Receive the practical training needed to make a difference in patient's lives.
The Chicago School’s Master of Arts Counseling Psychology program uses a scientist-practitioner approach to develop knowledge in foundational principles of psychology and counseling. You will learn to assess, understand, diagnose, treat, and advocate for clients with cognitive, behavioral, and emotional issues in a range of mental health settings.
In this clinical training program, you will train in the most updated, evidence-based practice to work effectively with individuals, couples, families, communities, and systems. The counseling psychology masters program’s core faculty are clinical psychologists who use their expertise to educate and train students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and awareness to practice as health service providers at the master’s level. Guided by this experienced faculty, you will cover a wide range of topics including:
- Existential-humanistic psychotherapy.
- Addiction evaluation and treatment.
- Family therapy.
- Ethics in practice.
- Professional guidelines.
- Diversity and cultural issues.
You will participate in an internship and a practicum, which will allow you to earn crucial field experience outside the classroom as well.
This counseling psychology degree is excellent for students who have a degree in psychology, but it has also proven successful for those who are pivoting careers and want to understand the “why” behind the individuals they seek to help.
Areas of concentration include:
- Latinx Mental Health.
- Child & Adolescent Therapy.
- Treatment of Addiction Disorders.
- Health Psychology.
- Trauma & Crisis Intervention.
- Marriage & Family Therapy.
What distinguishes The Chicago School’s Masters in Counseling Psychology program?
- Students acquire both the foundations of psychology and clinical counseling skills to become proficient practitioners able to work with diverse populations.
- Multicultural education and practice is integrated throughout the curriculum.
- The blended option is convenient for working professionals, allowing them to combine majority online coursework with intensive weekend instruction on campus.
The M.A. Counseling Psychology program at the Chicago Campus is accredited by Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). Find the MPCAC Annual Report for 2023 below.
Maureen Keeshin, Psy.D.
Admissions Requirements
- Application
- Application Fee: $50
- GPA of 3.0 or higher is required
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Essay
- Official college/university transcripts
- Three letters of recommendation
- Earned grade of “C” or better in the following courses:
- Psychology
- Research Methods
- Applicants without these courses must complete them in accordance with the policies outlined in the Progression Requirement section of the catalog.
- The GRE is not required; however, students who have taken the exam may submit their scores to enhance their application.
Accreditation
The M.A. in Counseling Psychology program on the Chicago Campus is accredited by Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) for the period December 2018 through December 2028.
Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Executive Director:
Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC)
595 New Loudon Road #265
Latham, New York 12110
518.764.7581
Licensure
For information on where The Chicago School meets, does not meet, or has not determined if the program meets licensure eligibility requirements for the state in which you wish to be licensed, please click here.
Concentration Options
Child and Adolescent Treatment
The Child and Adolescent Treatment concentration is designed to provide specific education in the area of the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents. The emphasis is on developing a conceptual and experiential background in working with the mental health needs of these vulnerable populations within a wide range of familial and cultural life styles. The goal of this concentration is to prepare entry-level practitioners to work with children representing the full age spectrum, from early childhood through adolescence.
Health Psychology Concentration
Health psychology focuses on the application of psychological and counseling principles and techniques to problems related to health and illness. The concentration prepares students to gain knowledge on the psychological and counseling techniques aimed at helping clients prevent, adjust, recover, and/or manage difficulties related to health problems across the lifespan to promote functioning. The concentration also addresses issues related to health disparities with members from historically disenfranchised groups (e.g., ethnic minorities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) and ways to improve systems that promote and maintain health.
Latinx Mental Health Treatment
The Latinx Mental Health Concentration is designed to provide formalized training and specific education in the areas of assessment and treatment of Latinx clients and their families. A strong emphasis is placed on the socio-historical factors that impact the mental health of Latinxs in the U.S. Students develop competencies essential for the understanding and provision of culturally congruent care to Latinx clients.
Marriage and Family Concentration with Optional Coursework for LMFT (IL) Licensure Preparation
Students in this concentration learn in-depth skills and knowledge that will prepare them to work more effectively with families and couples. Specific and key areas of family and couples work—domestic violence, divorce, sexual relations—are presented and explored in the classroom setting with the use of didactic material and real case vignettes. Assessment of family dynamics is covered through a systems perspective.
Trauma and Crisis Intervention
Students in this concentration have an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills for the assessment and treatment of trauma, both for its acute and longer-term effects. Disaster response, psychological first aid, and evidence-based treatment models will be examined and applied. Students will explore perspectives on the etiology and prevention of trauma as it applies to the individual, family, local, national and international community. The role of power and oppression in the experience of trauma within family, socio-political and ethno-cultural systems is integral. This concentration will prepare students with requisite skills to work with trauma related populations.
Trauma and Addiction Disorders
The Treatment of Addiction Disorders concentration is designed to provide specific education in the area of assessment, intervention/prevention, and treatment of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) and behavioral addictions. This concentration strives to prepare individuals to provide effective services for a wide range of addictions in community-based environments.
For Chicago Campus ONLY: In addition to completing the degree and coursework requirements to be eligible for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Illinois, students who complete the treatment of addictions disorder concentration and complete their internship experience at an approved Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA) site complete the degree, coursework, and supervised experience requirements for certification as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC). All candidates are required to complete the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse examination, along with the certification application process. For further information about alcohol and drug counselor certification in Illinois, please visit the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association.
Fieldwork Opportunities
Practicum and Internship
The practicum and internship placement experiences serve to integrate the theoretical and practical aspects of the education of a professional counselor. Students have the opportunity during the practicum and internship experiences to synthesize their knowledge, techniques and skills learned in the classroom. These supervised field placements allow students to provide direct services to clients and demonstrate their understanding of key concepts in professional counseling in a clinical setting.
Students are able to apply to a wide variety of training sites that include community mental health centers, child welfare and family service agencies, substance abuse programs, college counseling centers, as well as private group practices. The sites available for the training experience are chosen based on their ability to serve diverse populations that will offer the best possible experience to equip students for working in the counseling field.
Students are required to complete a minimum of a nine-month placement experience and complete at least 700 hours with 280 direct service hours during the placement.
Students registered in this program incur a one-time $195 Experiential Learning Technology Fee.
Sample Courses
Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy
This course addresses the basic assumptions of cognitive-behavioral theory‚ reviews the major theorists, and introduces the student to issues of treatment planning, case conceptualization, therapeutic technique and intervention through that theoretical sense. The emphasis is on the acquisition of a range of cognitive-behavioral assessment and intervention techniques and intervention skills.
Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapy
This course introduces students to the theoretical concepts and clinical applications of the humanistic and existential approach to psychotherapy and counseling including person-centered, Gestalt, and transpersonal approaches to psychotherapy. In addition, group modalities within this theoretical umbrella will be addressed.
Advanced Family and Couples Therapy
This course provides an overview of advanced theory and technique, as well as skills training in family and couples therapy with an emphasis on the development of a personal model of counseling. Diagnostic skills, case analysis, and relationship strategies will be emphasized. Particular attention will be paid to engaging children and adolescents in the family therapy setting. The course will also explore the impact of macro systems issues such as gender, power, and economics on contemporary relationships.
Career Pathways
Counseling psychologists can be employed in a variety of settings, which can vary somewhat depending on the exact services they wish to provide, as well as the client demographic they work in:
- Hospitals and community-based clinics
- Mental health centers
- Social service agencies
- Substance abuse facilities
- Hospices
- Rehabilitation centers
Financing Your Education
The Chicago School is dedicated to keeping our professional degree programs accessible to anyone regardless of financial status. In addition to the scholarships that may be available, our Financial Aid Department will help provide you with information to determine what financial arrangements are right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
