Online Master’s in Counseling Residency at Sacred Heart University
Transform Skills into Practice During Your Counseling Residency
At Sacred Heart, our on-campus counseling residency is the foundation of your professional development, intentionally designed to enhance learning outcomes and prepare you for real-world counseling practice. This immersive experience includes two intensive, week-long residencies that bring your coursework to life through hands-on application.
During the residency experiences, you’ll engage in realistic counseling scenarios that allow you to put skills into practice. Guided by our expert faculty, you’ll receive personalized, real-time feedback on your skills and techniques, helping you refine your approach and build confidence in a supportive learning environment.
Attending the residency in person ensures you are fully engaged in live discussions, and skill-building activities. This face-to-face environment fosters personal growth, strengthens your clinical competencies, and lays out the foundation for your career.
Networking Opportunities
You’ll work closely with a cohort of Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling peers who share your passion for counseling, exchanging insights, offering support, and learning from one another. Each residency experience offers opportunities that include the following:
- Access to collaborative learning and the exchange of ideas
- Learning from educators and current practitioners with real world counseling experience
- Connecting with peers and faculty on research interests and mentoring opportunities
- Building a professional support system
An Opportunity to Improve Your Network and Grow Your Skills
Sacred Heart University requires two residencies for all online master’s degree in counseling students. Residencies are held at our Sacred Heart University West Campus, 3135 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield, CT.
Depending on your program of study, the first residency is usually completed in your first or second semester, while your second residency usually takes place the semester before you start your year-long clinical practice in practicum and internship courses.
A general outline of what you can expect during Residency 1 and Residency 2 is below. Please note that the schedule may be subject to change.
| Residency 1 | Week 9 of your COU-520 course |
|---|---|
| Residency 2 | Week 4 of your COU-610 course |
| Weekly Schedule (Monday – Friday) | Mon – Thurs: 8:30am to 4:00pm Fridays: 8:30am to 12:00pm |
| Day 1 | Welcome Breakfast and Orientation |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | Mini-Lectures, Activities, Live Observations |
| Day 3-5 | Collaborative Practice, Attend Workshops, Receive Evaluation and Feedback |
Getting to Campus
Depending on where you will be traveling from, there are several ways you can get to campus.
The following airports have the shortest drives to campus:
- Westchester County Airport: 35-minute, 30-mile drive
- Tweed Airport: 35-minute, 30-mile drive
Three additional airport options:
- LaGuardia Airport: 1 hour and 5 minutes, 55-mile drive
- JFK Airport: 1 hour and 20 minutes, 62-mile drive
- Bradley Airport: 1 hour and 20 minutes, 75-mile drive
Book Your Stay in Advance
You are responsible for making and paying for your own travel and lodging expenses. For your convenience, we have provided the top five recommended hotels near Sacred Heart University’s West Campus below:
- Hilton Garden Inn Norwalk
- EVEN Hotel Norwalk
- Trumbull Marriott Shelton
- Hilton Garden Inn Shelton
- Courtyard by Marriott Shelton
Related Programs
SHU offers two online master’s in counseling programs.
Request More Information
Fill out the form below and a skilled and knowledgeable Admissions Representative will get in touch to answer your questions and help with the application process.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 877-791-7181.
With a master’s in school counseling, you can pursue roles that focus on child and adolescent academic, career, and social-emotional well-being. This could be a career in counseling coordination, student services administration, or school counseling.
The online Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at SHU consists of 60 credit hours, while the online School Counseling program is 60-63 credit hours. Both can be completed in 2.5-3 years with full-time study.