Licensure Information
Master of Science in Counselor Education
Licensure/Certification
The Western Connecticut State University Clinical Mental Health Option meets the educational requirements for both the Connecticut Department Health for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the New York State Office of the Professions for licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Candidates seeking licensure in another state should consult with the appropriate agency in that state to confirm educational requirements before starting the program.
The Western Connecticut State University School Counseling Option meets all the educational requirements for certification as a school counselor in Connecticut. Candidates seeking New York State certification will require additional coursework that may be taken at WCSU to meet certification requirements. Candidates pursuing certification in another state should contact the Department of Education in the state they wish to be certified to confirm the educational requirements before starting the program.
Learn more about the Counselor Education program
Master of Science in Counselor Education (Clinical Mental Health)
School Counselor Certification
Candidates in the school counseling program may apply for Connecticut certification as a school counselor, grades K-12, under the Initial Educator’s Certificate. The candidate must request an application for certification from the Program Coordinator or University’s Certification Officer. The completed application is then returned to the Certification Officer. Once processed, the application is sent back to the candidate who must send it to the SDE, along with the required fee. Candidates who want to be certified in New York State must contact the New York State Education Department in Albany for information about requirements and procedures. All required practica and internships must be completed in the state in which certification is sought.
Licensed Professional Counselor
The Connecticut Department of Public Health, accepts applications for licensure as a Professional Counselor. Criteria for consideration for licensure as a professional counselor includes:
- Successful completion of 60 graduate semester hours in the discipline of professional counseling at a regionally accredited institution of higher education, which includes the core and clinical curriculum of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) (Western’s program is CACREP approved). At least 42 of the graduate credits must be an earned a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a major deemed to be in professional counseling by NBCC.
- Acquisition of three thousand (3000) hours of post graduate degree supervised experience in professional counseling performed over a period of not less than one year, that included a minimum of one hundred (100) hours of direct supervision by a Connecticut licensed mental health professional.
- Successful completion of the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) (Western offers a special administration of the NCE upon graduation).
Learn more about the Counselor Education (Clinical Mental Health) program
Certification/Licensure Disclosure Statement
Pre-Licensure Program (BS in Nursing Program)
Western Connecticut State University’s (WCSU) BS in Nursing Program meets the State of Connecticut education requirements for a Registered Nurse License.
WCSU Nursing Program has not determined if this Bachelor of Science Degree meets the state education requirements in any other State, US Territory, or District of Columbia. Applicants should investigate requirements prior to accepting an offer of admission to WCSU for the pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing program.
The licensure boards in each state establish their own requirements for licensure or certification for their state. The state professional licensing boards will make decisions on whether or not an individual is eligible for license based on regulation in place at time of application for licensure.
Please see the National Council State Board of Nursing Website for more information on Registered Nurse Licensure: https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-guidance.htm
https://www.ncsbn.org/14730.htm
Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis
State laws related to licensure of behavior analysts vary and can change over time. The ABA program at WCSU currently meets with education requirements for licensure in CT and most other states. However, licensure requirements vary by state and it is the responsibility of the applicant to be knowledgeable about licensure requirements in the state in which he or she may plan to apply for licensure. Please note that the ABA program at WCSU does not currently meet the education requirements for NY State.