MA in Counseling and Community Psychology

This 60-credit program addresses expected competencies for mental health counselors working with individuals, groups and/or families. The program has been registered w/ New York State Education Department as meeting the educational qualifications leading to licensure as a Mental Health Counselor in New York State. Students learn how to provide evaluation, assessment, treatment & consultation services in community agencies serving adults, children and families.

Students enrolled in the Counseling and Community Psychology Masters Program may elect to pursue a Certificate in Forensic Mental Health. This degree may also be combined with a Gerontology Certificate administered through the Nursing Department (contact the Nursing Department for further information).

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements for Sage Graduate School, applicants must:

• have a minimum undergraduate GPA 3.0 for regular admission to the program.
• have completed undergraduate courses in Social Science Statistics and History & Systems of Psychology (not required for undergraduate psychology majors)
• have taken at least three additional undergraduate courses in Behavioral Sciences (for non-psychology majors)
• schedule an interview with the Graduate Program Director, following submission of all application materials.

Degree Requirements

1. Completion of all required and elective courses (60 credit hours).
2. Completion of a 3 credit hour externship and a 6 credit hour counseling internship. All placements are after the completion of 45 credit hours.
3. Completion of a thesis (3-6 credit hours) or research seminar (3 credit hours).

Program Summary

I. Core Counseling Requirements:

PSY 571 Counseling

PSY 567 Group Counseling Dynamics

PSY 575 Abnormal Psychology

PSY 587 Family Counseling

PSY 588 Counseling Skills

II. Core Community Psychology Requirements

PSY 551 Community Psychology: Frameworks for Intervention

PSY 558 Community-Based Prevention and Intervention

PSY 562 Community Mental Health

PSY 570 Developmental Psychology

III. Research Methods Sequence

PSY 563 Behavior Research Methods

PSY 572 Assessment in Counseling

PSY 581 Program Evaluation

IV. (a): STUDENTS IN CERTIFICATE IN FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

PSY/FMH 505 Intro to Forensic Mental Health

PSY/FMH 515 Evaluation & Treatment of Adult Offenders

PSY/FMH 520 Evaluation & Treatment of Court-involved Youth

LAW* Family Law

LAW* Law and Psychiatry

*By Advisement

IV (b). Select four of the following electives with advisement (students NOT in forensic certificate):

PSY 505 Introduction to Forensic Mental Health

PSY 547 Bereavement and Loss

PSY 548 Counseling & Child Psychopathology

PSY 549 Introduction to Play Therapy

PSY 585 Risk and Resilience in Development

PSY 592 Alcoholism/Drug Addiction: Vulnerabilities, Dynamics & Problems

PSY 599 Special Topics in Psychology

PSY 612 Advanced Play Therapy

Gerontology Certificate

GNT 501 Perspectives on Aging

GNT 504 Health Policy for Aging

GNT 510 Mind-Body Aging

GNT 522 Palliative Care and Chronic Illness

V. Community Placements

PSY 566 Externship

PSY 610 Internship in Counseling I

PSY 611 Internship in Counseling II

VI. Capstone Final Project (select one)

PSY 589 Thesis

OR

PSY 590 Research Seminar

In addition to the above course requirements, student are expected to:

• Achieve a grade of B or better in all Core Counseling Requirements
• Demonstrate effective professional behavior, including effective interpersonal skills, sound judgement and ethical behavior
• Complete a workshop on Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse Maltreatment, or the equivalent (offered throught The Sage Education Department as NCR 070