Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Typical Admissions Requirements for Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Admissions requirements for online master’s programs in clinical mental health counseling will vary from school to school, but typically include a combination of the following: a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited program; a competitive undergraduate GPA (2.7 or greater); GRE and/or GMAT scores; letter(s) of recommendation; a phone or in-person interview; and a personal statement.

Note that some programs may request that applicants complete specific undergraduate coursework in statistics, research methods, and/or psychology.

Courses in Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Online master’s programs in clinical mental health counseling will include core classes and elective options that prepare a student to understand and treat the wide spectrum of mental health issues they’ll encounter in the field.

While the course load will differ to some extent depending on the university and specific program, Ssome common courses include:

• Abnormal psychology
• Addiction counseling
• Advanced counseling skills and crisis management
• Assessment of counseling (adult/child)
• Classification of mental & emotional disorders
• Cross-cultural counseling
• Ethics and legal issues in counseling
• Foundations of family, marital, and couples counseling
• Human growth and development
• Psychopathology in counseling
• Research and evaluation in behavioral sciences
• Theory & technique of substance abuse
• Trauma and crisis counseling

Supervised Clinical Hour Requirements & Internships – Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

In addition to academic coursework, most online master’s programs in clinical mental health counseling include supervised hands-on experiences in the form of practicums (100 to 150 hours) and internships (600 to 700 hours), generally taking place in the final semesters of a degree program.

These experiences give students a chance to put learning into practice and prepare them for state licensure and further certification. Despite the physical nature of these practicums and internships, the online learning modality is not a hindrance to completing them: most online master’s programs in clinical mental health counseling have faculty members working with students to select practicums and internships that match a student’s location and career goals.

Program Accreditation for Online Master’s Degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Accreditation ensures that the content and quality of an educational program have been evaluated and meet the standards set by the profession. For online master’s degrees in clinical mental health counseling, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) are the two primary authorities across the U.S.

While regional accreditations through the Center for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are important at the undergraduate level, only CACREP- and MPCAC-accredited master’s programs have been vetted specifically for their mental health offerings.

Featured Online Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs

New York University – Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

NYU offers an online master of arts (MA) in counseling for mental health and wellness that equips graduates with the skills necessary to help people from all backgrounds live lives of health, wellness, and meaning. The curriculum comprises 60 graduate credits, an in-person immersion, a counseling lab, a 100-hour practicum, and a 600-hour internship. GRE scores are not required for admission.

During the last term of the program, students will complete the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE). The State of New York has registered the online program as a license-qualifying program in mental health counseling, and the university maintains a list of how its curriculum aligns with other states’ licensing requirements as well.

The curriculum includes courses such as human growth and development; individual counseling: theory and process; foundations of counseling for mental health and wellness; professional orientation and ethics in counseling for mental health and wellness; cross-cultural counseling; research and evaluation in behavioral sciences; dynamics of vocational development; and interpretation and use of tests in counseling adults.

• Location: New York, NY
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); MPCAC
• Expected Time to Completion: 21 to 30 months

Northwestern University – The Family Institute

Counseling@Northwestern, the online master of arts (MA) in counseling program at Northwestern University, prepares its graduates to work as mental health, behavioral, and substance abuse counselors. The curriculum for the standard program includes 24 graduate-level courses, a 200-hour practicum, a 600-hour internship, and two in-person immersions in Chicago. Students may add a child and adolescent emphasis for their degree by completing two specialization courses in the subject.

For those without any background in psychology or counseling, Northwestern also offers a Bridge to Counseling Program that brings students up to pace with prerequisite coursework in clinical interviewing and practice. Upon completing their degree at Northwestern, graduates are prepared and qualified for state licensure and employment as counselors.

The curriculum includes courses such as theories of counseling and psychotherapy, ethics and legal issues in counseling, assessment in counseling, group counseling theory and practice, psychopathology and diagnosis in counseling, multicultural counseling, family, marital, and couples counseling, addictions counseling, and professional topics in clinical mental health counseling.

• Location: Evanston, IL
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 36 months

Wake Forest University – Department of Counseling

Wake Forest University’s master’s counseling program (MAC) offers a clinical mental health counseling concentration that puts students on the fast track to certification and industry expertise. Its graduates earn a 95 percent pass rate on the National Counselor Examination based on 2020 data, along with a high acceptance rate in reputable doctoral programs.

The curriculum focuses on eight knowledge areas: human growth and development; social and cultural foundations; helping relationships; group work; career and lifestyle development; appraisal; research and program evaluation; and professional orientation. Wake Forest MAC students have worked in more than 60 different community agencies, mental facilities, and schools. The program consists of 60 credits, a 200-hour practicum and, a 600-hour internship.

The curriculum includes courses such as consultation and program development in counseling; appraisal procedures for counselors; issues in clinical mental health counseling; professional, ethical & legal issues in counseling; classification of mental & emotional disorders; addiction counseling; and clinical mental health counseling.

• Location: Winston-Salem, NC
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months

University of Massachusetts, Boston – College of Education and Human Development

The online master of science in mental health program at UMass Boston prepares students for careers as licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs). The program consists of 60 credits, a two-week residency at the Boston campus at the start of the program to meet your cohort and complete two courses (six credits) of the degree, and supervised clinical fieldwork. Upon graduation, students will have fulfilled all the academic requirements for state licensure in Massachusetts and all necessary pre-graduation fieldwork. The UMass program also offers one of the most affordable tuition rates for an online, accredited, public research university.

The curriculum includes courses such as counseling theory and practice; group counseling and group dynamics; ethical standards and professional issues in counseling; psychopathology and diagnosis; child and adolescent counseling; vocational development and career counseling; trauma and crisis counseling; counseling families and couples: theories and practice; and sex and sexuality in counseling practice.

• Location: Boston, MA
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); MPCAC
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 months

Palo Alto University – Department of Counseling

The master of arts in counseling program at Palo Alto University includes an emphasis on clinical mental health counseling that prepares students for licensure as a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). Upon graduation, students will have fulfilled all educational requirements for licensure in California. Students in the distance learning section of this program will be required to attend two residential training experiences on campus.

The program, which focuses on culture, social justice, and families, consists of 94.5 quarter-credits, a 100-hour practicum, two 300-hour internships, and two residential training experiences on campus. In helping to connect students with hands-on practicum placements, the university works with agencies and practitioners in a student’s specific locale so that they obtain a high standard of culturally relevant mental health training.

The curriculum includes courses such as life span development; counseling theory; multicultural counseling theories and techniques; appraisal and assessment in counseling; crisis and trauma counseling; child and adolescent counseling; addiction counseling; psychopharmacology; couples counseling; and cognitive behavioral therapy.

• Location: Palo Alto, CA
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).; CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 27 to 36 months

University of Louisiana, Monroe – College of Health Sciences

The University of Louisiana, Monroe offers an online master of science in counseling program with a clinical mental health focus. Students who complete the clinical mental health track may call themselves clinical mental health counselors and go on to qualify for LPC licensure.

Within the clinical mental health track, students may specialize even further, in one of four areas: pediatric, geriatric, addiction, or marriage and family. The curriculum is designed to train students in assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental and emotional disorders, and provide them with the skills to perform individual, group, couples, and family counseling. The program’s faculty operate under the scientist-practitioner model, wherein counseling interventions are taught based on a theory of personality supported by research.

This 60-credit program includes courses in counseling theories, methods, advanced techniques, law and ethics in counseling, group counseling, clinical assessment and psychometrics, diagnostics in counseling, and multicultural counseling.

• Location: Monroe, LA
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months

North Carolina Central University – School of Education

NC Central University’s online master of arts (MA) in clinical mental health counseling program prepares students for work in various mental health settings. Upon completing the program, graduates are qualified to apply for licensure in North Carolina. The program is also recognized as a Criteria C school for licensure as a licensed clinical addiction specialist (LCAS). The program consists of 60 credits and includes a practicum and internship.

The curriculum includes courses such as ethical and professional orientation to counseling, theories and techniques of counseling, crisis, trauma, and grief counseling, multicultural and gender issues in counseling, principles and procedures of group counseling, an introduction to addiction counseling, and an introduction to family counseling.

• Location: Durham, NC
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months

Montana State University, Billings – College of Health Professions and Science

MSU Billings offers an online master of science (MS) in rehabilitation and mental health counseling (MSCRMHC) that blends online coursework and hands-on fieldwork to prepare students for state licensure and national certification.

Online students will need to make visits to campus on three occasions: for an in-person orientation, for a class in advanced group counseling, and for a pre-practicum. The orientation takes place at the beginning of the program, while the other two on-campus requirements are scheduled in the summer over three days to allow for maximum flexibility. The program comprises 60 credits and includes practicum and internship experiences within a student’s local community.

The curriculum includes courses such as psychiatric rehabilitation, theories of counseling, multicultural and gender issues in counseling, advanced individual counseling, advanced group counseling, and principles of rehabilitation and mental health counseling.

• Location: Billings, MT
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 30 to 36 months

Bellevue University

The online master of science in clinical mental health counseling (MSCMHC) program at Bellevue University is CACREP-accredited and modeled on national licensing standards. The program comprises 60 credits and includes a 100-hour practicum (with 40 hours of observation) and a 600-hour internship (60 percent of which involves direct client contact). Students will also need to complete two on-campus residency experiences. Graduates of the Bellevue program enjoy a 90 percent job placement rate, according to a 2023 survey conducted over the previous academic year.

The curriculum includes courses such as diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders; foundations of addictions counseling; group processes and facilitation; couples and family counseling; advanced counseling skills, techniques, and practices; applied neuroscience and psychopharmacology; trauma, crisis, and traumatic stress counseling; and treatment of child and adolescent disorders.

• Location: Bellevue, NE
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months

Walden University

Walden University offers an online master of science program in clinical mental health counseling helping graduates become competent and compassionate counselors. Academically preparing students for state licensure or certification as professional mental health counselors, this online program allows students to choose either the general track or tailor their education through five optional specializations. These include addiction counseling; military families and culture; forensic counseling; marriage, couple, and family counseling; telehealth counseling, private practice, and supervision; and trauma and crisis counseling.

This 90- to 96-quarter-credit program includes 80 credits of core courses, two four-day pre-practicum labs, which include a four-day face-to-face or virtual synchronous experience, a 100-hour practicum, a 600-hour internship, and the completion of a capstone. 

The curriculum includes courses such as introduction to clinical mental health counseling; techniques in counseling; theories of counseling; ethics and legal issues in counseling; multicultural counseling; couples and family counseling; and crisis, trauma, and disaster response.

• Location: Minneapolis, MN
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 33 months

Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University offers an online master of arts (MA) program in clinical mental health counseling preparing graduates to become licensed counselors. Included in this 60-credit program are two required face-to-face residencies to help students in strengthening their workforce abilities.

Featuring video components, two on-site residencies, a 100-hour practicum, and two 300-hour internships (some states may require additional hours for licensure, SNHU works with students to ensure these requirements are met). This program includes courses such as diversity in counseling; theories of counseling; assessment and evaluation in counseling; career counseling; substance use disorders and process addictions; diagnosis of emotional and mental disorders; prevention and intervention of crisis and trauma; professional issues, ethics, and laws in clinical mental health counseling; and treatment planning in clinical mental health counseling.

• Location: Manchester, NH
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 36 months

Liberty University

Liberty University offers an online master of arts in clinical mental health counseling equipping students with the specialized training they need for gaining state licensure and becoming Licensed Professional Counselors. Upon program completion, graduates can enhance their understanding of human psychology through field-tested techniques and learn best practices to promote the mental health and holistic wellness of clients in diverse communities.

This online program requires two on-campus intensive courses. Students in these courses will collaborate and meet with professors and peers while completing their online degree and progressing toward their counseling license. The program, which is made up of 60 credits, includes courses such as group counseling, theories of counseling, integration of spirituality and counseling, multicultural counseling, ethical and legal issues in counseling, crisis counseling, clinical diagnosis and treatment planning, and substance abuse: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

• Location: Lynchburg, VA
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); CACREP
• Expected Time to Completion: 30 to 36 months

Jobs for Those With an Online Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Mental Health Counselor

Those with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling often go on to work as mental health counselors. As stipulated by the American Counseling Association, mental health counselors will work with individuals, families, and groups in diagnosing and treating mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and disorders. Within that scope of practice is a deep reservoir of varying specializations, where a mental health counselor can center their focus around a particular patient demographic or mental health condition.

No matter what they choose to specialize in, mental health counselors often take a holistic, person-centered approach that may involve connecting a client with other care providers, social workers, and professional networks as needed. To that end, mental health counselors must work in multidisciplinary teams and be comfortable treating clients with dual diagnoses. A master’s degree in mental health counseling is essential not just for meeting licensure requirements, but also for providing a comprehensive understanding of mental health’s varied and interconnected areas.

Substance Abuse Counselor

Mental health and substance abuse are heavily linked, and a master’s degree in mental health counseling can also prepare a graduate for work as a substance abuse counselor. Sometimes referred to as addiction counselors, substance abuse counselors guide clients through substance abuse and dependency issues. They teach their clients healthy coping mechanisms, help them regain control over their lives, and aid them in re-establishing personal and professional relationships.

Within substance abuse counseling, there are further distinctions: some substance abuse counselors focus on crisis intervention, while others work in non-crisis settings. And like mental health counselors, they must work in multidisciplinary teams and be comfortable treating clients with dual diagnoses. A master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling can provide the foundation for understanding the different elements that factor into substance abuse and effective strategies for mitigating them. While a substance abuse or addiction degree focus is not usually required to work in this specific field, it can help students better prepare for this specialization’s unique demands and secure a related job after graduation and licensure.