Southern Connecticut State University Online Counseling Programs
Southern Connecticut State University offers the master of science in clinical mental health counseling through its College of Education and Department of Mental Health Sciences. The program is designed for students who want training in diagnosis, counseling, prevention, treatment, and referral, with a focus on serving families, individuals, and groups in a variety of mental health settings.
The program is built around a strong clinical and professional foundation. Students learn through coursework, practicum, internship, supervision, and a comprehensive examination. The university emphasizes multicultural competence, self-awareness, and liberation-focused practice, with training that prepares students to work ethically and effectively in diverse communities.
The master of science in clinical mental health counseling prepares students for careers in college counseling centers, community counseling agencies, private practice, hospitals, and other treatment settings. Important courses include introduction to the clinical mental health counseling profession; counseling theories and helping relationship; clinical diagnosis and case conceptualization; addiction and psychopharmacology; and crisis and trauma-informed counseling. Students also complete advanced counseling skills residency; counseling children and families; and field supervision through practicum and internship.
Admission to the program is competitive and based on academic readiness, interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and commitment to the mental health field. Applicants must submit an application, an application fee, official transcripts, an essay, two letters of recommendation, and a resume or CV. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required, and applicants should have foundational knowledge in psychology or human development through a related degree or prerequisite courses such as introduction to psychology and abnormal psychology. The program also asks for experience in a helping role, strong counseling potential, and an admissions interview if selected. The university admits one cohort each year, and late applications are not accepted.
Southern Connecticut State University is located in New Haven, Connecticut. It is a public research university and is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The clinical mental health counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is also recognized by the International Registry of Counselor Education Programs. The program meets the curricular requirements for Connecticut State Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) preparation.
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Addictions Counseling Graduate Certificate
MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
501 Crescent StreetNew Haven, Connecticut
Program Essentials
Post-Bachelor's Certificate
Counseling: Substance Abuse & Addiction
Yes
0 – No required campus visits
12
Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring
Complete in as few as 1 year
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0
No state restrictions
Program Tuition
12
$484.00
$5,808.00
$484.00
$5,808.00
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Counseling: Spiritual Counseling
No
2 – Two on-campus residencies required, during MHS 601 and then for Professional Integration Day in the final semester
60
Fall
Complete in as few as 2-3 years
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0
No state restrictions
Program Tuition
60
$484.00
$29,040.00
$484.00
$29,040.00
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. Rates may change, so please check here for the latest tuition information. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. “Resident” and “non-resident” refer to the student’s school-recognized state residency status. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees.
Farheen Gani
WriterFarheen Gani has researched degree programs and salaries in counseling since 2020. She has written about topics such as genetic counselor salaries and family and human development bachelor’s degrees. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.