The 24-credit** Advanced Certificate in Mental Health Counseling is a bridge program that addresses the needs of two distinct cohorts, both requiring supplemental coursework and training to qualify for licensure as mental health counselors in New York State. Students with 36- or 48-credit degrees in mental health counseling will accrue the additional credits needed to meet the 60-credit education requirement for licensure, while those with 36-60-credit degrees in other areas of counseling (or a closely related helping-professions discipline) will acquire the specialized courses and fieldwork necessary to retrain as mental health counselors. All students complete the 12-credit practicum/internship sequence (COU530, COU771, COU772), which includes more than 600 hours of supervised mental health counseling experience, plus 12 additional credits based on review of their prior graduate transcripts and identification of specific courses needed to fulfill licensure requirements. Admission to the program is in spring only. Consistent with the mission of the State University of New York at New Paltz, the advanced certificate program provides students with a challenging, student-centered, and personalized learning environment that enables them to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to contribute productively to their profession and communities. For those professionals interested in "retooling" within the broad field of counseling, the advanced certificate program facilitates mid-career changes in specialization to meet professional goals and local and regional needs.

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