Are There No-GRE Online Counseling Programs?
Counseling Schools Search
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The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is one of the most common testing requirements for students who want to enter into a master’s level educational program. The GRE test is a standardized test owned and administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS). Many master’s and doctorate-level programs require the GRE, but many don’t.
The purpose of the test is to have all prospective students answer questions in three core areas: verbal reasoning (drawing conclusions, complex meanings, etc.), quantitative reasoning (understanding, interpreting, and analyzing information), and analytical writing (vocabulary and coherent writing and responses). The GRE takes about four hours to complete, and it is intended to ask prospective students questions that reflect the kind of thinking the test-takers would have to do in graduate school.
Some schools provide a GRE waiver to enter if the students meet certain qualifications. Many schools are responding to the coronavirus pandemic by considering admitting students by removing the GRE requirement because many students could not take the test. Other schools may waive GRE requirements for a particular program, or for students who are particularly well-qualified, with a high GPA or previous years of work experience, for instance. If a student has a previous graduate or professional degree, they may be able to waive the GRE requirement if that is the school’s policy.
For years the GRE was an admitting standard for many graduate programs, but that is becoming less common as universities and programs understand that standardized testing may only reflect a particular student’s abilities in a better way. The GRE is a demanding test that takes time to prepare for. It can also be an expensive roadblock for otherwise successful students who are ready to continue their education, and it may not accurately predict future student success.
Many online schools are waiving the GRE requirements to make their programs as accessible as possible to various students. However, if a school does not require a GRE score, that does not mean that they are easy to get into. Some schools may have more demanding requirements in other areas without a GRE score. Luckily, master of counseling programs with no GRE requirements can be found at multiple universities across the U.S., offering both online and in-person courses.
Check out this sampling of online counseling programs that either forgo the GRE requirement entirely or offer waivers for applicants who meet specific criteria.
| Featured No GRE or GMAT Waiver Online Counseling Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lamar University | M.Ed. - Clinical Mental Health Counseling | Visit Site |
| Lamar University | M.Ed. - Counseling & Development - Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling | Visit Site |
| Lamar University | M.Ed. - Counseling & Development - Professional School Counseling | Visit Site |
| Pepperdine University | Online MA - Clinical Psychology (LMFT or LPC prep) | Visit Site |
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Featured Online Counseling Degree Programs – No GRE & GMAT Waiver
Capella University offers three master of science programs in counseling.
For those passionate about helping people navigate life’s challenges, the MS in clinical mental health counseling program can help them develop clinical expertise for becoming practicing counseling professionals.
For students who wish to pursue the skills and knowledge needed to help couples, families, and individuals improve their relationships, then Capella’s online MS in marriage and family therapy program can be the right fit.
Finally, the online MS in school counseling program covers theories of counseling with adolescents and children, group counseling, counseling for college and career readiness, and child and adolescent psychopathology. Notably, the school counseling program offers three specialization options: general school counseling; addiction treatment and recovery; and child and adolescent counseling.
No GRE or GMAT test scores are required for admission to Capella’s counseling programs. These programs do expect prospective students to have a bachelor’s degree accompanied by official transcripts showing a minimum grade point average of 2.7 or higher (the school counseling program requires a GPA of 3.0). Letters of recommendation, a résumé or curriculum vitae, and an essay are required.
Capella’s programs are completed almost entirely online. Still, they do require the attendance of two short, five-day in-person residencies, which allow students to interact with other students and faculty in person. Each residency is embedded within a ten-week online course.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: MS in clinical mental health counseling & MS in school counseling (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)); MS in marriage and family therapy (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Lamar University – Department of Counseling
Lamar University offers an online Master of Education program in clinical mental health counseling that includes two, five-day, face-to-face residency seminars and a practicum and internship component; an online master of education program in counseling & development with a specialization in marriage couple & family counseling that includes one residency, one fifteen-week practicum, and one fifteen-week internship; and an online master of education program in counseling and development with a specialization in professional school counseling that also includes one residency, one fifteen-week practicum, and one fifteen-week internship.
Lamar University’s online counseling degree programs do not require a GRE score for admission. Applicants to these programs must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, must submit a completed online application, and official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, and must be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents.
The 60-credit curriculum of these programs includes courses such as human growth and development; counseling skills; individual counseling theories & techniques; group counseling theories & techniques; multicultural counseling; professionalism, ethics, and the law; career development; substance abuse counseling; marriage, couple and family counseling; and abnormal human behavior.
- Location: Beaumont, TX
- Accreditation: MEd in counseling and development (Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 30 months
Alliant International University
Alliant’s master of arts in clinical counseling program is offered as an online eight-week term program that is open for enrollment during each respective enrollment period. No GRE is required, but the school does have a stringent personal essay requirement which must include information about the prospective student’s background, accomplishments, professional goals, and a vision for how the program will affect the student’s future.
Because this school is based in California, this program meets the requirements for graduates to be eligible for licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs) in the state of California. The course curriculum meets requirements by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The online program includes two residencies held in California and takes place during term four and term eight.
The 60-credit program includes courses such as counseling theories, professional counseling orientation, law, and ethics, multicultural counseling and techniques, career development theories and techniques, lifespan development, chemical dependence and addiction issues, sexuality and sex therapy, psychopharmacology, assessment in clinical counseling, and couple and family counseling.
- Location: Fresno, CA
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC); Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Mercy University– School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Mercy University’s School of Social and Behavioral Sciences also has three master of science programs in counseling: an MS in marriage and family therapy; an MS in mental health counseling; and an MS in school counseling. Out of these three programs, only the MS in school counseling program and the mental health counseling program have a few courses that are available online. The marriage and family therapy program is available on campus.
The program typically takes three years to complete. All counseling programs have full- or part-time options. Program requirements for admission to the mental health counseling and school counseling program include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of 3.0, two professional letters of recommendation on letterhead, a detailed personal statement, a current résumé, college transcripts, and an in-person interview with the program director. GRE scores are not required for admission.
Both the mental health counseling and the school counseling programs require completion of 60 credits and include courses such as counseling and ethics, human development, counseling and application, introduction to school counseling, introduction to mental health counseling, multicultural perspectives in counseling, and assessment in counseling.
- Location: Dobbs Ferry, NY; Bronx, NY
- Accreditation: School counseling program (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three years
New York University Steinhardt
NYU Steinhardt offers two online counseling master’s programs through Counseling@NYU: one in school counseling and one in mental health counseling. These programs are both accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). Full-time and part-time study options are available for both.
Students in the mental health counseling program can tailor their course of study to cognitive behavioral therapy, substance-related disorders, marriage and family counseling, adolescent sexuality, trauma counseling, and immigrant-origin youth. These counseling programs admit students on a rolling basis, with cohorts that begin in January, June, and September. Notably, the school counseling program offers an optional concentration in bilingual school counseling.
GRE scores are not required for admission. A successful application will include a lengthy and detailed statement of purpose, a current résumé or CV, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and English proficiency test scores (only if the student’s native language is not English). Admissions standards for online programs are the same as for the on-campus programs.
Admissions officers at NYU Steinhardt affirm that they are more interested in students with a strong sense of social justice and some mental health experience. This can include paid or volunteer experience in suicide hotlines, psychiatric centers, crisis centers, etc.
The MA in school counseling program requires 48 to 51 credits and includes courses such as professional orientation and ethical issues in school counseling; foundations of school counseling; assessment of children and adolescents; and an internship in school counseling. The online master’s in mental health counseling program requires completion of 60 credits and includes courses such as abnormal psychology; professional orientation and ethics in counseling for mental health and wellness; dynamics of vocational development; and a practicum in counseling for mental health and wellness.
- Location: New York City, NY
- Accreditation: Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Board (MPCAC); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Liberty’s online master of arts in clinical mental health counseling degree equips students to gain state licensure and become Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs). Liberty students can complete the program in as little as two full-time years or as long as three years. Although the program is completed mostly online, two visits to the Central Virginia campus are required for two intensive in-person experiences. Students do have some choices in planning the visits, so it can be conveniently worked into the scheduling. Through these intensives, students will collaborate and meet with professors and peers while completing their online degree and progressing toward their counseling license.
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited the program. No GRE is required for Liberty’s online master of arts in clinical mental health counseling degree. All applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, a personal statement, college transcripts, proof of English proficiency (if needed), and an agreement to the school’s mission and diversity statement.
The program’s 60-credit curriculum includes courses such as group counseling, assessment techniques in counseling, career development and counseling, psychopathology, theories of family systems, crisis counseling, clinical diagnosis and treatment planning, substance abuse: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, and integration of spirituality and counseling.
- Location: Lynchburg, VA
- Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 30 months
Pennsylvania Western University
Pennsylvania Western University’s counseling department offers a master of science program in counseling with three separate concentrations. These include art therapy, clinical mental health counseling, and school counseling. The art therapy concentration is only offered online, while the clinical mental health and school counseling concentrations are offered online and face-to-face (California campus only). All programs require the completion of 60 credits.
The concentration in art therapy teaches creative process, therapeutic artmaking, counseling theory, and art therapy. It uses human experience in the therapeutic encounter to help clients work toward change. Courses include introduction to art therapy research, advanced research in art therapy, media and materials art therapy, clinical and group art therapy, current trends in art therapy, and digital media in art therapy.
The concentration in clinical mental health counseling prepares graduates to work in several mental health settings serving couples, individuals, families, or groups. Graduates are trained as counseling generalists and are eligible to work in outpatient, inpatient, agency, and other mental health-related settings. Courses include addictions counseling; crisis and trauma counseling; family counseling; and multicultural counseling.
The concentration in school counseling prepares graduates to function as highly effective and dynamic school counselors in PK-12 settings. They learn how to implement and develop comprehensive, developmental school counseling programs and provide student support and counseling services in school settings.
GRE scores are only required if the applicant’s GPA is below 3.0. Other admission requirements include a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0, two recommendations, and an essay.
- Location: California, PA
- Accreditation: Art therapy (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)); clinical mental health counseling and school counseling (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Walden University has two master’s of science programs in counseling: an online MS in clinical mental health counseling and an online MS in school counseling program. Both programs are CACREP-accredited. Walden’s counseling programs require only a bachelor’s degree and a completed application for admission consideration and their counseling faculty members hold doctorates and are licensed practitioners.
All of Walden’s educational programs are online, and the school has been a leader in distance learning since 1970. Students who take one or two courses a term can complete these programs in 33 months or up to three years. Students eligible to enroll in three courses a term can potentially finish their programs in 27 months.
The clinical mental health counseling program offers a general program and six optional specializations in addiction counseling; forensic counseling; marriage, couple, and family counseling; military families and culture; telehealth counseling, private practice, and supervision; and trauma and crisis counseling. The program’s 90 to 96-credit curriculum includes courses such as introduction to clinical mental health counseling; multicultural counseling; couples and family counseling; career counseling; counseling addictive disorders; psychopharmacology; and crisis, trauma, and disaster response.
The school counseling program offers a general program and five optional specializations in addiction counseling; crisis and trauma; marriage, couple, and family counseling; telehealth counseling, private practice, and supervision; and military families and culture. This program includes courses such as introduction to school counseling; group counseling in the schools; child and adolescent counseling; career counseling; and leadership, advocacy, and consultation in the schools.
Notably, Walden also has an online MS dual degree in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling. Walden is among the few universities offering this fully online dual counseling degree option.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: MS (33 months); dual degree (48 months)
Bellevue University offers an online master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling that is modeled on licensing standards for clinical mental health counselors preparing graduates to take the licensure exam in Nebraska or their home state. Through 100 practicum hours, 600 clinical internship hours, and two on-campus residencies, graduates gain invaluable experience in the field, building their resume, confidence, and network along the way.
Applicants to the program must complete a prerequisite requirement of six credits in the behavioral sciences. They must submit a current resume, two current letters of recommendation, a 1,000-word statement of interest, and official transcripts. GRE scores are not required for admission.
The program, which comprises 60 credits, includes courses such as diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders, foundations of addictions counseling, couples and family counseling, advanced counseling skills, techniques, and practices, trauma, crisis, and traumatic stress counseling, treatment of child and adolescent disorders, and human sexuality.
- Location: Bellevue, NE
- Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Nova Southeastern University offers a master of science program in counseling that has several concentration options. These include clinical mental health counseling; school counseling; and applied behavior analysis. Of these concentrations, only the clinical mental health counseling concentration is CACREP-accredited. This concentration can be completed online (with a three-day professional onsite engagement), on-campus, or a hybrid of both.
This 60-credit clinical mental health counseling concentration includes courses such as counseling theories and practice; research and evaluation for counselors; human growth and development; ethical, legal, and professional issues for counselors; diagnosis and treatment of adult psychopathology; psychological testing for individual evaluation; substance abuse; career and lifestyle assessment; and social and cultural foundations of counseling.
Nova Southeastern University does not require GRE scores for admission. The major admission requirements include a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, a grade point average of 2.5 or higher, official transcripts from all schools attended, a personal statement, two academic or professional letters of recommendation, and an interview may also be required for admission to the program.
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Catawba College offers an online master of health science program in clinical mental health counseling, providing students with clinical competencies and skills through comprehensive approaches within counselor education and student-specific experiential learning, including an internship.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, official transcripts from each college or university attended, two letters of recommendation, and a 500-word essay.
The 60-credit program includes courses such as introduction to counseling, counseling theories, principles of addiction, counseling skills and techniques, ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling, multicultural diversity in counseling, diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders, case management, and assessment and evaluation in counseling. GMAT and GRE scores are not required.
- Location: Salisbury, NC
- Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
What to Know About No GRE Online Counseling Programs & Waiver Requests
It’s important to note that if a school does not require a GRE for admission to an online counseling program, it does not mean that a school is lower quality or easier to get into than another school with a GRE requirement. Many graduate programs and distance learning programs in general have competitive entry standards. Schools are placing a greater emphasis on work experience and strong academic backgrounds rather than standardized test scores.
Many schools are eliminating the requirements for GREs or GMATs for master’s level programs, although they are still considered a standard of admission for a doctoral program. Higher education professionals understand that eliminating roadblocks such as standardized tests, which often require a pricey test-taking fee, lowers barriers for many students. If a prospective student is considering a school with a GRE requirement, note whether they offer a GRE waiver. Many do.
To successfully request a GRE test score waiver, pay close attention to fulfilling the requirements of the waiver request. Keep the purpose of the GRE test at the forefront of your mind—it intends to demonstrate a prospective student’s thoughtfulness, reasoning skills, professional communication skills, and passion for continuing their education. Emphasize and highlight the many things in the student’s work life, academic life, and personal life that have developed those skills. Use the space to prove that a test is unnecessary to demonstrate those skills.
If a student has professional work experience, use that as a foundation to explain how that will generate success in the chosen graduate program. This should be more than just a listing of professional accomplishments, although that should be provided as well. Ensure the essay follows the school’s required formatting for length and spacing. It should be organized and free from any mistakes in grammar and spelling.
Whether a student has a poor previous GRE score or no GRE score at all, that does not impede pursuing an advanced degree in mental health counseling.
Vanessa Salvia
WriterVanessa Salvia is an Oregon-based freelance writer and editor with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. As fun as rigorous studies in math and science were, Vanessa took an independent path and developed a prolific career covering lifestyle and healthcare topics for magazines and newspapers, important industries such as concrete construction and building waterproofing, and even hard science. You can get in touch at Sage Media and Marketing.