Counseling Psychology Graduate Programs

Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
The Master of Science Program in Counseling Psychology is designed to help students become professional counselors whose areas of expertise lie in community, private, and/or school settings. The Counseling Psychology program, concentrated at the Newtown location, is designed for part-time students who attend classes scheduled in the evening or on Saturdays. All classes are conveniently located at our Newtown location just off I95.

Program Concentrations
The program allows students to concentrate their studies in the following areas:

The last three fields of study are Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification programs in guidance counseling.

Eligibility for Licensure as a Professional Licensed Counselor (LPC)
The Master of Science Program in Counseling Psychology offers several concentrations of study that fulfill the educational requirements for licensure as a

  • Professional Counselor in the State of Pennsylvania
  • Professional Counselor of Mental Health and/or Associate Counselor of Mental Health in the State of Delaware, and
  • Professional Counselor and/or Associate Counselor in the State of New Jersey
Students interested in fulfilling the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam need to work closely with their academic advisor to ensure that all educational and internship requirements for licensure are fulfilled.

Program Educational Philosophy
The program uses a scientist-practitioner approach in training students. Through involvement with program course work students become active and involved learners. They engage in both in class and out of class cooperative, collaborative and experiential learning that through interaction, exposure, immersion and problem solving enable them to integrate class material into their current knowledge and experiential base. The skill labs, Practicum and Internship courses provide the student with the professional experiences to synthesize course material with "real life" counseling experiences to develop the skills appropriate for beginning practitioners.

Eligibility for Licensure as a Professional Licensed Counselor (LPC)
The Master of Science Program in Counseling Psychology offers several concentrations of study that fulfill the educational requirements for licensure. These concentrations are:

The Master of Science Program in Counseling Psychology program continues to offer non LPC concentrations in the following areas: School Counseling Elementary - Certification Only, School Counseling Secondary - Certification Only, and School Counseling Dual - Certification Only.

Admission Requirements
For admission to the graduate program in counseling psychology, the applicant must meet the following requirements. The applicant needs:

  • A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
  • An undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on a four-point scale. Applicants with an undergraduate cumulative grade point average less than 3.0 are required to submit results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Millers Analogies Test (MAT) prior to being considered for admission.
  • Two satisfactory letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with applicant's academic and/or professional work.
  • A submitted application form with a non-refundable twenty-five dollar application fee.
  • A 250-500 word-processed personal statement of applicant's interests in the field, his/her future professional plans/goals, and his/her reasons for requesting admission. The quality of applicant's statement will be of critical importance to the success of his/her application for admission.
  • Official Transcripts of all previous college/university work.
  • Successful completion of a personal interview.
Applicants will be considered based on their academic ability, expression of interests and goals, life experience, and personal interview. Admissions to the Counseling Psychology program are rolling with the majority of admissions occurring in the fall semester and with a limited number of admissions occurring in the spring. Notification of acceptance into the program is usually completed within two weeks of the personal interview.

A two hundred dollar deposit is required to hold the accepted applicant's spot in the incoming class. This deposit will be credited to the students first semester of study.
Please note that the MS Counseling Psychology program is limited in size because of the intensive training requirements. It may not be possible to admit all qualified students. Qualified students may be placed on a waiting list for the next available opening.

Undergraduate Prerequisite Requirements
An undergraduate course in General Psychology is required prior to admission to the program. In addition the following two undergraduate prerequisites are required prior to enrollment in select courses in the Counseling Psychology program:
  • Statistics
  • Research Methods or Experimental Psychology (Any general course in experimental psychology, a research methods course, or a course in one of the specific areas of experimental psychology such as learning or cognition.)
These program requirements are foundation courses for continued work on the graduate level. They must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. These courses can be taken at any college or university while enrolled in the Counseling Psychology program or may be able to be fulfilled through additional graduate work. See "Course Descriptions" for specific undergraduate prerequisite requirements.

Additional Prerequisite Requirements for School Guidance Certification Students
  • Six credits of undergraduate English (3 credits of composition and 3 credits of literature)
  • Six credits of undergraduate Math.

These above prerequisites only apply to students who have not already earned an education certificate.

Advisement
The Master of Science Program in Counseling Psychology program views advisement as crucial to successful completing of the program. Advisement in the program is best characterized as a mentoring relationship between a student and a faculty member. This mentoring relationship is grounded in mutual trust, dignity, collegiality, equality and professionalism. The goal of this advising/mentoring relationship is to assist the student in developing an identity as a counseling professional who is engaged in a life long learning process.

Upon admission to the program each student is assigned a faculty advisor. This faculty advisor will have expertise in the student's area of concentration. The faculty advisor is the student's resource person in dealing with the program and Holy Family University. Students are encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor on a regular basis. Students must meet with their faculty advisor for course selection, approval of practicum and internship sites, the comprehensive process, and any other administrative issues. Scheduling an appointment with your advisor is easy. Appointments may be made in person or by calling 215-504-2000, extension 4032. Faculty office hours are usually posted on faculty office doors.

Transfer Credit
Up to six (6) credits of graduate work for comparable course work may be transferred from an accredited institution. Grades of B or better are required in transferred courses. Transfer credit decisions are made on an individual basis and need the approval of the Program Director (or designee) and the Dean of the School.

Program Course Requirements >>

Program Concentration Offerings

Counseling in the Community
Students completing the Counseling in the Community concentration will as part of their degree program complete all the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration prepares Master level clinicians to work with adolescents and adults in the community setting. The Counseling in the Community concentration is appropriate for individuals wishing develop expertise in counseling adolescents and adults and/or gaining the credentials to assume supervisory positions in community agency settings. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 60. This concentration requires a 400-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum. After 3/2/07 this concentration will require a 600-hour internship.

Counseling in Student Affairs
The Master of Science in Counseling Psychology program now offers a concentration in Counseling in Student Affairs. Designed to prepare master-level clinicians to work with students in a variety of higher education settings, this concentration trains students to attend to the intellectual, social, emotional, and developmental needs of college and university students. Graduates of this program will be prepared to work in such areas as counseling centers, career centers, residence life, student activities, academic advising, and special needs programs. The program will equip students with the professional counseling skills needed to enhance the development of students in higher education. Students will be trained to remediate difficulties these students may experience during their higher education careers. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 60. This concentration requires a 600-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum.

Family and Marital Counseling
Students completing the Family and Marital Counseling concentration will as part of their degree program complete all the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration prepares Master level clinicians to work with families, couples and children. This concentration is appropriate for students interested in gaining the expertise in counseling and working with families. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 60. This concentration requires a 400-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum. After 3/2/07 this concentration will require a 600-hour internship.

Pastoral Counseling
This concentration provides a holistic approach that integrates counseling practice, rigor and theory with Judeo-Christian theology and philosophy to assist individuals and families in academic, clinical, faith and spiritual based counseling settings. The program prepares graduates for success in a wide array of settings including but not limited to churches, synagogues, hospitals, jails, schools, and community settings.

School Counseling Elementary - Certification Only
The School Counseling Elementary - Certification Only concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification program in elementary guidance counseling. This is a certificate only program and students completing this concentration will not have fulfilled the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration is for students wishing to work as a school guidance counselor in a K-6 setting. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 51. This concentration requires a 400 hour internship and a 100 hour practicum.

School Counseling Elementary - Certification and LPC
The School Counseling Elementary - Certification/LPC concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification program in elementary guidance counseling. Students completing this concentration in addition to being eligible for certification as a school guidance counselor will also have fulfilled the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration is for students wishing to work as a school guidance counselor in a K-6 setting. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 60. This concentration requires a 400-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum. After 3/2/07 this concentration will require a 600-hour internship.

School Counseling Secondary - Certification Only
The School Counseling Secondary - Certification Only concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification program in secondary guidance counseling. This is a certificate only program and students completing this concentration will not have fulfilled the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration is for students wishing to work as a school guidance counselor in a 7-12 setting. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 54. This concentration requires a 400 hour internship and a 100 hour practicum.

School Counseling Secondary - Certification and LPC
The School Counseling Secondary - Certification/LPC concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification program in secondary guidance counseling. Students completing this concentration in addition to being eligible for certification as a school guidance counselor will also have fulfilled the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration is for students wishing to work as a school guidance counselor in a 7-12 setting. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 60. This concentration requires a 400-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum. After 3/2/07 this concentration will require a 600-hour internship.

School Counseling Dual - Certification Only
The School Counseling Dual - Certification Only concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification program that allows students to become certified as both elementary and secondary guidance counselors. This is a certificate only program and students completing this concentration will not have fulfilled the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration is for students wishing to work as a school guidance counselor in a K-12 setting. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 54. This concentration requires a 600 hour internship over the course of two semesters and a 120 hour practicum.

School Counseling Dual - Certification and LPC
The School Counseling Dual - Certification Only concentration is a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved certification program that allows students to become certified as both elementary and secondary guidance counselors. Students completing this concentration in addition to being eligible for certification as a school guidance counselor will also have fulfilled the educational requirements to sit for the LPC exam. This concentration is for students wishing to work as a school guidance counselor in a K-12 setting. The total degree hours required for this concentration is 60. This concentration requires a 600 hour internship over the course of two semesters and a 120 hour practicum.

School Counseling Concentration
The Graduate Program in Counseling Psychology at Holy Family University offers six concentrations of study which fulfill the educational requirements for certification as a school guidance counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. Students who complete these concentrations of study must successfully pass the Praxis test in order to become certified as school guidance counselors. Students are not only able to concentrate their studies for certification in these areas but the Graduate Program in Counseling Psychology also offers school guidance concentrations that allow students to complete the educational requirement for both certification and licensure as a professional counselor. These six concentrations of study are listed below:

Director of Counseling Program
Linda Thompson, PhD
Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology
Office: Room 210 B, Newtown
Phone: 267-341-4035
Email: lthompson@holyfamily.edu