Mental Health Counseling (MA Degree)
Virtual Info Session
Friday, March 7, 2025 at 1-2 p.m.
Join us to explore Iona’s innovative Mental Health Counseling (MA) program, designed to prepare you for real-world impact and a meaningful career. Get answers to all your questions about admissions, scholarships, financial aid and everything you need to make the first step toward your future!
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.
Application Requirements
- Application for admission.
- Official transcripts are required from all regionally accredited colleges or universities.
- Two professional letters of recommendation are required.
- Current resume.
- Completion of at least 6 credits in quantitative research methods (statistics) and experimental psychology.
Contact Admissions
Daniel Gallagher
Director of Graduate Admissions for the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences
Email: dgallagher@iona.edu
Phone: (914) 637-7770
Quick Facts
Tuition and Financial Aid
We encourage you to utilize our Graduate Tuition Estimator to get an estimate of potential tuition costs after scholarships have been applied, based on current rates.
Explore scholarships and awards for graduate students here and contact Student Financial Services to learn more.
What to Expect
- Finish in 3 years (full-time)
- Hybrid learning model
- Access to clinical rotations in a variety of settings
- Hands-on-learning working directly with clients as a counselor
- Assistance with job and internship placements
Degree Outcomes
Titles held by Iona graduates include:
- Mental Health Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- Client Care Coordinator
- Health Educator
Iona has a prestigious program focused on hands-on learning. The immersive, case-based teaching like role-playing scenarios helps me build real-world skills. Plus, the collaborative environment allows me to actively refine my techniques with my peers.
-Zahabia Brainch '26MA
What You'll Learn
Professional Counseling, Psychotherapy and Mental Health Assessments
During the Master’s in Mental Health Counseling program, you learn how to conduct professional counseling, psychotherapy and mental health assessments on diverse individuals and groups. You gain skills in multiple models of treatment and assessment to be used on a variety of individuals.
NCMHCE Preparation
Upon graduation from our mental health counseling program, students are prepared to take the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) and become eligible for mental health counselor licensure in New York and other states.
Clinical Internships
As part of the clinical training experience, you are required to complete a hands-on, 600-hour clinical internship at a mental health site or facility. This will enable you to work directly with clients as a counselor under the direct supervision of a fully licensed clinician. Iona counseling students have recently completed their clinical internships at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Medical Center, St. Vincent's Hospital and the Mental Health Association of Westchester.
Living Iona's Mission of Service through Mental Health Counseling
“I have the privilege of directly impacting students’ lives by providing support, guidance and therapeutic interventions that help them navigate challenges, build resilience and thrive academically and emotionally.” - Jessica Cabrera-Guzhnay ’14, ’18MA.
Christina Lanzetta ’17MA recently co-founded her private practice, Counseling Connect Mental Health Counseling, PLLC, while Jessica Cabrera-Guzhnay ’14, ’18MA is currently the senior bilingual mental health clinician at Family Services of Westchester (FSW).
From Left: Christina Lanzetta ’17MA and Jessica Cabrera-Guzhnay ’14, ’18MA
Through this program, I have gained an immense amount of knowledge and hands-on experience. The professors at Iona equipped me with newfound skills and techniques. Thanks to them, I have a new sense of confidence I will carry into my therapeutic career!
-Brianna Carter '26MA
Mental Health Counseling Careers & Outcomes
Strong Projected Job Growth
In a world that is becoming more aware of the importance of mental health and well-being, you can make a difference in the lives of everyday people by pursuing a rewarding career as a counselor. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of mental health counselors and related professions are expected to grow by 19% from 2023-2033, offering ample opportunities for those interested in becoming a counselor.
Job Titles
- Program Director
- Mental Health Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- Mental Health Clinician
- Client Care Coordinator
- Health Educator
Where Our Graduates Have Worked:
Through a variety of techniques and approaches-including Interprofessional Education-I’ve gained the skills needed to thrive in therapeutic settings. The professors at Iona all do an amazing job, and I am grateful for their dedication to student success!
-Belen Chavez '26MA
Mental Health Counseling Program Highlights
Outstanding Fieldwork Opportunities
Iona University’s location in New Rochelle/Bronxville, just 20 miles north of midtown Manhattan, provides coveted internship and career opportunities. After completing local internships, Iona graduates have frequently been hired by organizations across the New York metropolitan area and Westchester County.
Advanced Research Skills
Our counseling graduate program develops your analytical and communication skills through exciting opportunities to pursue research in the field. Our students regularly engage in original research and present their findings at local, regional and national conferences.
Supportive Faculty
Our faculty are practicing professionals in psychology and counseling who will assist you in gaining clinical internship positions. Experiencing rewarding clinical training and supervision is the standard for our students, preparing them to become skilled mental health counselors.
Request More Information or Apply Today
Iona’s Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling prepares students to become licensed mental health counselors. Our graduates begin their careers fully prepared to compassionately care for diverse client populations.
Request information to learn more about our M.A. in Mental Health Counseling.
Ready to apply? Begin your application.
Find Out what an Iona Education Can Do For You
Visit Campus
Our scenic campuses, located just 20 miles from midtown Manhattan, truly do offer the best of both worlds.
Let us show you around, answer your questions and give you a feel of our tight-knit community.
Apply Today
If you're considering applying to Iona, you're not alone! Since 2019, our new-student enrollment is up nearly 40%. Graduate students automatically qualify for consideration of merit scholarships during their graduate programs. Start your application today.
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