Our master’s in Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology is approved by the New York State Education Department’s Office of the Professions. Graduates are eligible to take the exam required to practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York state.
(We offer a Community Psychology master’s for those not seeking licensure as a LMHC.)
You can earn additional credentials for more marketability:
While your career path is a personal choice, we wanted to help you by breaking down the difference in licensing requirements in New York state, so you can understand your educational journey, licensing requirements, and scope of practice for each route.
Our master’s in Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology program is 60 credits and can be completed full time in approximately three years. The program has been registered with New York State Education Department as meeting the educational qualifications leading to licensure as a Mental Health Counselor in New York State.
Students enrolled in the Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology Masters Program may also elect to pursue a Certificate in Forensic Mental Health.
Apply by May 20, 2025 for a fall 2025 start.
Application Requirements
Applicants should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and should have completed undergraduate courses in Social Science Statistics, History and Systems of Psychology, and three additional courses in behavioral sciences.
Our master’s program comes with a deep, Russell Sage-level of support from an assigned faculty advisor who works with you to ensure your success.
Associate Professor of Psychology, Chair and Graduate Program Director
Professor of Psychology
Professor of Psychology
Assistant Professor of Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology
Gayle Morse, Ph.D., Professor “Students with a master’s degree in counseling walk out the door with jobs. There’s such a need for counselors that they have jobs immediately.”
Graduates of Sage’s Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology program become Licensed Mental Health Counselors and enter private and group practices or join state and county agencies, health care systems, universities, school districts, human service agencies and more.
Hands-on experiences will build your understanding of psychological research and counseling practice and offer opportunities for professional development.
As a counseling psychology master’s candidate, you will work therapeutically with clients under the supervision of licensed, registered professionals. Recent settings include the Capital District Psychiatric Center, Albany Medical Center Behavioral Pediatrics and the Mid Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center. Our internship coordinator helps you search for placements.
You will also conduct research and may be eligible for research funding from Russell Sage College’s Broughton Graduate Fellowship or Paul Search Research Award in Community Psychology, or from the American Psychological Association.
Professional organizations and conferences are another opportunity to learn. Our students have presented research at the American Psychological Association’s national and regional conferences and Russell Sage College’s Graduate Research symposium.
Meet students and alumni from our counseling master’s program.
Six days after Ruth Martin’s internship at Unity House’s PROS ended, she returned as an employee. “This is my dream …
Amanda Abel ’23 is already applying her M.A. in Counseling and Community Psychology as a mental health counselor for Northpointe …
Kiara Maher is a Troy native and always knew of Russell Sage College as a “tight community.” But what really …
“I am motivated to work with underserved populations, specifically for nonprofits,” says Evangeline Murphy, who is pursuing a master’s degree …
Counseling and Community Psychology master’s degree candidate Nana Ama Boateng was one of five Russell Sage College students who participated …
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