California State University, San Jose

M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

On-Campus

San Jose State
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192

M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Page

 

Program details below are quoted from program websites, supplied here for informational purposes only, and subject to change at any time. Refer to the program website for current information, deadlines, complete admission requirements, etc. It is the responsibility of the prospective student to verify with program administrators program details and that the program still meets BBS requirements for licensure in the state of California.

Program Snapshot

Accreditation

WASC

Concentrations/Specializations Offered

None

LMFT Track or Dual LMFT/LPCC Track

LMFT and LPCC, but the program is deficient in one course (Career Counseling) that must be taken before licensure as an LPCC can occur.

Length of Program

We only accept students into full-time study. While this brings less flexibility, particularly for those with full time employment, the current MFT and LPCC track takes two years to complete all of the degree requirements to become a registered intern. This full-time track requires students to enroll in 5 courses per semester, and these courses are taken in a set sequence. There are 60 total semester units taken.

The program lasts for two years, though some students graduate in the summer of their second year in order to complete pre-degree licensing requirements (particularly for the LPCC). 

Schedule/Format

  • The MFT program is a full-time master's program. It may be possible to work part-time. However, to do so places serious stress on the MFT trainee in being able to produce quality work and develop advanced clinical skills. Some semesters and summers are more intense than others. Much of the skills and knowledge obtained in the program is contingent upon how dedicated one is to learning the professional literature and the nature of the clinical environment.

  • This is a full-time program and the cohort start their classes together at the beginning of June. The cohort work closely together over 2 years and 3 summers. No part-time option is available at this time.

  • Classes will be held at the SDSU main campus and at the CCCE clinic, taking a 7-minute drive from SDSU. Check class schedule prior to purchasing the SDSU parking permit. There will be semesters where all classes are held at the Dede Alpert Center for Community Engagement. Currently, all courses are being held virtually until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Class times fluctuate by semester. As a full time program, classes may be held at any time Monday through Friday. Many of the classes are in the evening in the first year. Occasionally, there are one-day courses held sometime on a weekend.

Program Start

Fall

Estimated Total Program Tuition

$14,352

Religious Orientation

None

Entering Class Size and Classroom Sizes

We seek to build a cohort of 12-14 students each year. Cohorts take all classes together, so average class size is 12-15 students.

Fieldwork Hours Accrued During Program

For those pursuing the MFT license, you need 150 face-to-face client hours prior to graduation. You need 280 hours prior to graduation for the LPCC. Fieldwork site procurement is up to each student. We have long-standing relationships with many sites and students usually interview with those sites and others that they are interested in. We provide information on sites and direct students to a fieldwork fair held by the university. Our students haven't had problems with getting fieldwork placements in the past.

Personal Psychotherapy Requirement During Program

None

Comprehensive Exam/Culminating Project/Thesis/Etc:

There is a final comprehensive exam done in the second year, which has a written and oral component. You work on it with a faculty member and it is an in-depth case study based on a client you are seeing at your fieldwork site.

Application Process

Application Deadline

Our application cycle begins in October with a deadline for submitting all materials on February 1 using CalStateApply. We will not review applications until after the deadline in February. All applications are reviewed at one time (after Feb. 1) to build a cohort to enter in the Fall. There are no early admissions, and we only offer admission for Fall (i.e., there are no applications for beginning in Spring).

Undergraduate GPA Required

  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 in all Psychology courses AND a 3.0 for the last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of undergraduate coursework is required for admission. You are required to provide your GPA calculations for all of your psychology courses using the Psychology GPA Calculator worksheet to calculate your Psychology GPA.

  • Have a baccalaureate degree (BA or BS) in Psychology OR any baccalaureate degree (BA or BS) and a minimum of 30 semester units (45 quarter units) in Psychology.

GRE Requirement

None

Prerequisite Courses

Coursework
It is required that the applicant has completed the following courses or their equivalents as suitable background for admission to graduate-level work. This coursework MUST include the following six classes:

1. General or Introduction to Psychology (SJSU code PSYC 1)
2. Elementary Statistics (SJSU code STAT 95)
3. Introduction to Research Methods (SJSU code PSYC 18 or PSYC 120)
4. Psychobiology or equivalent (SJSU code PSYC 30)

Each of the above four (1-4) may be taken at the community college or university level and may be lower division courses

5. Upper division course in Psychopathology/Abnormal Psychology: either Adult Psychopathology (SJSU code PSYC 110) OR Child Psychopathology (SJSU code 142) 
6. Upper division course in Clinical Psychology or Theory and Methods of Counseling 
(see below for equivalence issues; SJSU code PSYC 160 or 165)

Each of the above two (5-6) MUST be taken at the University level and MUST be upper division courses.

Generally, successful applicants will have completed all, or all but one, of the prerequisite courses at the time of application. Applicants must complete all prerequisite courses prior to beginning the program.

Students who have already graduated and are seeking to take undergraduate courses that are prerequisites for admission to a graduate program may fulfill those requirements by taking courses at any community college or university. Typically, lower division courses may be taken at the community college level, and upper division course work is completed at a university.

Clinical Experience

Provide evidence of a minimum of 100 hours of paid or volunteer applied clinical experience working with persons in a counseling/helping capacity (e.g., volunteer in
home for emotionally disturbed children, juvenile hall, suicide and crisis telephone hotline) and a letter of recommendation from a supervisor who can comment directly on your performance in that role. This requirement may be modified due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the program website for more information. For more information about clinical experience, click here.

Application Highlights

  • Personal Statement

    For SJSU, answer the following questions within the context of your statement:

    1. What are your academic and professional goals? How does our graduate program “fit” in terms of you meeting these goals?
      You need to be very specific about why you have chosen to apply to the SJSU MS Clinical Program. Describe what evidence based practice means to you and how that fits your training goals as a therapist. You must discuss evidence based practice [pdf] in your application.

    2. What personal and professional experiences have led you to choose psychotherapy (clinical psychology as a profession), and why have you decided to apply to the MS Clinical Program at SJSU in particular?
      Be sure to discuss your applied clinical experiences specifically. Discuss what you learned and what skills you developed in your applied clinical experience. Describe how you utilized your supervision experience. If you have research experience, discuss how that relates to your choices for this program. YOU MUST REVIEW THE COVID-19 RELATED REQUIREMENTS LISTED HERE to complete this section.

    3. What personal qualities do you possess (e.g., interpersonal qualities or skills, second language skills) that might help you to become a successful psychotherapist? What personal qualities might challenge your ability to succeed (e.g., time management, receiving feedback)?

    4. The Clinical program at SJSU is very demanding, is academically rigorous, and seeks to graduate top quality clinicians. Overall, how are you prepared for this program, given these demands?

  • Letters of Recommendation

    • One of the contacts (letter writers) MUST be one of your applied clinical experience supervisors (NOTE COVID CHANGES) and one of the contacts (letter writers) MUST be a professor or university level instructor you have had. 

      As stated on the COVID-19 changes page: Whether or not you have applied clinical experience, we ask that you have a supervisor, program coordinator, or other professional colleague write and submit a letter that can discuss the relationship that your experience has to your goals to become a psychotherapist.

      The third recommendation can be from additional supervisors, professors in relevant courses, or other professionals who are familiar with your work and professional skills.

      THIS IS OUR USUAL REQUIREMENT (PRE COVID19): With respect to your letter from a supervisor, please note that you must have at least 100 hours of applied clinical experience (volunteer or paid) before you apply to the program. This number of hours will allow you to be trained (training hours count toward that 100) and to engage in some amount of supervised intervention so that your supervisor can write a letter evaluating your skills. See the information for prospective students for details on what meets this requirement. 

      For your application to be evaluated, you must have a total of three letter of recommendation completed by your selected recommenders (letter writers). These letters need to be from professionals who can speak to your capabilities.

      You MAY NOT send a request a letter of recommendation from a friend, classmate, or previous therapist. 

Interview Requirement

We interview students who continue in the application process in March and offer admission to applicants in mid April.

Program Summary

This 60-unit Master of Science program is designed for students who are seeking to become master’s level psychotherapists. The MS program is designed to provide students with theoretical and practical training to prepare them to work in a variety of clinical, counseling, and mental health settings. The training in San Jose State University’s MS in Clinical program emphasizes a scientific understanding and case formulation of psychopathology, known as an evidence based practice approach to psychotherapy. The program does not prepare students for pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

The program centers on a required core of academic coursework that meets the education requirements for the California Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) license and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in California. Both licenses requires 3,000 hours of approved supervised clinical experience by the California State licensing board (the BBS). Note that the requirements of these two licenses are different for both coursework and number of pre- and post-degree clinical hours. Our program meets the BBS requirements for licensure in both paths, though (as stated above), the program is deficient in one course (Career Counseling) that must be taken before licensure can occur. In compliance with Federal law 34 CFR § 668.43, we have not made a determination that the MS Clinical program curriculum at SJSU meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in any other state than California. 

The goal of the MS Clinical Program is to ensure that all graduates have minimal competences to become practicing psychotherapists who are eligible for internships and licensure. The program strongly encourages and attempts to develop the academic, professional, and clinical skills for all students. The MS Clinical Program faculty evaluates student professional and interpersonal maturity throughout the program with both formal and informal reviews. Only students who have demonstrated a high level of professional and personal integrity consistent with the role of a psychotherapist continue in the program and graduate.