BGSP’s MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to lead to professional licensure in Mental Health Counseling in Massachusetts and other states. However, some states vary in their licensing requirements. Before enrolling at BGSP, students should consult the rules and regulations regarding licensure in counseling for the particular state in which they wish to practice.
To aid in this process, BGSP has researched whether its MA program in Mental Health Counseling meets the educational licensing requirements in U.S. states, effective July 1, 2020. Since this list is only updated annually, students should consult the rules and regulations regarding licensure in counseling for the particular state in which they wish to practice. NC-SARA provides contact information for all state counseling licensing boards here.
Depending on the state, BGSP graduates:
- meet all state educational licensing requirements upon graduation, regardless of electives;
- meet all state educational licensing requirements upon graduation, provided they take certain electives;
- meet most state educational licensing requirements and are able to complete additional educational requirements in order to complete the license; or
- in a few cases, will not meet educational licensing requirements due to the requirement to graduate from a CACREP-accredited program. BGSP’s program is not CACREP-accredited.
The information provided below is subject to change without notice.
Colorado
Colorado requires that the applicant’s Master’s program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or is deemed by the licensing board to be substantially equivalent to a CACREP approved program. BGSP has not determined whether the board would deem it to be substantially equivalent to a CACREP approved program. If so deemed:
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Colorado.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Colorado.
Connecticut
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants must add specific coursework in trauma and crisis counseling in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Connecticut.
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants take an elective in addictions and must add specific coursework in trauma and crisis counseling in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Connecticut.
Delaware
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Delaware.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Delaware.
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia requires that the applicant’s Master’s program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or is deemed by the board to be substantially equivalent to a CACREP approved program. BGSP has not determined whether the board would deem it to be substantially equivalent to a CACREP approved program. If so deemed:
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in the District of Columbia.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in the District of Columbia.
Florida
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) BGSP graduates no longer meet the requirements towards licensure as a mental health counselor in Florida. (See below.)
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) ICPS graduates no longer meet the requirements towards licensure as a mental health counselor in Florida.
Beginning July 1, 2025, an applicant must have a master’s degree from a program that is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC), or an equivalent accrediting body which consists of at least 60 semester hours or 80 quarter hours to apply for licensure.
Kentucky
Kentucky requires graduation from a CACREP-accredited program. BGSP graduates are not eligible for professional licensure.
Maine
(Graduates from either campus)
- Applicants must complete 12 hours of course work in family or intimate partner violence, including course work in spousal or partner abuse that addresses screening, referral and intervention strategies, including knowledge of community resources, cultural factors, evidence-based risk assessment and same-gender abuse dynamics. Applicants who don’t complete this requirement before submitting their initial application need to complete it before they renew their license for the first time.
- Applicants are required to have 900 hours of internship. If the applicant has at least 600 hours (as BGSP graduates do), but not 900, they will need to make up the hourly requirement post-Master’s.
Maryland
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants take an elective in addictions and add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Maryland.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development and add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Maryland.
Massachusetts
(Graduates from either campus)
BGSP graduates from the Massachusetts and New Jersey campuses meet the educational requirements for licensure in Massachusetts.
Michigan
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Michigan.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Michigan.
New Hampshire
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in New Hampshire.
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants take an elective in addictions in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in New Hampshire.
New Jersey
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates meet the educational requirements for licensure in New Jersey.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in New Jersey.
New York
New York State will conduct an individual transcript evaluation of an applicant for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor who graduated from a program that was neither registered by the New York State Education Department nor CACREP-accredited. In addition to verifying the required course content, the State will determine if the applicant completed a supervised internship in mental health counseling and psychotherapy as part of the degree program. Based on New York State’s published requirements:
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in New York.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in New York.
North Carolina
North Carolina requires graduation from a CACREP-accredited program for applicants starting in 2022. BGSP students enrolling now will not eligible for professional licensure in North Carolina.
Ohio
While graduates of programs located in Ohio must graduate from a CACREP-accredited program, graduates of out-of-state programs may graduate from equivalent programs that are not CACREP-accredited, such as BGSP.
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants must add coursework on the interaction of psychotropic medications and mood-altering chemicals in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Ohio.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Ohio.
Please refer to the licensing board’s course worksheet to ensure all areas are covered, and consult the licensing board prior to enrolling.
Pennsylvania
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Pennsylvania.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Pennsylvania.
Rhode Island
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Rhode Island.
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) BGSP graduates appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Rhode Island.
Tennessee
(Graduates from either campus)
BGSP graduates from the Massachusetts and New Jersey campuses appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Tennessee.
Vermont
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Vermont.
(Graduates from both Massachusetts and New Jersey campuses:) Vermont lays out the coursework requirements slightly differently from Massachusetts and New Jersey. BGSP graduates appear to meet all other requirements, but applicants should double check with the licensing board prior to enrolling, since certain coursework requirements may not be made up post-graduation for licensure in Vermont.
Virginia
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants take an elective in addictions and must add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Virginia.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development and must add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Virginia.
Washington
(State) (Graduates from either campus)
BGSP graduates from the Massachusetts and New Jersey campuses appear to meet the educational requirements for licensure in Washington State. Please check with the licensing board to confirm.
West Virginia
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants take an elective in addictions and must add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in West Virginia.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants take an elective in career and lifestyle development and must add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in West Virginia.
Wisconsin
(Graduates from the New Jersey campus:) Applicants must take an elective in addictions, add a course in crisis counseling, and add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Wisconsin.
(Graduates from the Massachusetts campus:) Applicants must take an elective in career and lifestyle development, add a course in crisis counseling, and add a course in marriage and family therapy in order to complete the educational requirements for licensure in Wisconsin.
BGSP has been unable to determine whether its programs meet requirements for professional licensure in the following states/territories:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.