Mental Health Counseling (MA Degree)

Why become a Mental Health Counselor?

A Master’s program in Mental Health Counseling offers the training to become a compassionate counselor who helps others struggling with mental illness. As our society places more focus on mental well-being, licensed mental health counselors are in high demand in New York and nationwide.

Why Study Mental Health Counseling at Iona?

A Path to Licensure

Iona University’s Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling program establishes the knowledge and skills needed to become a licensed mental health counselor. Full-time students can expect to complete the program in three years.

Internships and Job Placements

As a counseling student, you have numerous opportunities to learn from expert faculty members who are leaders in the mental health field. You also benefit from their relevant industry connections which help you obtain internships and job placements in the greater New York City community and beyond.

New York State Diagnostic Privilege Designation

Graduates of our program are offered a unique opportunity to enhance their clinical licenses with the prestigious privilege of formal diagnoses under the new diagnostic privilege designation in New York State. Upon graduating from Iona’s Mental Health Counseling program and becoming licensed, you can formally diagnose the clients you serve. This will enable you to work at a wider range of facilities, join a wider range of insurance panels as a provider, and enhance your earning potential. It also means your skills of diagnosis will be considered by New York State to be equivalent to other healthcare providers who can currently diagnose, including social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

Class Schedules Designed Around Your Convenience

Our class scheduling is designed with your convenience in mind. Evening classes are held in person during the fall and spring semesters, with an online option available during the summer. Classes during the traditional semesters are typically stacked (back-to-back), so the number of weekly trips to campus is minimal, giving you the flexibility to manage your time effectively.

Acquire Practical Tools for Clinical Work

Our role-playing exercises are not just simulations, they are practical tools that prepare our students for their clinic work. By working through different scenarios and utilizing various therapeutic approaches, our students hone their skills. This preparation is so effective that internship sites often comment on the readiness of Iona MHC students when they begin their work as MHC interns.

NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences

As part of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, students in the Mental Health Counseling (MA) program will develop the skills and experience needed for tomorrow’s workforce.

Iona students may have the opportunity to do clinicals and rotations at NewYork-Presbyterian, ranked one of the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report 2022-23.

Align your education with your career goals at the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences and earn a degree of tremendous value for your future.