映画传媒ing Your Path in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Clinical Mental Health Counseling 3+2: B.S./M.S. in Five Years
Earn your Bachelor of Science in Psychology and CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in just five years at 映画传媒 Valley College.
Our M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling students have a 100% National Counselor Examination (NCE) pass rate.
The LVC Clinical Mental Health Counseling 3+2 Program at a Glance
映画传媒 Valley College鈥檚 Clinical Mental Health Counseling 3+2 program combines a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The program is designed to meet Pennsylvania鈥檚 educational requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and recent graduates have posted a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Counselor Examination (NCE).
The 3+2 program saves one year of master鈥檚 coursework, making it a significantly less expensive option than a traditional bachelor鈥檚-to-master鈥檚 path.
Learn More About the Program
Taught by highly-regarded faculty who are experts in their fields, you’ll be immersed in a curriculum that quickly gets you comfortable working in a wide variety of settings, with a wide variety of people. By the time you graduate, you’ll be prepared for a career in workplaces like schools, community agencies, integrative healthcare organizations, and private practices.
What is a 3+2 Counseling Degree?
A 3+2 program lets qualified students complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree and a master鈥檚 degree in five years instead of six, by beginning graduate-level coursework earlier than a traditional sequence allows.
At LVC, students complete undergraduate coursework toward a Bachelor of Science in Psychology while maintaining the required 3.0 psychology-major GPA, then transition into CACREP-accredited graduate coursework toward the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Students begin taking master鈥檚 level courses in their junior year and ultimately save an entire year of master鈥檚 coursework and tuition.
How to Become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania
This program is designed to meet the educational requirements to be licensed as a professional counselor in Pennsylvania. Students pursuing licensure in other states are responsible for verifying that .
Pennsylvania鈥檚 Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential generally requires:
-
Earn a qualifying master鈥檚 degree.
Earn a qualifying master鈥檚 degree in counseling or a closely related field. LVC鈥檚 CACREP-accredited M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling meets this requirement.
-
Pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE).
Pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE). LVC鈥檚 CMHC program has posted a 100% first-time NCE pass rate.
-
Complete supervised clinical experience.
Complete supervised clinical experience. LVC鈥檚 program includes supervised practicum and internship placements at sites including Pennsylvania Counseling Services, WellSpan-Philhaven Psychiatric Hospital, CM Mental Performance, and Ponessa Behavioral Health.
-
Apply to the state board.
Submit your application to the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors. If you plan to practice in another state, check that state鈥檚 board for its own requirements.
LVC鈥檚 CMHC program is designed to meet the educational requirements to be licensed as a professional counselor in Pennsylvania. Additional requirements to obtain licensure are mandatory, including but not limited to passing the state licensure exam and acquiring the requisite supervision hours. Students should consult the Pennsylvania State Licensing Board to determine the requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
Students interested in licensure outside Pennsylvania can contact the聽聽or the聽聽to access licensure requirements for other states. The student is responsible for contacting the appropriate board for licensing and certification information.
Please consult Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, at manza@lvc.edu聽for additional information.
18%
projected job growth in counseling, 2022鈥�32 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
#2
mental health counselor ranking as a profession (U.S. News & World Report, Best Social Services Jobs, 2023)
100%
pass rate on the National Counselor Exam
Career Opportunities
With a healthy job outlook and growing demand for mental health counselors, you can bring healing and well-being to the world in many different ways.
-
Behavioral Counselor
-
Mental Health Counselor
-
Social Worker
-
Substance Abuse Counselor
-
Family Therapist
-
Addiction Counselor
-
Crisis Intervention Specialist
-
School Counselor
-
Health Educator
-
Sports Counselor
-
Marriage Counselor
-
Career Counselor
-
Child and Adolescent Counselor
-
Clinical Supervisor
Clinical Mental Health Counseling vs. Social Work
Both fields prepare graduates to support people through difficult periods, but the training, credentials, and scopediffer. A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), the credential LVC鈥檚 program prepares graduates for, focuses on diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions through therapy.
A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential, common in social work programs, often pairs therapeutic techniques with broader case-management and systems-navigation work. If your goal is primarily clinical counseling and psychotherapy, LVC鈥檚 CMHC pathway is the direct route.
Internships & Practicums
Students complete supervised internships and practicums, even at the undergraduate level, at partner clinical sites, coordinated with the program. These placements give students hands-on experience across a range of populations, settings, and treatment approaches, including sites such as:
- CM Mental Performance
- Pennsylvania Counseling Services
- Ponessa Behavioral Health
- WellSpan-Philhaven Psychiatric Hospital
Student & Faculty Research
Research opportunities allow students to work alongside professors as they conduct empirical research. LVC psychology students can fulfill their undergraduate graduation capstone requirement through an individualized research project with a faculty mentor rather than an internship.
Faculty research spans areas including science denial and pseudoscientific beliefs, infant language development, mental health and social media, and human-animal relationships. Students regularly co-author peer-reviewed publications and present findings at regional, national, and international conferences.
Faculty Spotlight
In Their Words
I have a passion to help others in my future. What better way to be fulfilled in life than helping others as a job? I specifically chose CMHC because I am very interested in distorted thinking, trauma-informed care, and aiding adults facing mental health challenges.
Jordan Stum
鈥�23, M鈥�25,
Psychotherapist, Behavioral Healthcare Consultants
The flexibility in course formats has helped me manage extracurricular activities, including playing an NCAA sport and working, which I expect to carry over into my practicum and internship experiences. The professors in the undergraduate and graduate phases are incredibly supportive and accessible in and out of the classroom.
Katie Pounder
鈥�22, M鈥�24,
Group Facilitator, Charlie Health
It was really amazing to get such a personalized education from a great institution. It felt like every professor I had wanted me to succeed as badly as I wanted myself to succeed!
Bret Miller
鈥�25, M鈥�26,
Mental Health Outpatient Therapist, TW Ponessa
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling component is accredited by CACREP (the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).
It is a combined pathway that lets qualified students complete a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in five years instead of a traditional longer sequence.
Five years total, combining the undergraduate psychology phase and the graduate clinical mental health counseling phase.
Yes. The program is designed to meet Pennsylvania鈥檚 educational requirements for LPC licensure. Students pursuing licensure in other states are responsible for verifying that state鈥檚 specific requirements.
There is no GRE requirement to apply to the 3+2 program.
Both programs lead to the same destination: a CACREP-accredited M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that prepares you for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania. The difference is where you start.
Built for current and incoming undergraduates, this 3+2 pathway lets you apply anytime from your first year up to the start of your junior year. You’ll earn your Bachelor of Science in Psychology and then complete the master’s requirements, finishing both degrees in five years instead of the six or more they’d take separately.
The standalone M.S. is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. It’s open to applicants with any bachelor’s degree and a minimum 3.0 GPA, and can be completed in two years of full-time or four years of part-time study.
In short: if you’re still an undergraduate, or about to be, the 3+2 lets you combine both degrees and save time and tuition. If you already have your bachelor’s, the standalone master’s is your route to the same credential.
Featured News & Stories
映画传媒 Your People
As a CMHC student at LVC, you’ll get close to your peers and professors, strengthening your collaborative and professional network.
