Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling

Gain core counseling, case conceptualization, diagnostic, and treatment planning skills through Suffolk’s Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling (MSMHC). You’ll train in a variety of therapeutic approaches and techniques so you can meet your clients’ diverse needs. Through our rigorous scientist-practitioner model, you’ll also learn to incorporate research into everyday practice and apply empirically supported treatment approaches in your work. Plus, our downtown Boston location maximizes your access to networking, practicum, internship, and employment opportunities at nearby hospitals and treatment centers, and puts you closer to underserved populations. By the time you graduate, you’ll meet the education and degree requirements—including a supervised clinical practicum—to qualify to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Massachusetts.As a student in Suffolk’s Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program, you will:Gain broad theoretical and applied knowledge pertinent to the practice of counseling through classes in the core content domains of the fieldDevelop core micro skills in counseling by participating in role play classroom exercises with peersTrain to function in a variety of community mental health settings, including clinics, hospitals, prisons, college counseling centers, day treatment programs, rehabilitation facilities, after care centers, and moreAdopt evidence-based practice approach to psychodiagnostic assessmentMaster the principles, concepts, and methods of research design and statisticsThrough the MSMHC’s experiential and self-reflective curriculum, you’ll gain knowledge about the professional role and expectations of counselors while developing your own sense of identity as a counselor. You’ll practice ethical decision-making models through hands-on practicums with peers, faculty, and communities throughout Greater Boston. You’ll also learn to articulate and implement a sound theoretical orientation based upon knowledge of common factors research, evidence based and empirically supported treatment research, and research based theoretical models of counseling (e.g., client centered, cognitive behavioral, psychodynamic, family systems, multicultural, and existential-humanistic orientations). By the time you graduate, you’ll have the necessary education and degree requirements to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Massachusetts.