Clinical-Community Counseling Psychology

Prepare for LPC Licensure and Enhance the Lives of Individuals, Groups and Communities

Point Park University's Master of Arts in Clinical-Community Counseling Psychology degree program will prepare you for state licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), giving you the knowledge and tools to help enhance the well-being of individuals, groups and communities through community intervention and clinical practices.

Our distinctive 60-credit program combines the subfields of clinical psychology and community psychology. It emphasizes a better understanding of the role of socio-cultural factors in mental health and well-being, including the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of mental illness. Practicum and internship opportunities will build upon the knowledge you gain in the classroom.

Our approach is holistic, humanistic and phenomenological. Our faculty and students utilize multiple methods and frameworks to better explain and understand human experience and behavior. Our program strives for empathic understanding and appreciation of diverse ways of living in the world through an ethically-informed approach to psychology that respects and values the fundamental dignity and human rights of everyone. 

This is a full-time program with predominantly on-ground daytime courses.

The priority application deadline is April 1, 2025. 

Program Objectives

Students who complete Point Park's M.A. in Clinical-Community Counseling Psychology will learn to:

• Describe the psychological foundations of clinical-community psychology.
• Apply clinical-community psychology for the prevention and amelioration of mental illness and the improvement of mental well-being.
• Employ research skills to explore questions and help solve problems in clinical-community psychology.
• Describe the psychological foundations of clinical-community psychology.
• Demonstrate understanding of ethics and values of the field of clinical-community psychology.
• Demonstrate an appreciation of and assessment of individual and cultural diversity.

Courses & Topics

Courses and topics in Point Park's master's program in clinical-community counseling psychology include:

• Counseling Theories & Interventions
• Career & Lifestyle Development
• Assessment & Evaluation
• Clinical Fundamentals
• Ethics & Professional Issues
• Community Psychology
• Qualitative Research
• Quantitative Research
• Cognition, Emotion & Motivation
• Social Psychology
• Therapy with Groups, Families & Couples

In addition to foundational coursework, students will complete a 100-hour practicum course in their second year and a two-course internship sequence in the fall and spring of their third year. The internship will prepare students for the next step in their careers through 600 hours of supervised experience in a community mental health setting.

Career Options

With an M.A. in Clinical-Community Counseling Psychology, you'll have the option to pursue LPC licensure and/or various career opportunities, such as:

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• Clinical/counseling work in community programs with children and adults, with a community/preventive perspective
• Administer or director of community programs in human services, mental health, prevention community, education, health promotion and community development

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of January 2024, reports that the field of mental health counseling is projected to grow much faster than average in the coming years (2023-2033), based on occupational projections data. Compared to the projected growth across all occupations (4%), employment of master’s level counselors is projected to grow 19% from 2023-2033.

Professional Affiliations

Point Park's Department of Psychology is affiliated with the American Psychological Association's Divisions 17, 24, 27, 32, 35 and 39. Click on the links below to learn more:

• APA, Division 17: Society of Counseling Psychology
• APA, Division 24: Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology
• APA, Division 27: Society for Community Research and Action
• APA, Division 32: Society for Humanistic Psychology
• APA, Division 35: Society for the Psychology of Women
• APA, Division 39: Society for Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychology

Admissions Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology or related field
• For applicants without a B.A. in Psychology, at least four undergraduate psychology courses are preferred. 
• A minimum 3.25 GPA
• Submit a current resume. 
• Submit two letters of recommendation.
• Respond to the following essay prompts:
  • Describe why you are attracted to graduate clinical study in a human science-oriented clinical-community counseling program.
  • Describe the relationship between theory and practice. Who are influential thinkers that you’d like to learn more about?

This is a full-time program with predominantly on-ground daytime courses.

The priority application deadline is April 1, 2025. Candidates may be asked to interview with faculty, either individually or in a group, as part of the admissions process.

Learn More

For additional information, contact Kevin McCullough, admissions counselor, Office of Graduate and Online Admissions, at kmccullough@pointpark.edu or 412-392-3176. Schedule a call with him on Calendly.