Department of Professional Counseling

Departmental Mission Statement

The department's graduate level programs are designed to train a diverse body of highly qualified students to be practitioners, leaders and advocates in the field of mental health. Our programs are designed to be accredited and are based on humanistic values promoting prevention, wellness, personal growth and human development, and on the benefits of counselor-client interaction. Our students will be individually supported to receive an effective educational experience tailored to their needs. Our graduates will meet the academic and skill requirements for state and national licensing and certification, and given a foundation for further education in the field.

The graduate programs in the Department of Professional Counseling aim to develop mental health professionals who can effectively address issues of wellness, personal growth, and pathology for the benefit of a diverse population.

The department offers three unique graduate degree options:

• The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling prepares students for licensure as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). This 60-credit program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
• The Master of Arts in Addiction Studies prepares students for licensure as Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LCADC). This 33-credit program is accredited by the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Committee (NASAC) and the International Coalition of Addiction Studies Educators (INCASE).
• The Graduate Certificate in Professional Counseling is an eighteen-credit program designed for students who are completing or have completed a CACREP-accredited Master's degree in counseling and are in need of additional hours to complete the educational requirements of the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure in NJ.

These programs satisfy academic requirements for the LPC and LCADC by providing course work in the core areas required for licensure. Our graduates are expected to contribute to and be leaders in their field through practice, education, and professional excellence.

Why is getting a master's degree so important? Learn more about the reasons and how it can help your career here.

IN THE NEWS: DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING STUDENT RECEIVES URBAN COAST INSTITUTE RESEARCH GRANT

Clinical Mental Health Counseling student Christine Hennigan was selected to receive the Urban Coast Institute's Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Summer Research Grant to support her research on "Coastal Identify in Counseling: Implications for Community Resilience" in summer 2016. Christine will be mentored on the project by department faculty member Dr. Laura Schmuldt.

IN THE NEWS: DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING FACULTY MEMBER AND GRADUATE FEATURED IN ASBURY PARK PRESS

Department faculty member Dr. Alan Cavaiola and graduate David Dolan were featured in a recent Asbury Park Press news article. The article highlights the good work Dr. Cavaiola has been doing with mentoring and research involving students. Please click here to read the article.