Nichols College in Dudley is launching a new flexible master’s degree program in mental health counseling this fall, aiming to tackle a shortage of well-trained mental health counselors in the state.
Nichol’s new master of science in mental health counseling degree is a 60-credit, three-year program featuring a mix of online classes and in-person experiential learning. The program meets the state’s requirements for licensed mental health counselors, according to a recent announcement from the college.
Some courses that involve applied counseling skills will be taught in-person, while other courses will be conducted online. The program will also involve internships and practicums.
“The Nichols program is designed to meet the growing need for compassionate and competent licensed mental health counselors within Massachusetts, throughout New England and beyond,” Michelle Ledoux, inaugural director of the MHC program, said in the announcement. “Our program stands out because we prepare students as generalist counselors — professionals equipped to work across a wide range of client needs and settings.”
The new master’s program comes as Massachusetts faces both high unmet behavioral-health needs and staffing instability in outpatient care.
According to a 2025 Massachusetts Health Policy Commission report, about 628,500 state residents reported an unmet need for behavioral health services in 2023. Separately, a 2022 industry brief cited by the commission found Massachusetts outpatient mental-health facilities recorded 13 clinician departures for every 10 hires in 2021.
In Greater Worcester, a 2024 regional assessment led by the Worcester Division of Public Health, UMass Memorial Health, Fallon Health and the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester identified healthcare workforce capacity and culturally representative health care among six priority areas.
“The new MHC program reflects our institution’s enduring commitment to offering relevant, in-demand academic programs that prepare students for meaningful and successful careers,” interim Provost Jean Beaupre said in the announcement. “Graduates of the Nichols MHC program will be equipped to make immediate contributions in a field facing critical shortages, and where versatile, well-trained counselors are needed most.”
Nichols is the 10th-largest institute of higher learning in Central Massachusetts, according to information provided to the WBJ Research Department, with 1,017 full-time students as of fall 2025.
Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the real estate and banking & finance industries.
