HOW WILL YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
How to Get a Master’s in Clinical Counseling and
Psychotherapy
Fall 2024 Application Available Now!
Deadline Extended: May 15, 2024
Program Objectives of ICSW’s Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Getting your clinical mental health counseling master's is closer than ever before. Founded by a collection of visionary social workers, students choose ICSW so they can prioritize social justice, diversity, and compassionate practice that will help them make the world a better place. With a dual focus examining both counseling master’s programs and psychotherapy master’s programs, ICSW of Chicago has married these two studies to create a graduate program designed for students who want to treat mental illness and help clients reach their full potential.
Mastering the Basics of Psychotherapy
During the first year or so you will go over the fundamentals of psychotherapy. You will go through the types of psychotherapy, preparing you to be a clinician.
Preparation for Comprehensive Examinations
During our master's in clinical health counseling program, you will learn about appropriate intake, assessment, case conceptualization, diagnosis, treatment plan, and documentation. This knowledge will be taught in preparation for the LPC - NCE
Field Work
Students will participate in independent learning experiences, preparing them for their careers as clinical psychotherapists. You will usually work in an agency, reporting to a supervisor and shadowing a licensed clinical mental health counselor. The learning goals of fieldwork allow you to get a full understanding of the responsibilities a clinical psychotherapist deals with on a day-to-day basis.
Does ICSW Offer a Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy Master’s Degree For Both Part-Time and Full-Time?
Offering both part-time and full-time clinical psychotherapy masters programs, ICSW has a program that works around your schedule to help you achieve your dreams of being a clinical psychologist.
Part-Time
ICSW’s Part-Time Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy Master’s program takes courses over three years, with a summer and winter break between the Fall semester and Spring semester.
Full-Time
ICSW’s Full-Time Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy Master’s program takes courses over two years, with a summer and winter break between the Fall semester and Spring semester.
What are the Masters in Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy Degree Requirements?
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university — degree need not be in psychology or social work
Minimum 3.0 GPA at all institutions of higher education
GRE is not required
Applicants who meet the above criteria and are interested in applying to the program are welcome to apply online. During this process, applicants are asked to submit:
Personal Statement (Uploaded with application) (Guidelines)
Resume/CV (Uploaded with application)
Transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
Official electronic transcripts are strongly preferred; they can be sent to Andrea Hall, Associate Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, at ahall@icsw.edu.
Non-refundable $50 application fee (Submitted with application)
Based on the above materials, applicants who appear well qualified for the clinical health counseling and psychotherapy master’s program will be invited to a minimum of two interviews with ICSW faculty members (onsite or via video conferencing) and will be asked to take an online writing / critical thinking assessment.
Note on Licensure: The Master’s program at ICSW meets state of Illinois requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Accrued hours are transferrable for licensure in another state and if a student would like to obtain their LPC in another state, they should check that state’s requirements for equivalency in their master’s in clinical health counseling program. In some cases, other states may require a student to take an additional class or two. However, Illinois requirements are stringent and are in excess of many other states’ requirements.
State laws may require certification or licensure to practice counseling in that state. Students who live outside of the state of Illinois, should determine prior to enrollment at ICSW to determine whether their degree from ICSW will qualify them for that license/certification. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the licensing board to obtain the applicable requirements, rules, and regulations of the state they plan to reside or work prior to enrollment at the Institute for Clinical Social Work. It is the student’s responsibility to determine whether the distance pathway to the Master’s program will meet their state’s requirements for certification, and licensure prior to enrollment.
Note for International Applicants: The Institute for Clinical Social Work’s master’s degree in clinical counseling and psychotherapy prepares students for licensure (Licensed Professional Counselor– LPC/Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor – LCPC).The Institute for Clinical Social Work is not authorized to issue F-1 student visas. Therefore, non-resident, international students should consider their immigration status independent of their affiliation with ICSW, and whether their status will allow for post-graduation employment necessary to complete the National Board for Certified Counselors National Counselor Examination (NCE) requirements for licensure. Additionally, non-resident, international students should check licensing requirements that are specific to their own country.
If you have any concerns regarding the admissions process, please connect with Andrea Hall, Associate Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at ahall@icsw.edu.