Best Online Counseling Programs for 2024

Based in Williamsburg, Kentucky, the University of the Cumberlands' Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision requires 66 credits, including a 12-credit dissertation. You can complete this counseling degree online. The program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). 

Tuition is $449/credit. Admission requirements typically include a master's in counseling from a CACREP-accredited program or equivalent and an active professional counseling license or certification.

Northwestern's online master's in counseling offers several tracks: accelerated, part-time, traditional, and a bridge program for those new to the field. The CACREP-accredited program requires students to complete a practicum and an internship totaling 800 hours. If you want to make a difference in the lives of youth, there is a specialization in working with children and adolescents. Students must attend the Chicago campus for two immersion experiences. 

Students complete an online capstone conference instead of final exams. The program takes 18-39 months to complete. Graduate tuition at Northwestern is $21,550 per quarter. Applicants need a bachelor's degree, and GRE scores are not required to apply. 

National University's online master of arts in counseling psychology prepares students to work with couples, children, and other family members. The program is designed for California residents, and graduates can pursue licensure as marriage and family therapists in the state. Students can choose from two specializations: marriage and family or a combined marriage and family and licensed professional clinical counselor option. 

To graduate, students must complete 90 quarter credits, including two practicums. National University offers four-week courses and year-round enrollment. Annual tuition is $11,934. Students may apply for the Key Grant Scholarship by July 29, 2024. The military-friendly school is veteran-founded. 

William Carey University's master's in counselor education program offers mostly online courses with some in-person requirements at its Tradition Campus in Biloxi, Mississippi. The 60-credit program offers concentrations in school counseling and clinical mental health counseling. Graduates meet the educational requirements to pursue licensure as a school counselor or clinical mental health counselor in Mississippi. 

Tuition is $460 per trimester credit. Applicants need a bachelor's degree with a 2.5 GPA or higher. They must also submit a resume, a goals statement, official transcripts, and GRE or MAT scores. Prerequisite courses include general psychology or educational psychology, counseling theory, and statistics. 

Located in Beaumont, Texas, Lamar University offers an online master's in counseling and development with two tracks: professional school counseling or marriage, couple, and family counseling. The program meets the standards of the Coordinated School Health Model in Texas and the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model. Before applying, check to see if the credentials apply to your state.

Courses are offered in five-week terms, except for advanced rotation courses. It typically takes 2.5-3 years to complete this program. Tuition is $900/course. Students must spend part of the five-week residency program on campus. The practicum takes 100 hours, and internships take 300 hours. 

The online master's in counseling at California Baptist University offers a Christian worldview in psychology. The curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to become licensed as marriage and family therapists and professional clinical counselors in California. Check your state's licensing requirements if you attend this program online from another state or plan to practice in another state. 

The program is 100% online. Courses are asynchronous, allowing students to watch lectures and complete tasks when convenient. It typically takes two years to complete and requires 62-68 credits. Tuition is $800/credit. 

Lehigh's master of education in international school counseling is designed for students living outside the U.S. who work at international schools. Students complete online asynchronous courses during the school year and attend in-person classes during the summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, or an international location. Students must complete at least 100 fieldwork hours, including a two-semester internship as a culminating experience. 

The M.Ed. program starts in the winter and requires 48 credits, which takes 2-3 years to complete. Graduate tuition at Lehigh costs $590 per credit. Graduates who are U.S. citizens can pursue school counselor certification in Pennsylvania. Applicants need a resume, an essay, two letters of recommendation, and undergraduate transcripts with a minimum 3.0 GPA. 

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, the online master's in counseling offers a specialization in clinical mental health counseling. There are three mandatory on-campus residencies, a 100-hour practicum, and two 300-hour internships. Applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree and a 3.0 or higher undergraduate GPA. The program takes less than four years.

The program is accredited by CACREP. The school has collected a list of states where the program meets licensing requirements. Still, be sure to check the most recent information for your state. Tuition is $1,368/credit. 

Webster's online MA in counseling degree requires 60 credits. The CACREP-accredited program combines coursework and 15 months of hands-on clinical fieldwork. Students can graduate in 2-4 years. The curriculum emphasizes counselor orientation and identity, the cultural context of relationships and issues in a multicultural society, and theories of human growth and development. 

The program is ideal for students new to the field or those looking to pursue professional counselor licensure. Tuition costs $730 per credit hour. Applicants need an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. GRE scores are not required. 

At Crown College, the online master's in counseling combines the Christian faith and scientific study of counseling theories and techniques. The program is designed to meet Minnesota counselor licensing requirements, which include a 700-hour internship. The schedule is designed for working students and takes approximately two years. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree and at least a 3.0 GPA.

To complete this master's in counseling online, students must visit the campus in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota, for a four-day residency each year. Tuition is $635/credit.