Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS

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Attend Our Information Session

Learn more about the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program:

  • Thursday, December 11 from 12–12:45 pm

Get an overview of our curriculum, faculty, admission requirements, and career opportunities.

With our Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS you can take your career to the next level. 

Students in a Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS class

Become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with our Master of Science.

Increased awareness and destigmatization of mental illness have created a greater demand for licensed mental health professionals. If you already work in mental health or a related field and wish to become a clinical mental health counselor, our Master of Science program offers a clear path to licensure—and a strong return on investment.

An Advanced Counseling Program Designed for You

  • We prepare students to practice in the field of mental health counseling with professional licensure.
  • The program consists of 60 credits of graduate study, a combination of coursework and fieldwork, completed over three years.
  • Courses meet on campus, in small class sizes, once a week in late afternoon or evening to accommodate busy professionals and enable a highly personalized learning experience.
  • Students engage in intensive field, practicum and internship experiences across diverse settings, gaining the real-world exposure employers value.
  • Supervised clinical training equips students with skills in assessment, therapy, consultation, and prevention to support individuals, families, and groups in mental health and community settings.

High-Demand Counseling Careers

Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) work in a variety of settings, including private practice, community mental health centers, hospitals, and schools. They may serve in roles such as:

  • Assessment and Diagnosis
  • Individual, Family, and Group Psychotherapy
  • Treatment Planning and Utilization Review
  • Trauma Informed Care
  • Substance Use Treatment
  • Integrated Behavioral Health
  • Psychoeducational and Prevention Programs
  • Crisis Management
Graduate students listening in class

More Program Specifics

Understand admissions requirements, the courses you’ll take, and the concepts you’ll gain mastery of. Get all the detailed information you’re looking for.

The RIC Advantage

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through March 31, 2033, which means that our courses meet the rigorous training standards set by the counseling profession. Our program is the first CACREP accredited program in RI and 1 of only 15 in New England.

100%
of our program's students are employed in the mental health field at the time of graduation
+65%
of Licensed Mental Health Clinicians in the state received some or all of their preparation from RIC
3X
more job growth is expected for mental health-related jobs than for other jobs over the next decade
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Apply for Graduate Admission

To begin the process you will need to sign up for an account with CollegeNET. Once you have a CollegeNET account, you will be able to log in any time and see your Activity Log which shows you a personalized status page.

Our Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology Faculty

Hear From a Graduate

Jake Clemen

Jake Clemen

"I chose this program because of the breadth of faculty backgrounds and their diverse orientations towards practice. I am glad that I did because the range of perspectives helped me to develop confidence in my own professional identity towards counseling practice."

2 In-Demand Programs

Program Details

Application Deadlines

The deadline to submit a complete application packet is February 1. Materials must be postmarked by Feb. 1 to be reviewed. If materials are late, your application packet may be considered in the next cycle (the following year).

  • Application Deadline: February 1
  • Interview Offers: mid-February
  • Interviews: mid-February to mid-March
  • Notification of Acceptance Decision: March/April

Admission and Course Information

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission, provide the following by February 1:

  • completion of all Feinstein School of Education and Human Development admission requirements (See bottom portion of )
  • completed application form, accompanied by $50 nonrefundable application fee
  • official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records. (Note: A minimum cumulative GPA of B (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate course work, and a minimum GPA of 3.25 in previous graduate work is recommended. Applicants with undergraduate GPAs less than 3.00 will be considered upon submission of other evidence of academic potential.)
  • a writing sample responding to a prompt. (Note: the prompt is located in the application)
  • a current résumé or curriculum vitae.
  • a professional goals essay.
  • three letters of recommendation accompanied by candidate rating forms
  • Performance-based evaluation of professional work or volunteer experience. (Note: This is an evaluation of performance during a professional activity, not necessarily in the mental health field. Examples include annual reviews completed by employers.)
  • individual and group interviews with CEP counseling faculty.

Please Note: Applicants must not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create, edit, or generate any portion of their application materials. Standardized test scores are not required.

Counseling and Educational Psychology (CEP) Courses

Additional Course/Scheduling Details

  • Courses in the counseling program, presented in a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, incorporate various methods of instruction. Practice based courses (practica and internship) incorporate role play, case presentations, group supervision, presentation and review of taped sessions, individual supervision, peer supervision, and in-class demonstration and learning. Didactic courses include lecture presentations, review of assigned readings, review of videos/podcasts, and practice with methods and concepts.
  • During the fall and spring semesters, most courses are scheduled once per week in the evenings, from 4–6:50 pm or 7–9:50 pm.
  • Summer Sessions I and II courses are scheduled twice per week, from 3–6:35 pm or 7–10:35 pm
  • Students may work with faculty advisors to complete the program in more than 3 years.
  • The program cannot be completed in less than 3 years.

Program Objectives

Facilitate Professional Readiness

To equip students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program with the knowledge and skills to become ethical and effective counselors in a complex society with diverse populations.   

Provide Active and Inclusive Learning Environments

To provide an active and inclusive learning environment where students engage in activities, learning, and development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions of a Clinical Mental Health Counselor.  

Prepare Professional Dispositions

To prepare students with the professional dispositions of a) ethical attitudes and behavior; b) multicultural competencies, c) personal and professional growth, d) healthy interpersonal relationships, and collaboration, and e) openness to feedback, and f) self-care.

Recruit with Diverse Goals

To recruit, support, and retain counseling students from diverse backgrounds.

Meet Current Field and Community Needs

To provide counseling training that is grounded in the latest knowledge in the field and is responsive to current and changing needs of the communities we serve, including attending to the intersecting identities of our clients/students within a multicultural and social justice framework.

Systematic Program Evaluation

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Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology

Programs within the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology prepare graduate students to be Licensed Mental Health Counselors and School Psychologists.