Bachelor's-MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Help others to achieve greater well-being with a dual degree in clinical mental health counseling

Do you want to help others become more resilient and successful in their lives? Are you considering a professional path that could have a profound impact on the mental and emotional health of others? At Sacred Heart University, you can earn your bachelor’s and master’s degrees to become a clinical mental health counselor in six years.

Dual degree students are guaranteed admission to the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program provided they continue, as undergraduate students, to meet program-specific criteria to progress into graduate program enrollment.

Students in the dual degree program complete their baccalaureate degree in four years of undergraduate study and complete the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) in two years of graduate study.

Why Earn Your Bachelor’s-Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Sacred Heart?

Sacred Heart’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program meets the highest standards, having earned accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Students prepare to make a difference personally and professionally in the global community by focusing on prevention, resilience and holistic well-being. Designed with a hands-on approach, this program includes (2) two-week residencies and clinical placement in a clinical mental health counseling setting. Graduates are well-prepared to assist individuals experiencing significant life stress and presenting problems such as: low self‐esteem, job loss, depression, substance abuse, grief, anxiety, family violence, relationship issues, eating disorders and other mental health-related challenges.

Other benefits of SHU’s 4+2 Dual Degree Program include:

Find Support

As undergraduates, students have an academic adviser, as well as other faculty and counseling resources to help them stay on track and progress toward their graduate degree. Industry-specific events and student clubs are also available for undergraduate students to become more deeply involved in their graduate field.

Save Money

Students who participate in dual degree programs may save on tuition costs as compared to completing a separate graduate program.

Less Stress

When you take advantage of the dual degree program, your spot in graduate school is already reserved. There’s no need for last-minute applications to graduate schools during the final months of senior year.

Criteria to Progress to the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Students admitted to the dual degree program must continue, as undergraduate students, to meet program-specific criteria in order to progress to enrollment in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program:

• Official transcripts demonstrating successful completion of the bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75
• Completion of a state-specific acknowledgment form while in a conversation with a Counselor Education faculty member who is present to answer program-specific questions
• Submission of a personal statement
• Meeting with a CMHC Admissions Committee in which the student successfully demonstrates potential for success in the CMHC program
• Demonstration of academic ability, interpersonal skills and potential for success in the CMHC program as evidenced by two letters of attestation from SHU faculty members who have had the student in class or an employer or supervisor that speaks to the student's potential for success in the CMHC program

Students must pursue an undergraduate major of psychology for this dual degree program.

More Information

For additional information for prospective first-year students, contact:

Undergraduate Admissions
203-371-7880
enroll@sacredheart.edu

For additional information for current dual degree students, contact:

Graduate Admissions
203-365-7619
gradstudies@sacredheart.edu