The Master of Science in Counseling Program

The M.S. in Counseling on the Westchester campus is a 36-credit program to develop general counseling skills and specialization in either substance abuse or loss and grief counseling.

The program consists of a counseling core of 21 credits, which provides students with a foundation of advanced psychological knowledge and basic counseling theories and practices.

The substance abuse track courses total 15 credits, and allow students to focus on treatment of substance abusers. The need for well-trained substance abuse counselors is firmly established. Most graduates of the program have gone onto successful careers in the field.

The loss and grief track courses prepare students to work with the chronically and terminally ill, and with their families and survivors. This program combines a sound foundation in generic counseling courses with specific courses in Loss Across Life Span, Death and Dying, and Grief Counseling. Grief counseling is fast becoming a very important aspect of psychotherapy and counseling. There will be an increased need in our American society for counselors with grief counseling skills. The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), for example, is an international professional association which has grown significantly in the last few years. Students completing Pace University's new counseling program could meet the academic requirements of ADEC's certification in grief counseling.

The general counseling track is offered for students who do not wish to specialize in a particular area of counseling. It features the core curriculum in counseling to which selected courses from the two specializations are added to increase breadth of knowledge. Graduates who follow this curriculum will be prepared for variety of professional counseling positions as well as for advanced training in specific theoretical approaches and special-interest areas of applied counseling. This track also provides a good background for further study at the doctoral level.

At the end of their course of study as part of the counseling core, all students take an integrating seminar of three credits. This capstone experience promotes students' integration of theory and practice, and examines professional ethics and practices in the counseling field.

In addition, all students engage in supervised experience (for no academic credit), beginning as early as the second semester of study.

A prerequisite for the M.S. in Counseling is a bachelor's degree in psychology, human relations, human services or a related field. If students have not completed courses in general, social, abnormal and experimental psychology, and research methods, they will be required to complete the following two courses prior to beginning the graduate program: General Psychology (PSY 104), and Social Psychology (PSY 304).

Students have the option of completing the program either on a full-time or part-time basis. Transfer credits are accepted, but candidates must fulfill the residency requirements of 30 credits at Pace University.

The following programs are designed for full-time study. A program of part-time study can be designed for each student in consultation with the Director of the Graduate Counseling Program. Students entering in the spring term will be advised into the appropriate courses.

General Counseling Track

Substance Abuse Track

Loss and Grief Track

First Year (Spring)

General Counseling Track

Substance Abuse Track

Loss and Grief Track

First Year (Second Summer)

Loss and Grief Track

Second Year (Fall)

General Counseling Track

Substance Abuse Track

Degree Requirements:

Core Credits

General Counseling

Grief Counseling

Substance Abuse Counseling

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