LVC students in psychology seminar with Dr. Rachel Albert

Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Build on any bachelor's degree with a master's degree that will help improve lives. LVC’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling will prepare you for a career in hospitals, private practice, or social service organizations.

Next start date: January 15, 2024

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Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.S.

Learn More About the Program

LVC’s M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program objectives are aligned with the Pennsylvania State requirements for Licensure for Professional Counselors through a curriculum founded in excellence in teaching, high-performing student outcomes, and continuous improvements. Complete the program in as few as two years.

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Contact Graduate Admission

credits (includes 600-hour internship)

$713

2023–24 cost per credit hour

Online or hybrid

format in 7-week terms

Flexible

time to completion

LVC’s CMHC program is designed to meet the educational requirements to be licensed as a professional counselor in Pennsylvania. Additional requirements to obtain licensure are mandatory, including but not limited to passing the state licensure exam and acquiring the requisite supervision hours. Students should consult the Pennsylvania State Licensing Board to determine the requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Students interested in licensure outside Pennsylvania can contact the American Counseling Association or the National Board of Certified Counselors to access licensure requirements for other states. The student is responsible for contacting the appropriate board for licensing and certification information.

Please consult Dr. Cynthia Vejar, CMHC Program Director, at vejar@lvc.edu for additional information.

The CMHC Program at LVC has submitted a self-study to CACREP. We are currently in the review process and will provide updates about the accreditation process as they become available.

Build Broad Skills You Can Apply Anywhere

Our program is broader than most, and that’s deliberate. Counselors with broad skills are in high demand and can pursue careers in clinical child psychology, addiction counseling, trauma-focused therapy, marriage/family counseling, or a variety of other counseling-related disciplines.

Trauma-informed Counseling Certificate

The certificate comprises 4 courses (12 credits) that can be obtained as a stand-alone certificate or applied toward the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

All CMHC course syllabi are available for review upon request. Please contact graduateadmission@lvc.edu or Cynthia Vejar at vejar@lvc.edu for questions, information, or if you’d like to schedule a meeting.

Contact Dr. Vejar

Program Options: Hybrid vs. Fully Remote

Students combine different learning modalities, including the following: hybrid, online/asynchronous, and online/synchronous.

The hybrid courses include:

701/Orientation to Counseling
711/Group Dynamics
712/Career Counseling
733/Trauma Counseling
750/Assessment & Evaluation
802/Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (elective)

The online/asynchronous courses include:

601/Professional Standards & Ethics
620/Human Growth & Development
621/Social & Cultural Diversity
622/Diagnostic and Treatment Planning for Counselors
720/Theory & Helping Relationships
721/Advanced Counseling Techniques
751/Research Methods & Statistics
730/Cognitive Behavior Therapy
731/Addiction Counseling, and several electives
801/Stress Management (elective)
802/Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (elective)
803/Social Problems & Counseling (elective)
804/Crisis Intervention and Prevention (elective)
806/Family Counseling (elective)
807/Child and Adolescent Counseling (elective)
811/Grief Counseling (elective)
812/Trauma Seminar (elective)
814/Military and Police Counseling (elective)
816/Creative Arts in Counseling (elective)

The online/synchronous classes include:

870/Clinical Practicum
900/Clinical Internship I
901/Clinical Internship II

Benefits of completing the program as the hybrid option include the following:

Hybrid classes include 50% of coursework that is in-person and 50% of coursework that is online. The in-person component of hybrid classes offers “real time” discussions, activities, and class exercises. For some students, the process of networking with instructors and classmates in person is extremely valuable. The online component of hybrid classes offers flexibility and accessibility.
Online/asynchronous courses allow students to navigate the course with flexibility, and uphold the work-life balance, particularly when they are juggling many roles and responsibilities.
Online/synchronous courses allow Practicum/Internship students to engage with each other and the course instructor in “real time,” which is conducive for group supervision that allows an exchange of feedback and dialogue about clinical-related matters. Simultaneously, the online/Zoom modality provides flexibility and accessibility.

Students take the entire program online, including online/asynchronous courses and online/synchronous courses. Some of the online/asynchronous courses are offered as their own sections. Other online/asynchronous courses include both synchronous and asynchronous students within the same class.

The online/asynchronous courses include:

601/Professional Standards & Ethics
620/Human Growth & Development
621/Social & Cultural Diversity
622/Diagnostic and Treatment Planning for Counselors
701/Orientation to Counseling
711/Group Dynamics
712/Career Counseling
720/Theory & Helping Relationships
721/Advanced Counseling Techniques
730/Cognitive Behavior Therapy
731/Addiction Counseling, and several electives
733/Trauma Counseling
750/Assessment & Evaluation
751/Research Methods & Statistics
801/Stress Management (elective)
802/Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (elective)
803/Social Problems & Counseling (elective)
804/Crisis Intervention and Prevention (elective)
806/Family Counseling (elective)
807/Child and Adolescent Counseling (elective)
811/Grief Counseling (elective)
812/Trauma Seminar (elective)
814/Military and Police Counseling (elective)
816/Creative Arts in Counseling (elective)

The online/synchronous classes include:

870/Clinical Practicum
900/Clinical Internship I
901/Clinical Internship II

Benefits of completing the program as the fully remote option include the following:

Online/asynchronous courses allow students to navigate the course with flexibility, and uphold the work-life balance, particularly when they are juggling many roles and responsibilities.
Online/synchronous courses allow Practicum/Internship students to engage with each other and the course instructor in “real time,” which is conducive for group supervision that allows an exchange of feedback and dialogue about clinical-related matters. Simultaneously, the online/Zoom modality provides flexibility and accessibility.
If students are completing the program from afar – including a non-commutable distance to Annville, PA, the fully remote option provides convenience and accessibility.

Internship/Practicum Sites

The M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program features an evidence-based curriculum, along with opportunities to get real-life experience through internships and a practicum. Check out some of our internship sites below.

Annville Psychological Services
Catholic Charities
Center for Hope and Healing
Everlasting Wellness Counseling
Horizon House Inc.

LVC Counseling Center
Maryland Treatment Centers – Mountain Manor
Milton Hershey School
Pennsylvania Counseling Services
WellSpan Health – Philhaven

Handbooks, Reports, & Statistics

Lebanon Valley College submitted its self-study for the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program to The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) in 2023.

View our program handbook, practicum and internship handbook, annual reports, and vital statistics.

View Handbooks & Reports

Resources

Graduate Scholarships

Graduate Tuition & Costs

7-week Term Calendar

Graduate Housing Options

In Their Words

Perspectives

We learned new content in the program through independent work, such as discussion posts, assignments, and quizzes, as well as collaborative projects working with our peers. I really enjoyed both forms and felt as though the group project offered us an opportunity to get a different perspective on the topics we were studying.

Sarah Bruchey ’20, M’21, Counselor, Maryland Treatment Centers, Inc.

Practice

I learned something new every day. We did a lot of role-playing activities to gain feedback from our classmates and teachers, and that was the best thing because I think that was the best way to learn.

Jamie Rothenberger ’20, M’22, Lead Academic Teacher, YMCA of Greater Brandywine

Quality

LVC has a longstanding reputation for being student-centered and providing quality instruction that makes graduates competitive in the workforce.

Dr. Cynthia Vejar, Program Director and Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling