work at a clinical mental health agency. You only need to be license-eligible, which you will be after completing the program. Counselors in the state of Connecticut are licensed through the Department of Public Health. Please visit the Department of Public Health for a list of requirements. NC SARA DisclosureIs Capella CACREP accredited?Capella University's master's degree programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling, and the PhD program in Counselor Education and Supervision are CACREP-accredited.
Is Liberty Online CACREP accredited?Liberty University's Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies' Ph. D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is accredited by CACREP.
Is Walden University CACREP accredited?Accreditation. Walden's MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and MS in School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Is University of Phoenix CACREP accredited?Programmatic accreditation
The Master of Science in Counseling/Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) at the Phoenix campus.
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Online clinical mental health counseling programs cacrep accredited
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