Better Yourself.
Better Your Community.
Are you interested in addressing the growing demand for mental health professionals in your area?
At Felician University, our Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) program equips students with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to become a licensed professional counselor. Through online coursework and in-person field experiences, students learn to apply counseling psychology principles to real-world situations; all while assisting those in need.
Why Choose MACP at Felician University?
- Holistic Approach: With a focus on understanding a person’s developmental, cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors, our program addresses both everyday life challenges and more serious mental health issues.
- Positive Psychology: As a key component of our curriculum, positive psychology emphasizes building on clients' strengths and fostering resilience rather than just treating mental disorders.
- Franciscan Values: Our program empowers graduates to bring a high level of professionalism and humanity to the field, aligning with Felician’s Franciscan values of service, compassion, and social justice.
Felician also offers students a unique opportunity to help those in the legal system through the Forensic track. In this program, students learn how the legal system relates to counseling through coursework in forensic assessment, criminal behavior, studies in PTSD and more. Forensic counselors work in a broad range of settings: from counseling juvenile delinquents and prisoners to working with pathologists, forensic examiners, and law enforcement officers.
Now Taking Applications
App deadline: Dec 6, 2024
Next start: Jan 13, 2025
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The online MACP program allows graduates to start their career as a counselor in just over two years, while fostering a community recognized for its quality and shared values.
- 60 credit hours
- 100 practicum hours and 600+ internship hours
- Seven semesters (full-time), Ten semesters (part-time)
- Three intakes per year (Spring, Summer, Fall)
- MPCAC Aligned
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The online MACP program allows graduates to start their career as a counselor in just over two years, while fostering a community recognized for its quality and shared values.
- 60 credit hours
- 100 practicum hours and 600+ internship hours
- Seven semesters (full-time), Ten semesters (part-time)
- Three intakes per year (Spring, Summer, Fall)
- MPCAC Aligned
The major developmental theories of personal development will be examined. An emphasis will be placed on normal growth patterns, accounting for variations that emerge along the developmental spectrum.
(3 credits)
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a working knowledge of ethical issues in mental health care practice. The course will consider the manner in which governing principles of health care ethics are articulated within the general values and specific prescriptions/proscriptions (legal and moral) which constitute current moral wisdom of the mental health professional. Ethical codes of the American Counseling Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, and the American Psychological Association will be examined. Lectures, case analysis, class discussion of assigned readings, and written assignments will provide both the conceptual and practical tools for addressing the critical ethical issues which arise in your practice.
(3 credits)
This course familiarizes students with the assessment process, how to interview and use assessment tools in conjunction with the DSMIV to arrive at a diagnosis and treatment plan and compares standard assessment techniques and process-oriented interviewing. It considers when to make appropriate referrals to ancillary treatment modalities or for medical evaluations. It also weighs both the potential benefits and risks of assigning diagnostic labels to people.
(3 credits)
Counseling Practicum involves placement in a clinical setting to enable students to develop basic counseling skills and integrate professional knowledge and skills. Counseling Practicum provides an opportunity to perform, on a limited basis and under supervision, some of the activities that a mental health counselor would perform. In addition to the supervised practicum, this course involves a weekly seminar. Prior permission of the Practicum Coordinator is required in order to arrange for a practicum setting appropriate to the student's academic and career goals.
(3 credits)
Learn More
We’re here to answer any questions you may have about the program, including enrollment, tuition, admission requirements, curriculum details, and more.
Where do counselors work?
With a master's degree in counseling psychology, you may practice in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, mental health facilities, private practices, court systems and more.
Counselor vs. Psychologist:
Two pathways to meaningful careers
Looking to further your career in mental health but unsure of the key differences between a counselor and a psychologist? We've broken down the distinctions between these two valuable and rewarding career paths:
| Counselor | Psychologist | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job Role | Works alongside clients to provide them strategies to deal with a variety of mental health symptoms | Psychologists work alongside clients too, but also focus on academic research and training | ||
| General Education Requirements | Master's Degree | Doctorate | ||
| Level of Care | Helps clients handle relationships and other everyday challenges | Has a greater authority in diagnosing significant mental health pathologies | ||
| Licensure required? | Requires licensure | Requires licensure | ||
| Typical Work Settings |
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While Psychologists can work in many of the same settings as counselors, they also have the option to work in different career settings, such as academic institutions | ||
Field Placement
Field placement is the required hands-on learning component of Felician University’s MA Counseling Psychology program. You will complete 100 practicum hours and 600+ clinical hours to give you the hands-on experience necessary to become a licensed counselor. Your coursework is 100% online, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing it alone. During your MACP education, you’ll be connected with program faculty who have field experience, providing you with the needed support and mentorship as you gain skills in various counseling settings. Below are commonly asked questions regarding field placement.
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How does the field placement process work?
Experiential learning in your community is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of earning your degree. Practicum hours are guided and directed by Felician University faculty in collaboration with your on-site field supervisor at the agency where you are assigned. Support to find field placement sites that align with your career goals is integrated into the program cost.
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How do field placement services help me?
Concurrent coursework and field experiences connect theory with practice. Field placement provides 100 practicum hours and 600+ clinical hours of real-world, hands-on counseling psychology experience. Your Student Success Coach will provide resources to help guide you in your search for a field placement site and will work with Felician’s Placement Team to facilitate any behind-the-scenes paperwork to ensure you are ready to get started on time.
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How should I prepare for my field placement?
You can begin the process of thinking through what kind of site and experience you would like to gain during your field experience. If there are sites that you are interested in, start researching the services they provide and the type of providers they have. This will ensure that you have a better understanding of different facilities and when you meet with Student Success Coach, you will be able to assess whether or not they are appropriate for your field experience.
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In what types of agencies do students complete their fieldwork?
Typically, students complete their field practicum hours at:
- Community centers/organizations
- Human service agencies
- Counseling and therapy centers
- Addiction and mental health treatment facilities
- Adoption agencies
- Senior care facilities, such as nursing homes
- Correctional facilities
- Hospitals/clinics
Counseling Psychology Program Objectives and Outcomes
Upon completion of the Master of Arts in Counseling program, students will learn to:
- Demonstrate an awareness of the ethical challenges and responsibilities in the field of counseling.
- Articulate a personal model for addressing these responsibilities that is consistent with Catholic and Franciscan values.
- Assess individuals and groups that display patterns of psychopathology.
- Use information and technology literacy for maintaining best practices in counseling.
- Articulate a clear and precise treatment plan for addressing the diagnoses of individuals and groups.
- Adapt to the unique cultural, gender, racial, and sexual orientation needs of individuals and groups they serve.
- Demonstrate competence in appropriate scientifically validated treatment modalities including individual psychological counseling, marital and couples counseling, family counseling, group counseling, and organizational consultation and interventions.
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According to Salary.com, The total annual median income for full-time licensed professional counselors is roughly $64,791.
According the BLS, jobs in the mental health sector are expected to grow three times faster than all other jobs in the US over the next 10 years. By joining the field as a licensed professional counselor, graduates can expect to join a rapidly evolving and growing profession, equipped with the skills to work in a variety of locations.
Licensed Counselors practice in diverse environments including schools, hospitals, organizations, mental health facilities, private practices and more.
Other roles will include jobs in human services, case management, community outreach, advocacy and program administration within non-profit organizations, educational settings and government agencies (not providing therapy).
Felician University’s online Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology curriculum is aligned with the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC).
Felician University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Our focus is on preparing students to be compassionate, community-focused, and facilitative of the potential of others, while striving to maintain the ideas of the Gospel and following the model of St. Francis through service to others. In the realm of counseling, a new paradigm – positive psychology – has emerged during the last 10 years. An emphasis on mindfulness, spiritual development, and empowering the potential of others has become a new and core theoretical expansion of models of counseling that we incorporate into our curriculum. We also offer a Forensic Track of the MACP program for our students.
This program requires 60 credit hours of coursework with 100 practicum hours and 600+ internship hours. The program can be completed part-time in 10 semesters (3.3 years) or full-time in 7 semesters (2.3 years).
The online Master of Arts Counseling Psychology program costs $925.00 per credit hour for a total degree cost of $55,500, excluding fees. A discount is available to Felician University alumni. A 20% Ed Assist discount may also be available to non-alumni. Fill out the form and connect with an enrollment advisor to see if you qualify.
Sophia Marino
Masters of Counseling Psychology
“The MACP program is a great opportunity for students to further their education and be part of a community that strives to make positive changes and empower those around us, especially within the mental health field.”
Isabella Bertossi
Masters of Counseling Psychology
“As an international student from South Africa, it was pivotal for me to find a place with ample opportunity. Felician not only meets but exceeds my expectations, offering an environment that is both challenging and enjoyable. The community at Felician made it easy for me to forge meaningful connections and make friends to last a lifetime.”
