Program Overview

The Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree prepares individuals for careers in professional counseling settings such as community mental health, human service agencies, college and university counseling centers, and residential treatment facilities. The curriculum provides a blend of counselor training experiences designed to provide the skills and knowledge necessary to become a professional counselor. Graduates are prepared to pursue National Counselor Certification (NCC) and licensure as a Professional Counselor (LPC). : The program has maintained CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) since 2009 and was recently re-accredited under the 2016 standards until 2025.
QUALITY COUNTS: Gannon’s CMHC program is distinguished from other programs by:
- 100% pass rate on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam
(CPCE) and scores consistently above the national average for
CACREP programs for past 8 years
Gannon Students' Performance on the National Counselor
Exam (NCE)*
|
Gannon Average
|
National Average
|
2018-2019
|
113
|
105
|
2017-2018
|
122
|
105
|
2016-2017
|
122
|
103
|
100% pass rate on first attempt 3 consecutive years.
Gannon students have a 95% overall first attempt pass rate since 2005 (N=165).
Gannon students' scores on the NCE have been consistently higher
than other CACREP accredited counseling programs since 2009.
Small class sizes, 1:10 faculty to student ratio
Closely monitored supervised clinical experience with
opportunities in over 25 sites in the Erie area
Job placement rate has ranged from 95-100% over past 8
years
All Gannon teaching faculty have doctoral degrees in contrast
to other programs with Masters level instructors
Students spend over 60 hours training in closely
supervised counseling labs prior to on-site clinical experiences
that total 700 CACREP required hours
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, career
opportunities for professional counselors are rapidly
expanding
Graduates have successfully achieved licensure in other states
such as Ohio, New York, and Connecticut