Degree Requirements
Forensic Mental Health Counseling, Master of Arts
Acting Program Director: Professor Abbie Tuller 2023-2034
Developed within the Department of Psychology, the Forensic Mental Health Counseling program is a "license eligible" academic program that satisfies the state's educational requirements for professional licensure as a mental health counselor. The program is approved by New York State, where upon completion, students are eligible to obtain their limited permit, leading to licensure as a mental health counselor with a specialization in forensics. Students learn to work with diverse populations within forensic clinical settings.
Within the program, students develop skills in interviewing, assessment and counseling, based upon established theories, principles and research in human development, personality, psychopathology, and counseling. Students are uniquely prepared to work towards licensure as counselors in settings including but not limited to victim services, correctional facilities, juvenile detention centers, probation and parole agencies, and social service agencies. The program places a strong emphasis on intersections among race, class, gender, ethnicity and sexuality with an aim towards developing multicultural awareness. The program requires clinical fieldwork and offers research opportunities for those students interested in pursuing doctoral education.
While a limited number of courses are online, the overall program requires in person attendance.
Degree Requirements
The degree requires 60 credits. The program contains a group of twelve required courses (36 credits); three to six forensic mental health electives (9-18 credits); plus, a 600-hour (6 credits) supervised fieldwork internship.
Required Courses
- PSY 700: Mental Health Professionals, Social Science and the Law
- PSY 715: Research Design and Methods
- PSY 731: Human Growth and Development
- PSY 741: Theories of Personality and Counseling
- PSY 745: Psychopathology
- PSY 755: Introduction to Forensic Mental Health Counseling
- PSY 758: Clinical Instruction
- PSY 760: Counseling and Psychotherapy Methods
- PSY 761: Clinical Interviewing and Assessment
- PSY 765: Group Dynamics and Group Treatment
- PSY 769: Intermediate Statistics in the Social Sciences
- PSY 795: Introduction to Assessment
Beginning students are expected to complete the following courses before the completion of their first 30 credits:
- PSY 700: Mental Health Professionals, Social Science and the Law
- PSY 715: Research Design and Methods
- PSY 745: Psychopathology
- PSY 755: Introduction to Forensic Mental Health Counseling
- PSY 769: Intermediate Statistics in the Social Sciences
Students are automatically enrolled under the Externship Track until declaration of the Victim Specialization Track or Thesis Track. The Externship Track requires 6 electives of choice (18 credits), along with completion of the required courses and externship.
- PSY 701: Criminal Behavior
- PSY 703: Violence and Aggression
- PSY 705: Victimology
- PSY 707: Counseling and Rehabilitation of the Offender
- PSY 708: Crisis Intervention and Short-term Counseling
- PSY 714: Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
- PSY 716: Assessment and Counseling of the Juvenile Offender
- PSY 719: Psychology of Cults*
- PSY 722: Evaluation and Counseling of the Sex Offender
- PSY 726: Mental Health Issues in Policing*
- PSY 727: Eyewitness Identification*
- PSY 729: Terrorism
- PSY 730: Ethical Issues in Forensic Mental Health*
- PSY 733: Dissociation and Trauma
- PSY 734: Criminal Psychological Assessment
- PSY 739: Clinical Crime Scene Analysis*
- PSY 742: Family Violence and Disputes
- PSY 746: Empirical Profiling Methods*
- PSY 748: Empirical Crime Scene Analysis*
- PSY 751: Intellectual and Cognitive Assessment*
- PSY 752: Projective Personality Assessment
- PSY 753: Objective Personality Assessment
- PSY 754: Advanced Forensic Assessment
- PSY 762: Transdiagnostic Mindfulness Treatment for Impulsive, Addictive and Self-Destructive Behaviors*
- PSY 766: Personality Profiles of the Homicidal Offender
- PSY 768: Mental Health Stigma: Concepts, Research and Clinician Interventions*
- PSY 770: Positive Psychology*
- PSY 773: Child Abuse and Neglect
- PSY 774: Advanced Issues in Victim Counseling
- PSY 779: Brain and Behavior
- PSY 784: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality*
- PSY 790: Psychology Seminar in Selected Topics*
*These electives are not offered every semester.
Note: For particularized student interest, students may be permitted two cognate courses (0-6 credits). Students may enroll in up to two additional graduate courses offered at John Jay College, including those courses in the Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity, Public Administration or other master's degree programs.
Occasional Offerings:
- PSY 718: Social Science Evidence in Court
- PSY 720: Social Psychology and the Legal System
- PSY 728: Social Psychopathology
- PSY 747: The Treatment and Prevention of Childhood Psychopathology
- PSY 763: Behavior Modification and Learning Theory
- PSY 764: Hypnosis, Psychology and the Law
In addition to completion of the 12 required courses and externship, all students who elect this track are required to take the following 6 courses in lieu of Forensic Mental Health Electives.
- PSY 705: Victimology
- PSY 708: Crisis Intervention & Short-term Treatment
- PSY 733: Dissociation & Trauma
- PSY 742: Family Violence & Disputes
- PSY 773: Child Abuse & Neglect
- PSY 774: Advanced Issues in Victim Counseling & Psychotherapy
Students in this concentration may not also write a thesis.
This track must be formally declared after completing 30 credits. To declare your track, fill out the FMHC Track Declaration Form and submit it to the PSY MA Admin Office (psymaadmin@jjay.cuny.edu).
In addition to completion of the 12 required courses and externship, all students who elect this track are required to take the following 3 courses and 3 elective courses:
- PSY 737: Descriptive and Statistical Data Analysis
- PSY 738: Advanced Research Methods
- PSY 791: Prospectus Seminar
If interested in the thesis track, you must find a full-time faculty member to work with you as a thesis advisor. For assistance in finding an advisor, email the Master’s Student Research Group: msrg@jjay.cuny.edu. Thesis students must obtain approval from a full-time faculty advisor serving as a thesis sponsor before enrolling in PSY 791. Students are advised to enroll in PSY 715 and PSY 769 early in the program to determine thesis eligibility, as they must achieve an A- or higher to graduate with a thesis. It is recommended students enroll in PSY 737 after completing PSY 791 and PSY 738.
When ready to enroll in PSY 791 and PSY 738 (co-requisites), fill out the Graduate Thesis Prospectus Form with your thesis advisor and send the PDF form to the PSY MA Admin Office: psymaadmin@jjay.cuny.edu. The PSY MA Admin Office will review your form, sign for the program director, and submit to Registrar on your behalf. Registrar will then manually create the course and add it to your course schedule. You will then have permission to self-enroll in PSY 738.
To graduate with a thesis, you must achieve a grade of A- or higher in PSY 715, PSY 769, PSY 737, and PSY 738, as well as a "PASS" in PSY 791.
This track must be formally declared after completing 30 credits. To declare your track, fill out the FMHC Track Declaration Form and submit it to the PSY MA Admin Office (psymaadmin@jjay.cuny.edu).
All questions regarding thesis deadlines and submission guidelines must be directed to the FMHC office: fmhc@jjay.cuny.edu.
Forensic Mental Health Counseling Track Declaration Form:
https://jstop.jjay.cuny.edu/forms/FMHC%20Track%20declration%20form.pdf
Graduate Thesis Prospectus Form:
Externship (600 Supervised Hours)
Required Courses:
- PSY 780: Fieldwork in Counseling I (300 hours)
- PSY 781: Fieldwork in Counseling II (300 hours)
Prerequisites:
- You may begin applying for your externship one externship once enrolled in 24 credits and after completing the prerequisite course requirements (or while in progress of completing). Once 24 credits and prerequisites are complete, you can start your externship. The prerequisite courses are PSY 758, 745, PSY 760 and PSY 761.
Contact:
- Externship Office: PsychMAExternships@jjay.cuny.edu
- Externship Director Naomi Naiztat: NNaiztat@jjay.cuny.edu
Students returning from John Jay College's Masters in Forensic Psychology to John Jay College's Forensic Mental Health Counseling:
A total of 60 graduate credits are required for completion of the Forensic Mental Health Counseling Program (FMHC).
- Students who graduated with a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College less than 10 years prior to the time of enrollment in the FMHC program may utilize a maximum of 30 credits from the previous MA towards the second MA degree program.
- Students who graduated with a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College 10 or more years prior to the time of enrollment in the FMHC program are ineligible to transfer any credits from the previous MA toward the second MA degree program.
For students who have completed an MA program outside of John Jay OR a non-Psychology MA degree program at John Jay (e.g., Criminal Justice MA, etc.):
- The maximum allowable transfer credits are 12. All credit transfer requests must be approved by the program prior to processing by the Office of Registrar.
Readmitted FMHC students:
- Students may transfer 30 credits from their previous FP MA degree if they completed their degree less than 10 years prior to the time of readmission; if 10 or more years, no credits are transferrable.
Students are also required to complete all FMHC program requirements even if they exceed 60 credits.
Students are strongly advised to clarify and confirm their Degree Works information and understanding with an FMHC program advisor to ensure accuracy. To transfer these credits, please contact the FMHC or PSY MA Administrative Office.
FMHC Office: fmhc@jjay.cuny.edu
PSY MA Administrative Office: psymaadmin@jjay.cuny.edu
PSYCH Externships: psychmaexternships@jjay.cuny.edu.
Advisement: cmohammed@jjay.cuny.edu