Help Change Lives as a Counselor
Reasons to Choose GMercyU’s
Master of Science in Counseling
Graduate in 2.5 Years
Jumpstart your career and graduate in as few as 2.5 years with our accelerated counseling curriculum.
Two Concentrations
Choose your counseling pathway with concentrations in School Counseling or Clinical Mental Health. Both options require 60 credits of coursework, 100 hours of practicum experience, and 600 hours of supervised internship.
Meaningful Residency
Build practical counseling skills—and important connections with faculty and classmates—during our on-campus residency.
Flexible Online Study
Our MS in Counseling program features a blend of live sessions and independent study, offering you more control over when and where you study.
Pick a Concentration
The MS in Counseling program offers two concentrations. Choose from Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling concentrations.
Clinical Mental Health
Build skills for supporting clients with mental health issues in a variety of practice settings, from community health organizations and social service agencies to private practice.
School Counseling
Prepare to support children and teens in K-12 school settings. This concentration prepares students for certification as school counselors in Pennsylvania. It aligns with components of the American School Counseling Association’s National Model.
Our counseling graduates have excellent passing rates on the Praxis. In 2021-22, 100% of GMercyU school counseling students who took the Praxis II Professional School Counselor exam passed on the first attempt.
Program Features
Our MS in Counseling equips you for a life of service, advocacy, and professional practice. Graduates will be prepared to pursue Licensure as a professional counselor (LPC).
Key facts:
- 60 credits of online coursework in counseling theory and practice.
- One weekend residency at our campus in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania.
- Extensive clinical fieldwork with mentorship, including 100 hours of practicum experience and 600 hours of supervised internship experience.
- Faculty mentorship at the very start of your program. Your mentor will act as a resource as you progress through your coursework and fieldwork, helping you reflect on your practice and refine your professional identity.
Program Details
Core Curriculum – 33 credits
- Assessment Techniques in Counseling – 3 credits
- Career Development – 3 credits
- Counseling Skills – 3 credits
- Ethics & Legal Issues in Counseling – 3 credits
- Human Development – 3 credits
- Foundations for Counseling – 3 credits
- Practicum – 3 credits
- Research Methods – 3 credits
- Social Justice, Multicultural & Diversity Issues in Counseling – 3 credits
- Special Topics Residency – 3 credits
- Theories in Counseling – 3 credits
Clinical Mental Health Concentration – 27 credits
- Counseling Agencies – 3 credits
- DSM/Psychopathology – 3 credits
- Group Counseling and Facilitation Skills – 3 credits
- Marriage and Family Counseling – 3 credits
- Substance Use/Abuse – 3 credits
- Internship I (CMH) – 3 credits
- Internship II (CMH) – 3 credits
- Internship III (CMH) – 3 credits
- Electives – 3 credits
School Counseling Concentration – 27 credits
- Child & Adolescent – 3 credits
- Disabilities in the School Counseling Setting – 3 credits
- Group Counseling and Facilitation Skills for the School Setting – 3 credits
- Intervention Techniques in School Counseling – 3 credits
- Needs of English Language Learners in the School Counseling Setting – 3 credits
- Organization of School Counseling – 3 credits
- Internship I (SC) – 3 credits
- Internship II (SC) – 3 credits
- Internship III (SC) OR Elective – 3 credits
(All concentrations require a 600-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum.)
The MS in Counseling program enrolls new students twice a year, each spring and fall.
Upcoming Start Dates
- Spring 2025: January 13, 2025
- Fall 2025: TBD
Applicants for admission to the MS in Counseling program must meet the following requirements:
- A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of Higher Education
- Completion of the following undergraduate prerequisites: General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Theory or another foundational course, and Research Methods or Statistics
- Submission of official transcripts from all academic institutions attended
- Earned a minimum grade point average (GPA) of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Completion of the Gwynedd Mercy University Graduate Application
- Submission of two letters of recommendation
- A personal statement
- A group interview with program faculty
Applicants for admission will be considered based on their academic ability, expression of interests and goals, life experience, and personal interview.
Estimated 2024-2025 costs: $750 per credit hour
- MS in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health ($45,000 for the complete 60-credit program)
- MS in Counseling, School Counseling ($45,000 for the complete 60-credit program)
Fees: The administrative costs of your education are covered through fees. Fees are not refundable. To learn more about tuition and fees, contact an enrollment representative today.
Financial Aid: To learn how to determine your Financial Aid eligibility, please contact the financial aid office at nontermaid@gmercyu.edu or 877-499-6333.
Counseling Licensure
The First Step Toward Your License
Our MS in Counseling program is the first major step on your journey toward becoming a fully licensed counselor. Our program is affiliated with the National Board of Certified Counselors. This affiliation allows students to sit for the National Counselor Exam within six-months of graduation (before or after). Exam prep activities, including practice exams and workshops, are available to counseling students.
After graduation, you must pass the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and fulfill 3,000 total hours of post-degree supervision requirements over a period of two to six years to earn the LPC credential.
For more information, please visit our licensure requirements page.
GMercyU’s Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through 2032.
Begin Your
Counseling Journey
with GMercyU
Find out how you can earn your master’s degree and prepare to change lives as a school counselor or clinical mental health counselor. Contact us today to learn more about the online MS in Counseling!