Master of Arts in Counseling

• 60 credits (75 credits for Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Forensic & Legal Psychology M.A./M.A. option)
• 5-6 semesters; must be completed within 5-year period
• 2025-26 Tuition: $1,186 per credit hour
• Fall intake for Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling students (may take classes during summer prior to official admission date with permission)
• Accredited by CACREP

Awards:

$1.2 million grant prepares Marymount Counseling students to serve vulnerable populations

Marymount has established a new fellowship program to prepare Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduates to serve high-needs populations and meet the demands of a growing profession. This grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will fund 84 fellowships for students in the University’s School of Counseling. Click here to learn more about the HRSA Fellowship Program.

*The project is supported by the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1.2 million with 100% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of those are of the authors and do not necessarily represent views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

• Association for Counselor Education and Supervision award for Outstanding Master’s Counseling program
• Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision award for Outstanding Master’s Counseling program
• American Counseling Association, European branch award for Outstanding Counselor Education program
• National Board for Certified Counselors award for Professional Identity

• Graduate application
• Official transcripts from all postsecondary education
• Professional résumé
• 2 recommendations that speak directly to your academic and interpersonal skills
• 500-word Statement of Purpose describing your background and motivation to enter the field
• In-person interview
• Course-by-course evaluation of transcript for all coursework completed outside the U.S.
• Submission of assessment scores from students for whom English is not their primary language
  • 96 on TOEFL
  • 5 on IELTS
  • 58 on PTE academic exam
  • Documentation of program completion at one of Marymount’s language partners
• GRE requirement is waived for the Fall 2026 application cycle

Important dates for the Fall application cycle:

• September 1 – Application Opens
• January 15 – Priority Deadline
• March 1 – Final Deadline

Admissions Interview Dates:

• Priority Applicants: TBD
• Final Round: TBD

Additional Requirements for Clinical Mental Health Counseling/Forensic & Legal Psychology M.A./M.A. Program:

• Students are admitted to 1 program at a time and must meet application and deadline requirements for each
• Students admitted from Forensic & Legal Psychology program can begin Clinical Mental Health Counseling classes only after completing 18 Forensic & Legal Psychology program credits; must plan to begin Clinical Mental Health Counseling classes in Fall semester immediately following program acceptance
• Students admitted from Clinical Mental Health Counseling program can begin Forensic & Legal Psychology classes only after completing 40 Clinical Mental Health Counseling program credits

CE 500: Research and Evaluation

Provides overview of various research approaches, methods, and techniques with an emphasis on interpretation of published research data. Topics include methods of data analysis, research designs, data collection techniques, and writing research reports.

CE 501: Bases of Psychopathology

Examines various contemporary views of abnormal behavior such as medical, behavioristic, and humanistic models, and theories of personality. Disorders are examined in terms of individual, biological, and socially causative factors.

CE 503: Advanced Human Growth and Development

Surveys research and findings in the field of development across the lifespan. Topics include philosophical models of development, such as the organismic and contextual models; the nature-nurture and continuity-discontinuity controversies; and theories of development such as those from Kohlberg, Piaget, Freud, and Erikson.

CE 508: Crisis Intervention

Familiarizes students with different aspects of crisis intervention, including examination of various crisis situations; crisis assessment; intervention strategies, models, and techniques; and critical analysis of developmental, situational, and existential crises.

Employment opportunities for graduates of Marymount’s Counseling program include:

• Counselors in public and parochial schools, clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation programs, and substance abuse centers
• Crisis intervention counselors
• Family, group, and individual counselors
• Residential directors for shelters and homes for children and adults with developmental disabilities
• Counselors working with emotionally disturbed or learning-disabled youth
• Case managers
• Vocational trainers and counselors
• Employee assistance counselors
• Private practice counselors

Many Marymount Counseling students also pursue doctoral work, as our M.A. in Counseling offers an excellent foundation and preparation for advanced study.

Median starting salaries for Counseling graduates range from $55,000 to $65,000.

Welcome to Marymount University’s School of Counseling! I am excited that you are seeking a potential career in the field of counseling. Our School has 4 separate areas of counseling specialties, depending on the setting and populations you want to serve in your career, including an online program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

All of our master’s-level Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). All of our Counseling programs provide the academic requirements and clinical preparation required at the M.A. level for the Licensed Professional Counselor credential.

The American Counseling Association has defined counseling as “a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.” Counselors work with clients and students of all ages who may be experiencing developmental, situational, and/or existential issues with mental health symptoms and require best-practice treatment options.

Students have been drawn to Marymount’s Counseling programs because of their strong connections with faculty both before and after graduation; clinical experiences integrated into the classroom; extensive service and scholarship opportunities; diverse elective courses; strong multicultural awareness and ethical practices throughout the curriculum; and optional short-term, 9-day study abroad classes in places like Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Greece, Germany, and Hungary to learn about comparative mental health systems and diversity across different cultures.

We are excited you are interested in the Counseling programs at Marymount University. Let us help you towards your career goals where you can make a difference in the lives of so many individuals and families!

Lisa R. Jackson-Cherry, Ph.D., LCPC, NCC, ACS, PCE
Professor and Director, School of Counseling

Click here to view our Faculty

“I continue to look back fondly at my experience in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, and I make myself available and of service to the Marymount community. I’m still in contact with Marymount Athletics and have been a part of their “Saints Strong” campaign in talking about mental health awareness, fitness, and self-care. Since Marymount, I spent 2 years working with Phoenix House and about 8 months working as an in-house counselor in a psychiatric office in Arlington called Potomac Health Services. In 2020,I moved to Spain and am now working for a recovery center called Camino Recovery. After MU, I’ve focused on developing self-awareness and insight through mindfulness. I believe that each client has the ability to re-train self-defeating patterns by increasing the ability for each client to observe themselves. Addiction stifles this innate mechanism and igniting this pathway is primary to a strong rehabilitation program, not just to abstain from the substance or behavior but to thrive in their recovery journey.” – Ryan Napolitano, Class of 2017 (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)

“I chose Marymount’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program because it focuses on the student’s professional growth from a holistic perspective. Through research and word of mouth, I found out their CACREP-accredited program has an excellent reputation for being a top Counseling program in the U.S. that prepares students for licensure and success in their internship. Since my undergraduate degree was from a large university, I chose Marymount because of the small class size and personal attention. During study abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, I was able to make a presentation internationally, immerse myself in the European counseling culture, and network with counseling professionals abroad.” – William Butler, Class of 2017 (Clinical Mental Health Counseling)