Earn Your Counseling M.S. in 18 Months

Help counsel individuals and families with a specific set of problems or a mental health disorder when you graduate with a Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree from JWU.

This 18-month, full-time program* helps prepare master’s-level clinicians to become licensed mental health counselors (LMHC) and is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). 

With two cohort starts each year (fall or spring) and classes that meet in late afternoons and evenings, the program’s schedule has the flexibility to accommodate fieldwork placements during the day and on weekends.

Learn clinical skills by turning theoretical foundations into positive, ethical client interaction and intervention. The majority of courses are taught by full-time faculty with a wide range of expertise, including clinical, addictions, substance abuse, trauma and rehabilitation counseling.

This 60-credit program includes 12 core courses, 4 electives, a practicum and an internship. This clinical fieldwork puts professional knowledge into practice, starting with a 100-hour practicum and followed by a 600-hour internship under the supervision of clinical professionals.

Graduates are expected to demonstrate a solid understanding of methods to diagnose, assess, test and treat a wide range of issues in the context of clinical mental health counseling, treatment and prevention programs.

_{**A part-time option is available. Part-time students follow a study plan of two courses per semester, completing the program in three years.}

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_{*The estimated cost per credit rate is effective for the 2026–27 academic year and is subject to change annually. The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the estimated total amount it will cost a student to attend JWU each year. For more information, contact Student Financial Services.}

Program Structure

• Majority of classes are in person (Harborside)
• Monday-Thursday schedule
• Afternoon or evening classes (4:15/6pm)
• 5 consecutive semesters of coursework
• 12 months accruing field experience

Course Sequence

• Cycle through coursework in different counseling modalities, including face-to-face, hybrid and remote
• Develop skills through hands-on training overseen by licensed professionals in labs and field experience sites 
• Program culminates in 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship supervised by licensed mental health practitioners

“Achieving accreditation for our program is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and excellence that our faculty, staff and students demonstrate every day.”

-Dean Michael Fein

Career Options

• Community Services Clinician
• Behavioral Health Counselor
• Crisis Intervention Specialist
• Mental Health Counselor
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Clinical Supervisor
• Telehealth Therapist
• School Adjustment Counselors/Clinical Counselors
• Private Practice Clinician

_{Some professions may require additional study, background checks, certifications, licenses, exams and/or experience as required qualifications for employment. Students are responsible for verifying that they can meet the employment requirements of potential employers.}