School of Liberal Arts

Graduate Programs

Graduate Programs in Public Administration, Communication, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Spirituality

With a master’s degree in public administration, mental health counseling or spirituality, you can help find answers to the big questions affecting individuals and communities.

Liberal Arts Master’s Degrees: Why Merrimack College?

Our master’s degrees and certificates in clinical mental health counseling, public administration and spirituality are united in their commitment to principled community service. All of Merrimack’s liberal arts graduate programs equip you with practical tools to empower individuals, provide moral guidance and advocate for social justice.

At Merrimack, you will:

Gain the skills and experience to touch people’s lives.

Public affairs, clinical mental health counseling and spiritual leadership are helping professions that affect millions of Americans. At Merrimack, you’ll gain expertise that has real impact and enhances your ability to shape a better world.

Get extensive attention from professors.

You’ll learn in small classes on a tight-knit campus, building strong faculty relationships that enhance your education and your career in public affairs, clinical mental health counseling or spiritual guidance.

Build a broad, deep academic foundation.

As a mission-driven liberal arts college rooted in the Augustinian tradition, Merrimack offers a unique type of graduate education. You’ll explore the intellectual, moral and spiritual dimensions of complex issues, building a versatile framework for scholarly inquiry and civic engagement.

Move your career forward.

Whether you’re seeking to work in government service, nonprofit leadership, mental health counseling, social work, spiritual guidance or another field, you’ll gain the expertise you need to raise your professional trajectory.

Expand your network.

Merrimack College has robust partnerships throughout Greater Boston. Our high profile and active engagement in the community yield ongoing opportunities for you to interact with practitioners in your field and forge career-building connections.

Explore Our Master’s Degrees in the Liberal Arts

The Merrimack College School of Liberal Arts offers the following master’s degrees and graduate certificates:

Merrimack’s graduate programs in public administration, clinical mental health counseling and spiritual leadership all cater to students from diverse backgrounds. With full- and part-time options, evening classes and generous financial support, our master’s degrees can almost surely fit into your work schedule and your budget.

Merrimack has a supportive culture that values collaboration over competition. You’ll belong to a diverse community that welcomes students of many backgrounds, including recent college graduates, young professionals, working adults and career changers.

“The ratio of teachers to students is very good. Professors go out of their way to attend to each person’s needs and guide us in the right direction.”

Careers in Mental Health Counseling, Communication, Public Administration and Spiritual Leadership

All of our liberal arts master’s degree and certificate programs equip you to improve people’s lives on a broad scale. More than 40 million Americans seek mental health counseling each year; two-thirds have a moderate or strong spiritual identity; and virtually all are affected by public affairs initiatives ranging from laws to government services, regulatory policies and community programs.

After completing a master’s degree or graduate certificate from Merrimack’s School of Liberal Arts, our students have gone on to work in a wide range of fields, including:

  • Nonprofit leadership
  • Social work
  • Youth programming
  • Government administration
  • Religious education
  • Public policy
  • Suicide prevention
  • Urban planning
  • Substance abuse treatment
  • Life coaching
  • Fundraising
  • Social science research

Merrimack’s liberal arts graduate students now work for organizations such as:

  • Groundwork Lawrence
  • Beth Israel Lahey Behavioral Health Services
  • Clearview Horizons
  • Rise for Wellness
  • Cultivate Care Farms
  • Essex County Drug Diversion
  • Massachusetts Port Authority
  • Boston Tamil Catholic Group
  • Grace Chapel
  • Pressed for Success

Scholarships and Fellowships

Liberal arts graduate scholarships and fellowships can provide significant tuition discounts of up to 100%.

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