The Master of Clinical and Counseling Psychology is 100% online and Ferrum College students benefit from a diverse, supportive faculty licensed in multiple states who guide you through meeting the licensure requirements for your state of choice. Graduates are prepared to complete requirements to become Licensed Psychological Associates (LPAs*) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs*) through the licensure processes established in each locale.
*If students meet licensure requirements in their state. Read Disclaimer for more information.
Benefits of the program:
Students applying directly to this program or who did not earn a 3.0 GPA in the generalist program, must submit the following:
The Master of Science in Clinical and Counseling Psychology program at Ferrum College is designed to generally prepare graduates for clinical licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or a Licensed Psychological Associate/Practitioner (LPA/LPP). The program requires 60 credit hours, aligning with the typical requirements for licensure in both professions across many states.
It is crucial to note that while our program is structured to meet the academic requirements for both license types, the ultimate determination of licensure eligibility lies with each state’s licensing board. Ferrum College cannot guarantee licensure, as licensure is subject to the policies and regulations set forth by individual state licensing boards.
Ferrum College holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). However, as a new MS in Clinical and Counseling Psychology program, it has not yet applied for accreditation through the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the American Psychological Association (APA), or the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). The program intends to pursue accreditation with one or more of these bodies in the future, but the College cannot guarantee the outcome of the respective accreditation processes.
Prospective students are advised to research and understand the licensure requirements of the state in which they intend to practice. Ferrum College encourages students to contact their state licensing board for the most current and specific information regarding licensure eligibility. We are available to help prospective students locate licensure information for their state and preferred licensure type.
For further inquiries regarding the Ferrum College Master of Science in Clinical and Counseling Psychology program, please contact the Program Director, Dr. Ryan Cooper (rrcooper@ferrum.edu) or Program Assistant, Jennifer Whitlow (jwhitlow@ferrum.edu).
The Ferrum College Master of Science in Clinical and Counseling Psychology has been designed to meet the Virginia requirements for LPC licensure; however, until our first cohort completes their degree and applies to the board, we cannot guarantee licensure results.
Virginia mandates candidates to “complete 60 graduate semester hours” through a master’s degree that offers “a sequence of academic study with the expressed intent to prepare counselors as documented by the institution” (which our program fulfills). Additionally, the program must have “identifiable counselor training faculty and an identifiable body of students who complete that sequence of academic study” (both of which our program possesses). Finally, the “academic unit must have clear authority and primary responsibility for the core and specialty areas” (which our program holds). While CACREP programs are presumed to meet these criteria, non-CACREP programs that are regionally accredited (we are) should meet these requirements as well.
We have proactively engaged the Virginia Board of Counseling and communicated that we are admitting students starting in Fall of 2024. The Board advised the College to maintain an/one LPC faculty (not a strictly psychological faculty) and suggested (but did not require) the College have at least three LPCs on faculty. Currently, the faculty team includes three (3) Licensed Professional Counselors and (3) Licensed Psychologists.
Virginians and/or those who plan to practice in Virginia should also be aware of coursework requirements (listed per 18VAC115-20-51), which include: professional counseling identity, function, and ethics; theories of counseling and psychotherapy; counseling and psychotherapy techniques; human growth and development; group counseling and psychotherapy theories and techniques; career counseling and development theories and techniques; appraisal, evaluation, and diagnostic procedures; abnormal behavior and psychopathology; multicultural counseling theories and techniques; research; diagnosis and treatment of addictive disorders; marriage and family systems theory; and a supervised internship of 600 hours, of which 240 hours of face-to-face client contact is required.
Prospective students are encouraged to review the Virginia Board of Counseling’s regulations closely.
