Counseling Degrees Offered at University at Buffalo

The Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology at University at Buffalo’s Graduate School of Education prepares mental health professionals who work at the vanguard of breakthroughs in schools, universities, mental health centers and hospitals. Your education here combines evidence-based practice with hands-on clinical experience. You’ll be positioned to meet growing needs for counseling services in multiple settings.

University at Buffalo counseling services are grounded in a philosophy that values personal and professional growth, respect for human diversity, multicultural competence, social justice, client strengths and ethical responsibility. This approach shapes how you’ll learn to understand the nature, development and treatment of mental health-related problems. You’ll build assessment and consultation skills needed for clinical practice.

The university at buffalo school counseling program, along with its mental health counseling track, benefits from accreditation by multiple governing bodies. Programs hold accreditation from the American Psychological Association, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs and the National Association of School Psychologists. The mental health counseling program receives accreditation from the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). This provides confirmation that your education reflects current, effective practices.

You’ll complete 600 hours of clinical work starting in your second year of the mental health counseling program. These hours build skills necessary for professional practice. You meet requirements for licensure eligibility as a mental health counselor in New York State by the time you graduate. School counseling students follow a different path. They accumulate over 750 hours of in-school contact through classroom work, small groups and one-on-one sessions. You qualify to apply for initial certification in New York State upon completion of the 61-credit EdM program.

Long-standing relationships connect you with non-profit mental health centers, hospitals, college counseling centers and substance abuse treatment centers. Partnerships with more than 100 placement sites give you hands-on experience in a variety of settings. More, scholarships, fellowships and funding opportunities make graduate education available. Tuition and fees rank among the most competitive nationally.

What counseling programs does University at Buffalo offer?

University at Buffalo offers three master’s-level counseling programs among specialized advanced certificates. Each program provides distinct pathways into the counseling profession with different clinical focuses and certification outcomes.

The Rehabilitation Counseling MS requires 60 credit hours and prepares you to work with individuals facing physical, cognitive, sensory, or mental health challenges. You can complete the program on campus in four to six full-time semesters or choose the online format, which takes less than three years on a part-time basis. You’ll accumulate more than 750 hours of clinical experience with diverse populations throughout your studies. This CACREP-accredited program ranks first in New York State and 25th nationally according to U.S. News & World Report. After graduation, you become eligible for the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential. The job outlook remains strong. The U.S. Department of Labor projects 10-14% growth through 2026 and more than 14,000 job openings. More than 95 percent of graduates work in the rehabilitation field.

The Mental Health Counseling MS also spans 60 credit hours and prepares you for licensure as a mental health counselor in New York State. You can complete the program full-time on campus in four or five semesters, or part-time online in four years that include two summers. The program’s final year is dedicated to a 12-credit internship totaling 600 hours across two semesters. Graduates become eligible to take the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), required for New York State licensure.

The School Counseling EdM awards 61 graduate credits and qualifies you for certification in New York State. You work with students starting your first semester and gain experience at both K-8 and 9-12 grade levels. The program requires a passing score on the NYS School Counselor CST (193) exam for certification.

On top of that, three advanced certificates serve professionals already holding master’s or doctoral degrees:

• Rehabilitation Counseling Advanced Certificate: 15-24 credits for CRC exam eligibility
• Mental Health Counseling Advanced Certificate: 15-27 credits depending on prior education and includes minimum 600 hours site experience
• School Counseling Advanced Certificate: 12 credits for professional certification after three years of experience

Application fees are $50 across all programs.

Internships/Practicum at University at Buffalo

Practical experience are the foundations of counseling education at University at Buffalo. Each program offers structured opportunities that prepare you for professional practice. University at Buffalo counseling services maintain partnerships with over 100 placement sites and create pathways into mental health centers, hospitals, schools and specialized treatment facilities.

The Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology operates under full accreditation from the American Psychological Association. You participate in 40 hours per week, which has 5 hours for lunch and 2 hours for professional development or dissertation work. Training activities and supervision take up 25% of your time at minimum. The remaining hours involve providing supervision to masters level practicum students, outreach, consultation and research. You receive two hours of individual supervision weekly from two different primary supervisors. You must have 700 AAPI Grand Total Practicum Hours, 350 AAPI Total Intervention Hours and three years of graduate training in a clinical or counseling psychology doctoral program to qualify. You must also pass comprehensive exams by the application deadline. Applications go through APPIC. The program number is 145411.

Advanced practicum and externship students commit 16-20 hours per week for both fall and spring semesters. Your caseload has approximately 7-9 clients. Presenting concerns range from developmental issues to severe psychopathology. Weekly activities have one to two needs assessment appointments, possible group co-leadership with staff members and co-leading 2-3 workshops per semester. Supervision occurs through both individual weekly meetings and 1.5-hour group sessions with other trainees.

School counseling students accumulate fieldwork and practicum hours at a minimum of one and a half days per week. This totals 150 hours over the semester. The internship phase intensifies to three days weekly and reaches 300 hours per semester. Mental health counseling students complete their 12-credit internship during the second year. They dedicate 600 hours across two semesters. Most placements are in non-profit mental health centers, hospitals, college counseling centers and substance abuse treatment centers.

Social work students complete practicums over two consecutive semesters at 15 hours weekly. Traditional full-time students need 420 hours for foundation year and 480 hours for advanced year. All placements occur in person during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m..

What sets University at Buffalo apart?

Recognition from U.S. News & World Report places the rehabilitation counseling program at No. 11 nationwide and No. 10 among public universities. The Graduate School of Education ranks No. 47 nationally and No. 37 among public universities. It holds the top position among public education schools in New York State. These rankings reflect outcomes that extend beyond classroom learning.

Doctoral students in the counseling psychology program complete their degrees in an average of five years. The vast majority receive full funding through university research and administrative assistantships, department and graduate school assistantships, and Presidential and Schomburg fellowships. Part-time positions on and off campus also provide support. In the last nine years, 92 percent of students seeking APA-accredited internships matched. Counseling psychology students achieved a 100 percent match rate in the last six years. Program graduates between two and ten years ago saw 89 percent become licensed psychologists, with 63 out of 71 graduates getting licensure.

The university at buffalo counseling services expanded from eight counselors to 20 full-time staff members. This responded to a 20 percent increase in students seeking services between 2012 and 2017. Staff has psychologists, mental health counselors, social workers, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and graduate student interns. Counselors may speak with you in your native language. Your mandatory detailed health fee makes services available. Participation remains private and confidential as permitted by law. Counselors are under ethical and legal obligations not to release information without your written permission.

Next steps

Your education at University at Buffalo positions you for immediate professional success. The combination of rigorous academics, extensive clinical hours, and top-tier accreditation makes this possible. You gain hands-on experience through partnerships with over 100 placement sites, and this experience translates into career readiness. The program’s exceptional outcomes speak volumes: 92 percent internship match rates and 89 percent licensure achievement, plus competitive national rankings. Available funding opportunities and complete support services ensure you can focus on developing the skills needed to serve diverse populations.