Enter the mental health field
The Master of Science in Psychology—Mental Health Professions (MSPsy) at Bridgewater College allows you to meet the requirements to become a Qualified Mental Health Professional in Virginia.
Currently not accepting applications.
What is QMHP?
Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) is a designation that encompasses an array of mental health workers in various specializations. The QMHP designation in Virginia requires college education along with a set number of hours of experience (that vary according to the nature of your education). Learn more about the steps to earn your QMHP designation.
per credit
*2024-2025 tuition and fees
credit hours
months
In-person
About This Program
As an MSPsy graduate, you will:
- Meet Virginia requirements to register as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP)
- Focus on QMHP specialties such as child/adolescent, adult, etc.
- Complete your master’s degree and the hours you need for QMHP at the same time
- Accumulate the experience and practical skills for many mental health and human services careers
Gain practical skills for mental health careers.
- Your course work and field experience are focused on practical and directly relevant skills that are needed in various mental health and human service careers.
- Learn and practice skills in formal case management, motivational interviewing and crisis intervention.
- You can work towards meeting the standards and expertise in one of the following areas:
- Qualified Mental Health Professional – Child/Adolescent
- Qualified Mental Health Professional – Adult
- Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional
- Certified Brain Injury Specialist
- Dementia/Memory Care
- Probation/Corrections
Advantages to our Program
- The MSPsy program classes are conveniently scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays to give you the time you need to complete your practica and internship hours.
- Complete the 30 credit-hour MSPsy full time in as little as 2 semesters. Full and part-time options available.
- Current Bridgewater students can complete a B.S./B.A. + M.A. in only five years.
- 100% graduation rate
- 100% employment in the field within 3 months (90% hired before graduation)
Become a qualified mental health professional using best practices and empirically-validated techniques.
Careers in Mental Health
Career Options in Mental Health and Psychology – Curious about what you can do with a psychology major? Explore becoming a Qualified Mental Health Professional.
How to find a job as a QMHP – If you’re a QMHP on the job market, you won’t need to look very far to find employment in your field.
Types of Jobs for Qualified Mental Health Professionals – The primary six areas of focus are: QMHP – Child/Adolescent, QMHP – Adult, Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Dementia/Memory Care, and Probation/Corrections.
How to become a Qualified Mental Health Professional (and what to look for in a program) – Those hoping to enter the mental health profession on a quicker timeline and with less investment might instead consider becoming a QMHP.
Graduate Students Awarded Scholarships, Post-Graduation Jobs
Bridgewater College has partnered with the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) and the Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, Va., to award $10,000 scholarships to three master of science in psychology (MSPsy) graduate students from the class of 2024: Kiana Carter, Jillian Laub and Briana Roach.
FAQs
| Fall | Motivational Interviewing (4) Psychiatric Rehabilitation (3) Professional Issues & Ethics (3) Forensics, Criminal Justice & Mental Health (2) Practicum (2) [minimum 200 clock hours] |
| Spring | Case Management (4) Substance Use & Abuse (3) Research and Program Evaluation (3) Crisis Intervention Strategies (3) Internship (3) [minimum 300 clock hours] |
The 2024-2025 tuition and fees are $640 per credit hour. The total budget for the program includes direct charges (tuition and fees) and estimated indirect costs (eg., books, travel). For the total budget visit Graduate Student Tuition and Fees.
