A mental health counselor works with different individuals, groups, and populations in order to help people improve their mental state and quality of life. Mental health counseling is an umbrella term that covers a variety of educational tracks including family, school, multicultural, mental health, drug addiction, recovery, and more. Aspiring students who wish to work as mental health counselors should have an idea of the counseling track that appeals to them the most and select an online degree program that fits their goals.

Choosing the Right Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Program

An online master’s degree is needed in order to work as a licensed mental health counselor, although it’s possible to find employment with a bachelor’s degree. However, all states require a master’s degree for licensing, as do the tests that are needed to apply for a license.

In order to ensure that the education you receive is accepted by governments and the public alike, you need to attend an online mental health counseling degree program that’s been accredited by an institution that’s been recognized by the Department of Education. The accrediting bodies for mental health counseling degree programs are the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). An online program that’s been accredited by any of these institutions is one that provides you with the education you need to become a successful mental health counselor.

Bachelor's Degree

There is no specific online bachelor’s degree program for becoming a mental health counselor. Students who have the desire to work in the field of mental health counseling have the option to earn their undergraduate in general psychology or a related mental health concentration. Some schools offer a concentration in mental health counseling that consists of classes that cover the area of study and typically require taking 12-15 credit hours.

Master's Degree

Students who earn a bachelor’s in psychology can go on to earn their master’s degree in mental health counseling online. The master’s degree program is designed to focus a student’s education further into a specific area of mental health counseling and position them as a specialist. Completion of the master’s degree enables them to sit for exams and apply for licensing after completing an average of 60 credit hours and 600 hours of clinical work. Graduates may be required to complete 2,000 hours or more of supervised clinical work in order to qualify for licensure.

Graduate Certificate

An online graduate certificate in mental health counseling typically covers a specific area of mental health counseling that a graduate student hasn’t previously studied. The certificate requires anywhere from 12 to 15 credit hours for completion. Earning a graduate certificate broadens the graduate’s range of specialties, allowing them to enter other areas of mental health counseling they weren’t previously qualified for.

Doctorate

Students who have the desire to work at the highest levels of psychology research and treatment can go on to earn their doctorate as a Ph.D. or Psy.D. online. However, there are few degree programs that go directly from earning a mental health counseling degree to the doctorate level. Instead, students can earn their doctorate in specialties that include counselor education and supervision, behavioral health leadership, forensic psychology, school psychology, behavioral health, and more.

What Mental Health Counseling Degree is Right for Me?

Bachelor’s DegreeMaster’s DegreeGraduate CertPh.D. or PsyD
I am interested in gaining entry-level experience in mental health counselingx
I want to get started in my mental health counseling career before I pursue more educationx
I want to become a licensed professional counselorx
I want to pursue or switch to a niche counseling specialtyxx
I already have a counseling degree and want to gain specialized knowledgexx
I want to work in academia, administration, or clinical practicex

Mental Health Counseling Degree Program Curriculum

The curriculum for an online degree program in psychology and related mental health fields varies from program to program. The mental health counseling degree program isn’t focused until the master’s degree level. The curriculum for a mental health counseling degree program at the master’s level can include classes such as:

  • Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling
  • Group Counseling
  • Sexuality Counseling
  • Psychopathology
  • Testing and Appraisal
  • Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling

The number of credits required for mental health counseling degree programs varies, but generally consists of the following:

Bachelor's Degree: 120 to 130 credits

Master's Degree : 60 credits

Graduate Certificate: 12 to 15 credits

Mental Health Counseling Degree Program Clinical Requirements

The clinical requirements for an online mental health counseling degree program are different at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. A bachelor’s degree student may be required to undergo a minimum of 100 hours of supervised clinical work, while a master’s degree student is typically required to complete 600 supervised hours.

The clinical hours requirements for the bachelor’s degree program are dependent on the concentration of the degree program. There are no undergraduate degree programs for mental health counseling, which means students can earn their bachelor’s in general psychology or a related field of mental health studies. Each concentration has its own requirements for the completion of clinical hours.

List of Mental Health Counseling Degree Programs

Looking for an online or campus-based mental health counseling degree program near you? Browse our state-by-state school listings below.

Jump to Your State Listings

Alabama

7440 East Drive
Montgomery, AL 36117-3596
(334) 244-3000

Master's Programs
1500 East Fairview Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36106-2148
(334) 833-4497

Station One
Livingston, AL 35470
(205) 652-3400

Arizona

1900 S Knoles Dr, Babbitt Administrative Center, Room 200
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4092
(928) 523-9011

Arkansas

915 E. Market Ave.
Searcy, AR 72149-5615
(501) 279-4000

1100 Henderson Street
Arkadelphia, AR 71999-0001
(870) 230-5000

Master's Programs
201 Donaghey Ave
Conway, AR 72035-0001
(501) 450-5000

California

10455 Pomerado Road
San Diego, CA 92131
(858) 635-4000

Certificate Programs
50 Frida Kahlo Drive
San Francisco, CA 94112-1898
(415) 239-3000

Colorado

Master's Programs
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(719) 255-3000

1380 Lawrence Street, Lawrence Street Center, Suite 1400
Denver, CO 80217-3364
(303) 556-5600

Carter Hall - Rm 4000
Greeley, CO 80639
(970) 351-1890

Connecticut

Bachelor's Programs
83 Windham St
Willimantic, CT 06226
(860) 465-5000

800 Country Club Rd
Waterbury, CT 06723
(800) 345-2562

5151 Park Ave
Fairfield, CT 06825-1000
(203) 371-7999

501 Crescent Street
New Haven, CT 06515-1355
(203) 392-5200

Graduate Certificate Programs
352 Mansfield Road
Storrs, CT 06269
(860) 486-2000

300 Boston Post Road
West Haven, CT 06516-1916
(203) 932-7000

Florida

1500 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32307
(850) 599-3000

777 Glades Rd, Administration Bldg., Room 339
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991
(561) 297-3000

10501 Fgcu Blvd S
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
(239) 590-1000

11200 S. W. 8 Street
Miami, FL 33199
(305) 348-2000

Master's Programs
222 S. Copeland Street
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1037
(850) 644-2525

1500 NW 49th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 776-4476

3301 College Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796
(954) 262-7300

Master's Programs
421 N Woodland Blvd
DeLand, FL 32723
(386) 822-7000

4000 Central Florida Blvd
Orlando, FL 32816
(407) 823-2000

341 Tigert Hall 300 SW 13th St
Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 392-1202

University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 284-2211

Graduate Certificate ProgramsMaster's Programs
4202 East Fowler Ave
Tampa, FL 33620-9951
(813) 974-2011

Georgia

223 James P Brawley Drive, SW
Atlanta, GA 30314-4391
(404) 880-8000

Certificate Programs
201 Dowman Drive
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-6123

1005 State University Dr
Fort Valley, GA 31030-4313
(478) 825-6315

1332 Southern Drive
Statesboro, GA 30460-8126
(912) 478-5391

33 gilmer st
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
(404) 413-2000

1501 Mercer University Drive
Macon, GA 31207
(478) 301-2700

709 Mall Blvd
Savannah, GA 31406
(888) 444-3404

350 Spelman Lane SW
Atlanta, GA 30314-4399
(404) 681-3643

Administration Building
Athens, GA 30602
(706) 542-3000

Master's Programs
82 College Circle
Dahlonega, GA 30597
(706) 864-1400

1601 Maple St
Carrollton, GA 30118-0001
(678) 839-5000

Hawaii

3140 Waialae Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816-1578
(808) 735-4711

Illinois

1501 W BRADLEY AVE
Peoria, IL 61625-0001
(309) 676-7611

Master's Programs
1 E Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 362-8000

Master's Programs
1 University Pky
University Park, IL 60484
(708) 534-5000

Master's Programs
One University Parkway
Romeoville, IL 60446-2200
(815) 838-0500

5500 N Saint Louis Ave
Chicago, IL 60625-4699
(773) 583-4050

430 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-1394
(312) 341-3500

325 N Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 329-6600

601 E John Street
Champaign, IL 61820-5711
(217) 333-1000

Indiana

210 N 7th St
Terre Haute, IN 47809
(812) 237-6311

2325 Chester Blvd
Richmond, IN 47374-1289
(765) 973-8200

2300 S Washington St
Kokomo, IN 46902-9003
(765) 453-2000

1700 Mishawaka Ave
South Bend, IN 46615-7111
(574) 520-4872

4201 Grant Line Rd
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 941-2333

2200 169th Street
Hammond, IN 46323
(219) 989-2400

1400 E Hanna Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46227-3697
(317) 788-3368

Iowa

Master's ProgramsGraduate Certificate Programs
1200 Grandview Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515) 263-2800

Master's Programs
101 Jessup Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242-1316
(319) 335-3500

Master's Programs
1227 W 27th St
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0005
(319) 273-2311

106 S Sixth St
Forest City, IA 50436-1713
(641) 585-2450

Kansas

2030 E College Way
Olathe, KS 66062-1899
(913) 782-3750

Kentucky

204 N Lexington Ave
Wilmore, KY 40390-1199
(859) 858-3581

Nunn Drive
Highland Heights, KY 41099
(859) 572-5100

2301 S 3rd St
Louisville, KY 40292-0001
(502) 852-5555

Master's Programs
6191 College Station Drive
Williamsburg, KY 40769
(606) 549-2200

1906 College Heights Blvd
Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000
(270) 745-0111

Louisiana

Master's Programs
6823 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118-5698
(504) 865-5000

104 University Circle
Lafayette, LA 70503
(377) 482-1000

700 University Avenue
Monroe, LA 71209-0000
(318) 342-1000

Maine

Maryland

3400 N Charles St
Baltimore, MD 21218-2688
(410) 516-8000

2 College Hill
Westminster, MD 21157
(410) 848-7000

Certificate Programs
3501 University Blvd East
Adelphi, MD 20783-8010
(301) 985-7000

Massachusetts

588 Longmeadow Street
Longmeadow, MA 01106
(413) 565-1000

140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
(617) 552-8000

235 Wellesley St
Weston, MA 02493-1571
(781) 768-7000

577 Western Ave
Westfield, MA 01086-1630
(413) 572-5300

486 Chandler St
Worcester, MA 01602-2597
(508) 929-8000

Michigan

6191 Kraft Avenue S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-9396
(616) 698-7111

900 Oakwood St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 487-1849

2200 North Squirrel Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48309-4401
(248) 370-2100

Minnesota

10225 Yellow Circle Dr.
Minnetonka, MN 55343
(612) 861-7554

225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor
Minneapolis, MN 55402-3389
(866) 808-4080

Master's Programs
720 Fourth Ave. South
Saint Cloud, MN 56301-4498
(320) 308-0121

Master's Programs
175 West Mark Street
Winona, MN 55987-5838
(507) 457-5000

Mississippi

200 South Capitol Street
Clinton, MS 39058
(601) 925-3000

Missouri

Master's Programs
One University Plaza, MS2025
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
(573) 651-2000

One University Boulevard
Saint Louis, MO 63121-4400
(314) 516-5000

Montana

Graduate Certificate Programs
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717
(406) 994-0211

1500 University Drive
Billings, MT 59101-0298
(406) 657-2011

Master's Programs
Missoula, Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
(406) 243-0211

Nebraska

1000 Galvin Rd S
Bellevue, NE 68005-3098
(402) 291-8100

2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
(402) 280-2700

Master's Programs
2504 9th Avenue
Kearney, NE 68849-1212
(308) 865-8441

Master's Programs
6001 Dodge St
Omaha, NE 68182-0225
(402) 554-2800

Nevada

4505 S Maryland Pky
Las Vegas, NV 89154
(702) 895-3011

New Hampshire

17 High Street
Plymouth, NH 03264-1595
(603) 535-5000

New Jersey

1000 River Rd
Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 692-2000

Master's Programs
900 Lakewood Ave
Lakewood, NJ 08701-2697
(732) 987-2200

400 Cedar Ave
West Long Branch, NJ 07764-1898
(732) 571-3400

2039 Kennedy Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 200-2000

2083 Lawrence Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099
(609) 896-5000

201 Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 08028
(856) 256-4000

New Mexico

2850 Weddell Street
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
(575) 646-0111

Master's Programs
6610 North Lovington Hwy
Hobbs, NM 88240
(575) 392-6561

New York

South Ave
Garden City, NY 11530-0701
(516) 877-3000

One Bernard Baruch Way (55 Lexington Ave at 24th St)
New York, NY 10010
(646) 312-1000

Master's Programs
2900 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11210
(718) 951-5000

160 Convent Ave
New York, NY 10031
(212) 650-7000

695 Park Ave
New York, NY 10065
(212) 772-4000

Master's Programs
65-30 Kissena Blvd
Queens, NY 11367
(718) 997-5000

2800 Victory Blvd
Staten Island, NY 10314
(718) 982-2000

Master's Programs
West 116 St and Broadway
New York, NY 10027
(212) 854-1754

441 E Fordham Rd
Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 817-1000

Master's ProgramsCertificate Programs
100 Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY 11549
(516) 463-6600

715 North Ave
New Rochelle, NY 10801-1890
(914) 633-2000

3399 North Rd
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 575-3000

Master's Programs
555 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
(800) 637-2969

Master's ProgramsCertificate Programs
350 New Campus Dr
Brockport, NY 14420-2919
(585) 395-2361

Master's Programs
223 Store Hill Rd
Old Westbury, NY 11568-0210
(516) 876-3000

101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2681
(518) 564-2000

1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
(518) 442-3300

900 South Crouse Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13244
(315) 443-1870

50 West 47th Street
New York, NY 10036
(646) 565-6000

Master's ProgramsCertificate Programs
12 Capen Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260-1660
(716) 645-2000

North Carolina

143 Main Street
Buies Creek, NC 27506
(800) 334-4111

1601 E Market St
Greensboro, NC 27411
(336) 334-7500

Master's Programs
1801 Fayetteville Street
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 530-6100

Master's Programs
2101 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27695-7001
(919) 515-2011

9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
(704) 687-2000

1400 Spring Garden St
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
(336) 334-5000

Master's Programs
One University Drive
Pembroke, NC 28372-1510
(910) 521-6000

1834 Wake Forest Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
(336) 758-5000

Highway 107
Cullowhee, NC 28723-9646
(828) 227-7100

North Dakota

7500 University Dr
Bismarck, ND 58504
(701) 255-7500

Ohio

Master's Programs
401 College Avenue
Ashland, OH 44805
(800) 882-1548

220 McFall Ctr
Bowling Green, OH 43403
(418) 372-5526

1 John Carroll Boulevard
University Heights, OH 44118-4538
(888) 388-2977

Master's Programs
Executive Office, 2nd Floor Library
Kent, OH 44242-0001
(330) 672-3000

Master's ProgramsGraduate Certificate Programs
2600 Cleveland Avenue NW
Canton, OH 44709-3308
(330) 471-8100

Associate Programs
444 W. Third St.
Dayton, OH 45402-1460
(937) 512-3000

Master's Programs
2624 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0063
(513) 556-6000

Master's ProgramsCertificate Programs
300 College Park
Dayton, OH 45469
(937) 229-1000

3640 Colonel Glenn Highway
Dayton, OH 45435-0001
(937) 775-1000

3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45207-1092
(513) 745-3000

Oklahoma

Master's Programs
2800 West Gore Blvd
Lawton, OK 73505-6377
(580) 581-2200

Master's Programs
660 Parrington Oval
Norman, OK 73019-3072
(405) 325-0311

Oregon

615 S Palatine Hill Rd
Portland, OR 97219-7899
(503) 768-7000

1500 SW Jefferson Avenue
Corvallis, OR 97331
(541) 737-0123

Master's Programs
724 SW Harrison
Portland, OR 97201
(503) 725-3000

1250 Siskiyou Blvd
Ashland, OR 97520
(541) 552-7672

Pennsylvania

9801 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19114-2009
(215) 637-7700

1011 South Dr 201 Sutton Hall
Indiana, PA 15705-1098
(724) 357-2100

15200 Kutztown Rd
Kutztown, PA 19530-0730
(610) 683-4000

401 North Fairview Street
Lock Haven, PA 17745-2390
(570) 484-2011

1400 Montgomery Ave
Rosemont, PA 19010-1699
(610) 527-0200

5600 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131-1395
(610) 660-1000

Master's Programs
34th & Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303
(215) 898-5000

Master's Programs
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085-1699
(610) 519-4500

University Avenue and High Street
West Chester, PA 19383
(610) 436-1000

Rhode Island

Certificate ProgramsMaster's Programs
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI 02908
(401) 456-8000

South Carolina

9 Science Court
Columbia, SC 29203
(803) 799-9082

Columbia-Campus
Columbia, SC 29208
(803) 777-7000

701 Oakland Ave
Rock Hill, SC 29733
(803) 323-2211

South Dakota

1004 Campanile Ave
Brookings, SD 57007-1898
(800) 952-3541

414 E Clark St
Vermillion, SD 57069-2390
(605) 658-6200

Tennessee

601 College St
Clarksville, TN 37044
(931) 221-7011

Master's ProgramsPhD Programs
1900 Belmont Blvd
Nashville, TN 37212-3757
(615) 460-6000

Master's Programs
1276 Gilbreath Drive
Johnson City, TN 37614
(423) 439-1000

Master's Programs
One University Park Drive
Nashville, TN 37204-3951
(615) 966-1000

3500 John A. Merritt Blvd
Nashville, TN 37209-1561
(615) 963-5000

Master's Programs
1 William L. Jones Drive
Cookeville, TN 38505-0001
(931) 372-3101

Master's Programs
527 Andy Holt Tower
Knoxville, TN 37996
(865) 974-1000

Master's Programs
333 Murfreesboro Rd
Nashville, TN 37210
(615) 248-1200

Master's Programs
Southern Avenue
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-2000

Texas

Master's Programs
6425 Boaz St
Dallas, TX 75275-0221
(214) 768-2000

1333 W. Washington
Stephenville, TX 76401-0000
(254) 968-9000

Master's Programs
2800 S University Dr
Fort Worth, TX 76129
(817) 257-7000

4901 E University
Odessa, TX 79762-0001
(432) 552-2020

1201 W University Dr
Edinburg, TX 78539-2999
(956) 665-2011

Master's Programs
500 W. University Ave
El Paso, TX 79968-0691
(915) 747-5000

One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249-1644
(210) 458-4011

Master's Programs
3900 University Blvd
Tyler, TX 75799-6699
(903) 566-7000

Master's Programs
7300 University Hills Drive
Dallas, TX 75241
(972) 780-3600

Utah

201 Presidents Circle, ROOM 201
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9008
(801) 581-7200

Vermont

337 College Hill
Johnson, VT 05656-9464
(802) 635-2356

Virginia

Master's Programs
700 Park Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23504-8000
(757) 823-8600

801 East Main St.
Radford, VA 24142
(540) 831-5000

1000 Regent University Dr
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
(757) 352-4127

Master's Programs
210 Burruss Hall, 800 Drillfield Dr.
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0131
(540) 231-6994

Washington

2326 6th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121-1814
(206) 441-5352

Master's Programs
400 East University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 963-1111

Master's Programs
526 5th Street
Cheney, WA 99004-2496
(509) 359-6200

E 502 Boone Ave
Spokane, WA 99258-0001
(800) 986-9585

900 Broadway
Seattle, WA 98122-4340
(206) 296-6000

West Virginia

1 John Marshall Dr
Huntington, WV 25755
(304) 696-3170

PO Box 6201
Morgantown, WV 26506
(304) 293-0111

Wisconsin

Master's Programs
1250 W Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53233
(414) 288-7710

Master's Programs
2900 N. Menomonee River Pky
Milwaukee, WI 53222-4597
(414) 930-3000

Master's Programs
2200 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI 53211
(414) 229-1122

Certificate ProgramsMaster's Programs
900 Wood Rd
Kenosha, WI 53144
(262) 595-2345

712 S Broadway St
Menomonie, WI 54751
(715) 232-1122

Are we missing your school's program or need to update information listed? Please contact us so we can make the necessary changes.

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