Online graduate counseling programs

Graduates go on to work in an array of clinical mental settings, including hospitals, private practice, clinics, and rehabilitation centers. This program also serves as a gateway for doctoral work, as many graduates have successfully completed Ph. Nationally recognized in academic quality, LU offers over undergraduate and graduate programs.

The Master of Education in clinical mental health counseling from Lamar University provides a competitive, high-quality academic and affordable program for those who want to pursue clinical mental health counseling. Each one is five weeks and includes face-to-face instruction and personal support and feedback. In addition to preparing graduate students to become professional counselors, the devoted faculty are clinicians and researchers in the clinical mental health counseling field.

All courses are offered in five-week formats. Because courses are five weeks each, you can choose from multiple start dates throughout the year.

Nationally ranked as one of the Top National Universities by U. You will take online courses such as Crisis, Trauma, and Clinical Mental Health and Treatment Planning and complete two one-week residencies at Regent. You can choose from one of three degree progressions to allow you as much or as little flexibility as you need.

Interested in Regent University? While an undergraduate in counseling or psychology is desirable, it is not required. You do need a minimum 3. If you have above a 3. ULM is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and these values encompass every aspect of the program. You can also choose electives geared towards specific counseling populations such as gerontology or marriage and family. After you finish your required coursework, you will complete a one-year clinical experience of one semester of practicum and two semesters in an internship.

While some schools require you to enroll full-time, at ULM, you can choose a full or part-time course sequence. In addition, all coursework is completely online, and a residency on campus is not required. Students are admitted to this program on a regular or conditional status, dependent on undergraduate GPA and GRE scores. Settled in the picturesque mountains of central Pennsylvania, Lock Haven University features more than 60 degree programs, small classes, and all the individualized support you need to succeed.

LHU is currently the only university in the state to offer an online master of clinical mental health counseling, and this program has a lot to offer. You will study topics in counseling theory and research, individual, family, couples and group counseling, ethical, legal, and professional counseling issues, and others.

When it comes time for your counseling internship, LHU can help you choose an approved site in or near your hometown. The CMHC also offers two graduate certificates focused on trauma, and you can add these to your course of study if you wish to enhance your knowledge, skills, and marketability. Utilizing both synchronous and asynchronous formats, this program allows you the opportunity to meet with your class and professors both in real time as well as complete your coursework on your own time.

You can complete the program in its entirety online, as there are no campus residencies required. This 60 credit-hour program includes coursework, practicum, and internships that cover eight specific areas:.

Most graduate students work at odd hours, like 3 AM. Ready to look into Wake Forest? You can specialize in certain career tracks, such as private practice, addiction counseling, or rehabilitation counseling.

In addition, you can choose the non-licensed options and pursue careers in education, research, administration, business, or further doctoral-level education. The practicum and internship require counseling-related hours over a month timespan. While this program is online, you will participate weekly with live video conferences and attend a one-week residency on campus.

If your undergraduate degree is in psychology or a related field with a minimum 3. However, if your degree is another field and you have a lower than 3. While GRE scores are not required, you can still submit them for additional consideration. Medaille College, a private four-year college in New York, knows that real learning comes not only from textbooks, but by doing, which is why all the programs they offer include career training early on.

The Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling features ten objectives ranging from Social and Cultural Diversity to Research and Program Evaluations. Available in both online and weekend formats, this program is perfect for those who need flexibility. The online program consists of week courses and three semesters of internship experience. In addition, all online students need to visit the campus for residency hours five days on two occasions.

A benefit of this program is that you will take a comprehensive exam with an identical format to the licensure exam for extra preparation. Medaille College offers rolling admission, so you can apply at any time during the year. Southern New Hampshire University, a private non-profit academic institution, has a mission to remove barriers that prevent people from access to education. This graduate program prepares students for counseling licensure in most states with the exception of Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

You will complete 60 credit hours in coursework encompassing the areas of understanding disorders and addiction, group dynamics, and working with diverse populations. In addition to a hour practicum and a hour internship, you will also attend two five-day residencies on campus.

Alumni state that one of the biggest perks of this program is the support they received from day one to beyond graduation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so you can apply at any time and receive a decision within days. Nationally ranked by U.

You will complete 60 hours, including hours of supervised field experience. Interested in addictions counseling? You can take three additional courses to become a licensed clinical addiction specialist. This credit hour graduate degree will lead to licensure.

Among the many areas, you will study substance abuse disorders, multicultural counseling, group dynamics, and psychopharmacology.

Most courses are eight weeks, although some, like Assessment of Mental and Emotional Health are four weeks. You will complete a week practicum and two week internships. Other than the practicum and internships, you can complete this program entirely online. GCU applicants need an undergraduate degree with a 2. While GCU is a Christian university, it welcomes people from all backgrounds and faiths. The MS in clinical mental health counseling is a flexible online program that leads you to your career aspirations as a licensed counselor or therapist.

Simone Lambert, Ph. You will take courses in areas that cover assessment, diagnoses, ethical practice, and of course, counseling. The GuidedPath format allows you to benefit from flexibility, along with face-to-face interactions in your residencies and field experience. In that case, all you need to apply are your official transcripts, two recommendation letters, a page essay on the given topics, and your resume or CV. Online graduate certificate programs in counseling and psychology serve many functions.

Graduate certificates can also give a working counselor an added understanding of a field that correlates to their own: a marriage and family therapist could add training in substance abuse counseling, or a career counselor could add a specialization in industrial and organizational psychology. Counseling careers have demanding educational and experiential requirements.

Some counseling professions are regulated at the state level, while others adhere to more informal professional certifications. To get a look at all the details on online graduate certificate programs in counseling and psychology, check out our guide below.

There are practically as many types of graduate certificates as there are professions. Check out our list below to see which one is right for you. However, students in graduate certificate programs may still benefit by attending a program housed within a school accredited by the APA or CACREP, as some of the classes may be identical, and the curriculum may be set up with accreditation compliance in mind.

Students of graduate certificate programs should be certain, however, that their school is regionally accredited. This ensures that the program adheres to general standards around quality and content. Admissions requirements for graduate certificate programs in counseling and psychology will vary from program to program. Not all graduate certificate programs in counseling and psychology will require supervised clinical hours, but programs that specifically prepare students for state licensure as a counselor or psychologist will.

Even with online programs, this requirement will be included; however, the school will often coordinate with the student to find a local placement at an eligible location. Coursework is focused on the latest learnings in human resources management and organizational leadership, including management, employee development, job motivation techniques, and training and evaluation.

Students also complete a field placement that will integrate academic knowledge and practical experience. ASU has an online graduate certificate in addiction and substance-use related disorders that pairs state of the art research with the expertise of licensed psychologists and counselors.

The program is designed to increase competence to address the opioid crisis and marijuana legalization, develop expertise to work with special populations and individuals with co-occurring disorders, and expand the use of evidence-based treatments.

Students learn how individuals and families can best meet their needs for housing, debt-recovery, and long-term financial planning. Courses include topics such as advanced financial counseling; housing and real estate; tax planning; investment management; and employee benefits and retirement planning. The program consists of 18 credits, and all online students are eligible for in-state tuition through the Great Plains IDEA partnership. The program integrates cross-cultural considerations in all its courses, and focuses on the strengths and resilience of families.

Courses emphasize the experience of working directly with families and couples in conflict. The program consists of 15 credits. At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We want to help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings.

Our rankings are grounded in a few guiding principles and use the latest statistical data available from trusted sources. Read our ranking methodology. We hope our approach helps you find the school that is best for you. A public university located in Raleigh, NC State offers a mostly online master of education in school counseling. The program helps students develop the skills needed to support K students, alongside an opportunity to explore clinical counseling.

The credit online program follows a part-time cohort model where students take courses throughout the year. Course topics include multicultural counseling, gender issues in counseling, and crisis counseling. All students must complete a credit internship and a three-credit practicum experience. Graduating students qualify to sit for a professional licensure exam in the state of North Carolina.

During their final year, students must attend some weekend classes on campus. This school counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Request more information about this program. A private university located in Los Angeles, USC offers an online master of education in school counseling. Key focus areas of the curriculum include college and career readiness, restorative justice, and trauma-informed practice. The program helps students achieve the pupil personnel services: school counseling credential in California. The credit program includes courses that cover topics like learning and individual differences, theories in counseling, and cross-cultural counseling.

Students must also complete a hour practicum and a hour internship. GPA: 3. A private university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest offers an online master's in school counseling. The credit program requires students to complete 30 credits of foundational and core courses and 30 credits in the school counseling speciality.

Core course topics include advanced counseling skills and crisis management, group procedures in counseling, and family counseling, while speciality courses cover topics like appraisal procedures for counselors. Students must also complete a practicum, an internship experience, and a capstone course. GPA: 2. A public university in northern Louisiana, ULM offers an online master of science in counseling with a school counseling track. Graduating students qualify for school counseling certification and licensed professional counselor licensure.

The credit program offers courses in law and ethics in counseling, diagnostics in counseling, lifespan development, and multicultural counseling. To qualify for graduation, students must also complete a hour practicum and hours of internship experience. The program also includes nine credits of electives, which students can use to pursue one of two focus areas: marriage and family or pediatric.

This counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Based in Seward, Concordia offers an online master of arts in school counseling program. Students can choose from two tracks: a track for certified teachers 50 credits and a track for those without a teaching license 62 credits.

Course topics include foundations of school counseling, trauma and crisis intervention, and ethical and legal issues in school counseling.

The program also requires students to complete a hour practicum, hours of supervised internship, and a capstone course. The program culminates with professional PK certification in Nebraska and follows guidelines established by the American School Counselor Association. Concordia is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Based in Searcy, Arkansas, Harding offers an online master of science in professional school counseling for new practitioners. The curriculum includes courses on advanced human growth and development, research methods, and school counseling. The credit program also requires students to complete nine credits of practicum and internship experiences. Students can complete the program in three years or less, and they have an option to get a dual license in both school and clinical counseling.

Graduating students may sit for the national counselor exam. Harding is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This professional school counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

A public research university located in Grand Forks, UND offers an online master of arts in counseling with a K school counseling emphasis. The program covers course topics such as lifespan development in counseling, career counseling, school counseling and program management, and psychological testing. Students must also complete a hour supervised practicum and a hour internship in a K school setting.

Other program requirements include independent study, a scholarly project, or thesis work. This school counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Get more information about this program. Based in Columbia, Mizzou offers a three-year master of education in educational, school, and counseling psychology. Participants can complete their coursework entirely online.

This program prepares students for K teaching certification. Course topics include theories and techniques of counseling, the foundation of teacher prep, introduction to special education, and diversity issues in school mental health. Students must also complete a supervised counseling psychology practicum in an approved school setting during the program's final year.

Faculty deliver courses in eight-week blocks, and participants take one class at a time. Students enroll throughout the year.

Mizzou is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. A Catholic university located in Houston, Texas, UST offers a two-year master of education in school counseling for trained educators who have at least two years of teaching experience. After completing the credit program, students qualify for school counselor certification in the state of Texas. Course topics include educational research design and data analysis, multicultural populations, issues and trends in counseling, and developmental school counseling.

Students must also complete a counseling practicum — a week course with hours of observation and 80 hours of direct practice. A private university in South Orange, New Jersey, Seton Hall offers a mostly online master of arts in school counseling. The coursework prepares individuals to succeed in ethnically, geographically, and socially diverse K settings.

The credit program includes theoretical, clinical, and professional coursework. Learners also complete nine credits of field internship experiences. Students learn about subjects like abnormal psychology, principles of learning and behavior modification, counseling and supervision in school settings, and counselor ethics in practices.

Students must also complete a practicum and a capstone project, and attend a four-day residency on campus at the beginning of the program. Students join a cohort, advancing through courses together. A public university based in northwest Tennessee, UT Martin offers a master of science in education with a major in counseling and a concentration in school counseling. All coursework is delivered online, but students must attend a three-day residency on campus.

The credit program covers subjects such as principles of crisis intervention, theory and techniques of counseling, group dynamics, and organization and administration of school counseling. The program also requires students to complete hours of practicum experiences and hours of internships in secondary and elementary school settings. This school counseling program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

A Christian university based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty offers an online master of education in school counseling for those seeking credentials for a K school position. Graduates can pursue school counseling licensure in public and private K schools in Virginia. The credit program covers course topics such as foundations of education, educational assessment and intervention, principles of school counseling, and school counseling program development and evaluation. Students must also complete a two-semester internship in primary and elementary school settings and a nine-credit practicum experience.

A public university in Greenville, North Carolina, ECU offers an online master of science in counselor education with a specialization in school counseling. The credit program includes 45 credits of core coursework and 15 credits dedicated to a student's specialization. Course topics include career counseling and development, social and cultural issues in counseling, student affairs and college counseling, and counseling in schools.

Students must also complete a hour practicum experience and a hour internship. This school counselor program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. A private university located in Saint Louis, MBU offers an online master of arts in school counseling taught through a Christian perspective. Working professionals can graduate within 36 months. The credit program includes courses like foundations of school counseling, counseling skills and techniques, group counseling, and child and adolescent counseling.

While all the coursework is delivered online, those seeking counselor licensure must also complete hours of supervised clinical practice involving direct and indirect client care, as well as hours of supervised counseling practice within elementary and secondary schools.

Located in Mequon, CUW offers an online master of science in education program that leads to school counseling licensure. Students complete classes that cover topics like counseling theory, human growth and development, and professional ethics.

Graduates are prepared to pursue licensure in the state of Wisconsin; those seeking licensure elsewhere should check specific requirements in their state. In addition to submitting their transcripts, applicants should submit a personal essay, a resume, and two letters of recommendation.