Counseling Psychology Concentration

Why Choose the Counseling Psychology Program?

Students in this graduate program learn to facilitate personal, educational, vocational and group adjustment across the lifespan. They are prepared to work in a in a variety of settings such as community mental health agencies, group homes, university career and counseling centers, rehabilitation programs, substance abuse treatment centers and psychiatric hospitals.

Tracks within the Counseling Psychology Concentration 

In this concentration you can pursue either the practitioner track or the research track.

Practitioner Track

The practitioner track prepares you to work as a counselor or therapist at the master's level. The curriculum of the program maps directly onto the requirements for licensure in Maryland, and can be applied in other states. Graduates of the practitioner track may also choose to continue their education in a doctoral program.

Research Track

The research track provides you with the experience, knowledge and skills required for successful Ph.D. program admission. Students on the research track gain intensive training and mentorship in research methodology, statistics, and design by completing a master’s thesis under the supervision of a faculty member in your area of interest. Following graduation, you may apply to doctoral program in counseling psychology or a related field, or pursue licensure at the master’s level.

Program Mission and Objectives: 

MA in Psychology, Counseling Psychology Concentration Mission Statement 

The mission of the Counseling Psychology concentration of the Master of Arts in Psychology is to prepare graduates to become effective mental health professionals who demonstrate clinical awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to work with diverse client populations in various settings. This program is intended for persons wishing to pursue careers in applied psychology from a practitioner scholar framework. 

Multicultural Orientation  

The Counseling Concentration of the MA program in Psychology has a strong foundation in social justice and culturally responsive counseling. We aim to provide our students with the tools necessary for engaging in culturally inclusive work with individuals and communities. We place a strong emphasis on understanding intersecting systems of power and privilege and encourage deep personal reflection and development of critical consciousness during students’ time in the program and beyond. This aspect of our training is interwoven throughout the curriculum and all courses taught in the program. 

In alignment with our commitment to diversity and social justice, we actively recruit students who reflect the diversity of the communities they will serve. We achieve this by promoting our program at majority-minority institutions such as Towson University and other colleges near Baltimore, hosting open houses and information sessions on weekends, and offering graduate assistantships across the campus.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that fosters a sense of belonging and supports the success of students with diverse identities. To this end, we provide multicultural and social justice training for all students. 

Currently, more than half of our students identify as members of racial minority groups, including Black, Asian, Latine, and Middle Eastern/North African Americans. Our diverse student body also includes individuals who identify as gender non-binary, queer, or part of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, over 50% of our students have disclosed they have a disability, long-term illness, or chronic health condition. 

Program Statistics at a Glance

In compliance with our program’s MPCAC accreditation, the following information represents a snapshot of our program’s statistics:

Applicant and Student Information:                                                

Number of Applications received to matriculate in academic year 2024-2025: 146 
Of those applications, number of students admitted: 17 
Of those admitted, number of students newly enrolled in academic year 2023-2024: 14 

Of those who were newly enrolled in AY 2023-2025) number who continued this fall (fall 2024) into year two (first year retention rate): 16 

Total number of students enrolled in the program during the academic year 2024-2025: 35 
Number of students who graduated in the academic year 2022-2024: 12 

Number of full-time students who started the program and graduated within the expected time frame (two or three years, depending on your program length). This would NOT include part-time students who graduated in the AY 2023-2024: 12 

Percent of students who enrolled in the program in fall 2019 (AY 2018-2019) who graduated from the program (5-year graduation rate): 100% 

Percent of those who graduated in the years 2020 to 2022 who became fully licensed and/or credentialed (as mental health counselors, professional counselors, BCBA, substance abuse counselors or other similar titles): 85% 

Percent of those who graduated in 2023-2023 who became certified or licensed (depending on your state's regulations) as school counselors: 0% 

Percentage of courses taught by adjunct or part-time faculty over the 2022-2023 AY: 32% 

Faculty Information:

Core faculty: 5  (5 women; 2 Black, 1 Asian, 2 White) 

Contributing faculty: 15 (12 women, 2 men, 1 genderqueer; 4 Black, 1 Latine, 10 White)

Working Toward Licensure

The program allows you to accumulate as many as 1,000 of the 3,000 supervised hours required for licensure while in the master's program. Faculty members work closely with students to ensure clinical requirements are met.

Degree Requirements

View degree requirements and course descriptions in the Graduate Catalog.

Beginning in fall 2024 (pending university curricular approval), the counseling psychology concentration will require a minimum of 60 credit hours for degree completion. This change to the curriculum is required to maintain accreditation by MPCAC. If you are applying to the program for fall 2024 or later, please be advised of this change. The 2024-25 Graduate Catalog will be updated with the new curriculum upon final university approval.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

View admission requirements and deadlines to apply to the program.

WHY TOWSON university?

Small Cohort Model

Towson University’s counseling psychology program is unique in the area as it operates from a small cohort-based model. This model allows students to receive excellent advising and mentoring from faculty to best meet their individual career goals. Students and faculty get to know each other well and faculty are committed to fostering strong mentoring relationships with all students.

Focus on Multiculturalism and Social Justice

The counseling concentration at Towson University is strongly committed to providing excellent training in multicultural competence and social justice work. As we prepare students to work in a diverse world, there is a strong emphasis on developing cultural competence throughout the curriculum, including in courses, practicum and internship experiences and extra-curricular activities.

Flexible Schedule

Students can complete their degree requirements in two calendar years with full-time attendance. However, some students opt to attend part-time. Courses meet once a week for 2.5 hours and every attempt is made to schedule them together to minimize the number of days students need to come to campus.  Our program works to accommodate students who work full- or part-time while attending graduate school.

Prepare for Licensure as a Professional Counselor

The curriculum of the counseling concentration at Towson University aligns directly with the requirements for licensure in Maryland as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). Students interested in pursuing the LCPC will have completed the majority of the state’s requirements for licensure, as well as up to 1000 of the 3000 supervised clinical hours required. Faculty members work closely with students to ensure placement at a practicum agency and to ensure that clinical requirements are met. Additionally, students are well-prepared for the National Counselor Examination (NCE) that is required in most states for licensure as a professional counselor. Among alumni who have graduated within the last three years (2013-2015) and have taken the NCE, 100% have passed the exam.