Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling

Take the next step. Become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.

The Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling at Loyola University Maryland trains and prepares future graduate-level mental health counselors. Students complete 60 credit hours and 600 supervised field experience hours, fulfilling all of the necessary educational requirements to become Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC or Professional Counselor) in the state of Maryland. And, with extensive in-house and externship training, Loyola Clinical Professional Counseling students graduate well prepared to enter a career that is projected to add over 79,000 new jobs by 2029.

The program is located within Loyola’s Department of Psychology, composed of faculty members who are productive scientists as well as dedicated instructors who infuse the latest research into their courses. We have been training exceptional master’s level mental health practitioners for five decades. The department includes master’s level clinicians with the LCPC credential as well as faculty members with doctorates in clinical and counseling psychology. A number of full-time faculty continue to work in private practice and over 20 affiliate faculty members focus on professional practice to ensure that the realities of clinical work are addressed. Reflecting Loyola’s Jesuit tradition, we focus on academic excellence, multicultural competence, social justice, and serving the community; we view both our students and the individuals we assist as complete beings and encourage their growth in multiple aspects of life.

Program Format

To prepare students, the program features a full-time, structured sequence of 60 credits and 600 hours of supervised field experience, completed over two years and four months. Practicum training is a precursor to externship training, which is completed through Loyola's large and diverse network of externship sites in the greater Baltimore-Washington area that range from world-famous academic medical centers to small group practices allowing students to tailor their training and experience to their clinical interests.

Outcomes and Job Opportunities

Graduates of Loyola’s master’s level graduate programs in psychology have gone on to be employed across the country from reputable private practices to world-renowned medical systems.

From 2019-2029 the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects significant future demand for mental health counselors. The number of jobs in the field is expected to grow by 25%, adding over 79,000 jobs. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists are expected to make up the majority of that demand and "average pay" for mental health counselors is higher than the average for all other occupations.

Program Director

Emalee J. W. Quickel, Ph.D.

Admission and How to Apply

For questions or inquiries regarding the program please request information below, email graduate@loyola.edu, or call 410-617-5020. Students interested in applying to this program are encouraged to begin the application early to ensure all materials and transcripts are received on time. More information about admission requirements may be on the admission page.

Request Information Apply

All accepted applicants must complete and pass a background check prior to enrollment