MA in Clinical Counseling
& Psychotherapy

Comprehensive clinical training. Compassionate practice.

Learn to Empower People to Live Meaningful, Integrated Lives

Since 1981, ICSW has been a leader in specialized higher education for clinicians. Building on this tradition, our master’s program offers students an opportunity to learn psychodynamic principles and apply them to a broad range of practice settings. We prepare students for the depth and diversity that contemporary practice demands.

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ICSW currently does not meet licensure
requirements for practice in the following states:

  • Colorado
  • Kentucky
  • Nevada
  • North Carolina

Program Objectives of the Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Getting your clinical mental health counseling master's is closer than ever before. Students choose ICSW because it provides close collaboration with expert faculty and comprehensive clinical internships. This extensive training in psychodynamic theory and practice prepares students to become licensed professional counselors (LPC) and carry their training into clinical practice or doctoral education.

Mastering the Basics of Psychotherapy

Over two years, you’ll cover the fundamentals of psychotherapy — including psychoanalytic origins, major thinkers, and concepts like the unconscious, repression, defenses, and dream work. You’ll also learn about counseling methods, professional ethics, couple and group therapy, substance abuse issues, and research techniques.

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?

ICSW offers both part-time and full-time clinical psychotherapy masters programs. Our program works around your schedule to help you achieve your dreams of being a clinical counselor.

Part-Time

ICSW’s Part-Time Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy Master’s program offers courses over three years, with a summer and winter break between the Fall semester and Spring semester.

Financial Aid Notice: The part-time MA curriculum is designed to be completed over three years. Eligibility for federal financial aid programs is governed by federal regulations and institutional approvals and may not correspond to the published part-time completion timeline. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss their individual eligibility.
Part-Time Master’s Schedule

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.

Full-Time Master’s Schedule
General Financial Aid Information: Financial aid eligibility can vary based on enrollment status, program length, and federal regulations. Students are encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office for guidance regarding their specific situation.

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Begin your journey today. Choose from full-time and part-time pathways designed to prepare students for professional counseling practice.

If you have any concerns regarding the admissions process, please connect with Samantha Antos, Enrollment Specialist at admissions@icsw.edu.

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  • 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:

    • Application Form

    • 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 Samantha Antos, Enrollment Management Specialist at, santos@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.

  • Click here to view our FAQ's.

  • Click here for more information about tuition costs, financial aid options, and institutional scholarships.

  • We accept, on an individual basis, transfer of credits from any other accredited Master’s or Doctoral Program for courses which are equivalent to courses in the curriculum of ICSW’s Master’s or Doctoral Program pending approval by the Academic Dean.

    Guidelines:

    • Courses from other programs must be evaluated by the Academic Dean.

      1. The evaluation will include a judgment of the general similarity in content and clock hours.

      2. We will accept credits totaling no more than twenty percent of the required coursework in any degree program.

      3. Clinical Practicum and case conference courses may be eligible for transfer of credit consideration.

      4. Courses may be no less than 5 years old to be eligible for transfer credit.

      5. Transcripts and syllabi need to be reviewed for content prior to granting transfer credit approval.

    ICSW has always had a “test-out” policy for any course. Students must successfully complete the evaluation of student learning activities to demonstrate knowledge of course content.

  • A student is eligible for graduation when they have:

    • Earned a total of 60 semester credit hours are required for graduating with a master’s in clinical counseling and psychotherapy

    • Completed and passed a comprehensive exam covering concepts from psychodynamic core theory courses

    • Presented and passed a clinical case to a faculty panel

    • Fulfilled two Field Placements totaling 350 hours in the first academic year of the program and 700 hours in the second academic year of the master’s in counseling program

    • Fulfilled all financial obligations

    Some credit earned in the counseling master’s program may be transferable to ICSW’s doctoral program. For specific information, please contact ICSW at 773-943-6500. 

  • 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.