Rehabilitation Counseling in Mental Health, Adv. Cert.

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Associate Professor Mitus, Graduate Program Director, 516-463-7453

The Advanced Certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling in Mental Health is intended for rehabilitation practitioners or those in a related counseling profession who may need courses or field-based experience in mental health counseling to become eligible to sit for the LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) examination in New York. To earn the advanced certificate, students will be required to complete a minimum of 21 credit hours with additional coursework upon advisement. A program of study will be developed that positions the student for academic eligibility to take the exam.

Hofstra University currently has registered programs in Rehabilitation Counseling in Mental Health and Mental Health Counseling . These programs, however, are intended for students who have either no or minimal academic training in the field. In contrast, the Advanced Certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling in Mental Health will serve a need for those who already have a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or a related counseling degree and who need a few courses to meet the requirements set forth by New York State Mental Health Licensure.

On average, students complete this program in two academic years.

Admission Requirements

A master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or other related counseling disciplines.
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 for graduate work.
Personal interview with a faculty member.
A detailed resume including related professional experience.
Three letters of recommendation, at least one from an academic source and one from a professional source.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 21 Minimum

Students are required to take a minimum of 21 semester hours including the following courses:

COUN 202 - Professional Orientation and Ethics Semester Hours: 3
COUN 261 - Understanding Psychopathology in Counseling Semester Hours: 3
COUN 275 - Issues in Mental Health and Consultation Semester Hours: 3
REHB 234 - Internship: Rehabilitation Counseling I Semester Hours: 6
REHB 235 - Internship: Rehabilitation Counseling II Semester Hours: 6
NOTE: Applicants to the program should have master’s level course work in the areas of human growth and development; social and cultural foundations of counseling; group dynamics; research and program evaluation; lifestyle and career development; and clinical instruction. Upon review of the student’s transcript, if any of these courses are missing, they will be added into the student’s plan of study.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of all program requirements.
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in overall graduate course work.

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