Master's in Counseling Online MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

As part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. In fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

Prior coursework and work experience could also help you save time and money. SNHU’s transfer policy allows you to transfer up to 12 credits from your previous institution. You could also earn college credit for previous work experience.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality. 

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

93.2% of online students would recommend SNHU according to a 2023 survey with 21,000+ respondents. Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

SNHU is no longer accepting new students into the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. 

Counseling’s strength lies in forming connections. And those relationships can best be developed in a face-to-face setting. That’s why SNHU’s CACREP-accredited online clinical mental health counseling master’s degree incorporates two in-person residencies into its program.

To better prepare you for the face-to-face counseling environment, Southern New Hampshire University's online master's in clinical mental health counseling requires that students complete two in-person residencies. You'll work closely with SNHU instructors and fellow students to develop your identity as a counselor.

The residency is an exciting opportunity for students to connect and collaborate with peers and faculty, through one-on-one and small group sessions. The residency will enhance the learning process by allowing students to take their theoretical knowledge and apply it under the supervision and guidance of skilled clinical faculty.

Students must complete two five-day residencies, one in the first year of their program and one before they begin their practicum and internship courses.

Each residency is five days long and will require the student to travel to New Hampshire. Lodging and most meals will be arranged by SNHU and covered under a separate residency fee. Student financial aid can be used to cover travel expenses.

The residencies are part of a full 10-week course. The online instruction before and after the residency will be structured to prepare students to get the most out of the in-person experience.

These residencies consist of:

• COU-540 Helping Skills and Techniques: Residency I: This course presents the basic skills and techniques that form the foundation of the counseling process. The course includes a five-day, in-person laboratory in which students meet with the counseling faculty for an intensive learning experience to practice and demonstrate their competence in these skills. (To be completed in the first year of the program.)
• COU-690 Advanced Individual and Group Helping Skills and Techniques: Residency II: This course is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their competence in integrating and applying the knowledge and skills acquired in the curriculum in preparation for the practicum experience. The course includes a five-day, in-person laboratory in which students will participate in a group counseling analog experience. (To be completed prior to the practicum.)

Video Communication Platform:

• Mac or PC desktop or laptop (not a mobile device or tablet)
• Webcam
• Microphone
• Required: At least 1 Mbps upload/download speed
• Learn more about our detailed Bongo technical requirements

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

Yes! Like so many other college subjects, most counseling courses can be completed online.

At Southern New Hampshire University, we offer a master's in counseling online. This program was launched in response to the growing need for mental health counselors: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% increase through 2032 in mental health, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors – much faster than the average for all occupations.²

You may wonder how an online master's in mental health counseling works – specifically the part where it's online. At SNHU, our program is technically a bit of a hybrid. While about 90% of your work is done online, the rest happens in 2 face-to-face residencies – weeklong, intensive experiences that allow you to be with the students and instructors you've been learning with, to practice the skills needed to be a counselor.

Courses like Human Development, Career Counseling and Diversity in Counseling give you a deep dive on theories that you can put into practice in your career. The residencies give you the hands-on opportunity to hone your counseling skills before you jump into the profession.

Beyond helping others, a master's in counseling can help position you for success in a growing field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors are projected to grow 18% through 2032 – much faster than the national average for all occupations.²

As a substance abuse or behavioral disorder counselor, you'll lead individual or group sessions to help clients cope with stressors, manage relationships and discuss their addiction or other problems with friends and family members.¹ You may even employ 12-step program principles (such as Alcoholics Anonymous) to lay the groundwork for your practice.¹

You may focus on specific populations, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans or persons with disabilities.

Mental health counselors, on the other hand, provide treatment for individuals, families, couples or groups.¹ Clients may need help navigating any variety of conditions, including anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, stress or suicidal thoughts.¹

You could work in a number of environments. BLS notes that the largest employers of substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors are:²

• Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers
• Individual and family services
• State, local, and private hospitals
• Residential mental health and substance abuse facilities, such as halfway houses or rehab centers
• Government, such as Veterans Affairs (VA) or correctional facilities

In other words, those who earn their MA in Counseling can be prepared for any number of career tracks.

For Tunisian-born SNHU grad Fatma Salem-Pease '19, a master's offered an opportunity to not only forge her own path, but also to inspire others along the way.

“I think my degree is impacting a lot of people, myself included. It’s certainly going to change my life,” she said.

“It’s also impacted a lot of my family members, other kids in Tunisia who look up to me. A lot of little girls in Tunisia [reach] out to me through social media and tell me how much I inspire them.”

As part of her program, Salem Pease also pursued an internship at a counseling agency in Manchester, New Hampshire. She had the opportunity to work with clients of all ages and a variety of diagnoses, including anxiety and depression, ADHD and a history of trauma.

This firsthand experience motivated her to keep going. As she neared the end of her internship, she started applying to doctoral programs and putting in the hours she’d need to become a licensed mental health counselor.

This is just one option. Those earning their master's in counseling will be positioned to improve lives in any number of ways.

And as the need for mental health care grows across the globe, you'll be prepared to answer the call. As the World Health Organization (WHO) notes: "Faced with new realities of working from home, temporary unemployment, home-schooling of children, and lack of physical contact with other family members, friends and colleagues, it is important that we look after our mental, as well as our physical, health."³

CACREP – aka the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs – establishes the standards that it wants counseling programs to meet. By being awarded accreditation, that means a counseling program has fulfilled specific, rigorous requirements – and it makes for a less risky career choice for prospective students.

Southern New Hampshire University was first awarded CACREP accreditation for the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2020. We designed our online program from the ground up based on the curriculum standards put in place by CACREP.

All CACREP-accredited programs must ensure students master the 8 core curricular areas⁴:

• Professional counseling orientation and ethical practice
• Social and cultural diversity
• Human growth and development
• Career development
• Counseling and helping relationships
• Group counseling and group work
• Assessment and testing
• Research and program evaluation

It's also important to note that many states require completing a master's program that is CACREP accredited before you can apply for licensure. You'll need to check your state's licensing requirements to see how you can become a counselor where you live.

All of this means that when you choose a CACREP-accredited program, you can be sure that the program has been evaluated, students will be taught what they need to know to be successful and the program is stable – both professionally and financially.

There are a few steps you need to take to become a licensed counselor.

First, you'll need your bachelor's and master's degrees. SNHU offers a range of affordable, transfer-friendly bachelor's degrees that can prepare you for master's-level counseling programs, like our bachelor's in psychology or sociology degree programs.

You'll then need to earn your master's in clinical mental health counseling. Most states require 60-credit hours of coursework – which Southern New Hampshire University also asks of its students. SNHU's curriculum has 18 courses typically required by states, then gives you the opportunity to tailor your other 2 courses based on any requirements in your state or your own interests.

Counseling programs typically require residencies, practicums and internships. During SNHU's online master's program, you'll take part in 2 face-to-face week-long residencies with your classmates. This gives you the hands-on training needed for your practicum and internship experiences.

You'll also need to understand your state's own requirements for licensure, because application processes vary. Your state may specifically require the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) or the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) – or even both.

In many states, before students sit for an exam and apply for their licenses, they must demonstrate hours of supervised post-graduate work. States typically require somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000 documented hours for licensure. (To learn more about your state's requirements, visit the websites for the American Counseling Association or the National Board of Certified Counselors.)

At Southern New Hampshire University, a residency is an exciting, face-to-face experience that allows you to meet with, interact with and learn from the other students in your cohort, as well as from your instructors.

The mental health counseling program takes place chiefly online, with students often interacting with one another and faculty members via video. The two residencies serve as a chance for students to further develop relationships with classmates, while faculty have the opportunity to more closely observe students and provide real-time feedback during roleplay and other simulated counseling activities. This is valuable to both students and faculty.

And at SNHU, you get this residency opportunity twice throughout your 60-credit program.

The residencies at SNHU are:

• Helping Skills and Techniques: Residency I. This residency, completed in the first year of the program, presents the basic skills and techniques that form the foundation of the counseling process.
• Advanced Individual and Group Helping Skills and Techniques: Residency II. This residency, completed prior to the practicum, is an opportunity for students to integrate and apply the knowledge and skills they built throughout the program, in preparation for the practicum experience.

These residencies are each part of a full 10-week course, so students are working with the same instructors and classmates during the whole residency process. The online instruction before and after the residency is structured to prepare students to get the most out of the in-person experience.

Student Larson Vilajnen said that the face-to-face components of the program helped him demonstrate what he's learned. It's also given him the opportunity to receive immediate feedback that allows him to correct himself.

“Doing it in person is just a good way of getting really good feedback and really consolidating everything you’ve learned, in-person, and just feeling more confident in it,” he said.

No. A master's degree is the minimum amount of education you can have to enter the counseling field. It's one of the necessary requirements to become a licensed mental health counselor.

Many states require counselors to have earned a CACREP-accredited degree as part of their licensure process, so it's important to understand if a master's program is CACREP-accredited.

Additionally, it's crucial to determine if the program you choose can help you earn licensure where you live.

Practicum and internship hours are also needed. These can also help set you up for success because of the hands-on experience they offer you.

Your state may also require you to take an exam. The combination of your master's coursework and experiential learning should position you for licensure.

If you haven't finished your bachelor's degree yet, SNHU offers affordable, transfer-friendly degrees in areas like psychology and human services that are good foundations for a master's in counseling.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, the median annual salary for employees in mental health, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counseling roles was $49,710 in May 2022.²

That said, several factors can impact your overall salary – including years of experience, industry, employer and geographic location.

BLS notes that hospitals are the highest-paying industry for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors, reportedly earning median annual wages of $54,740 in 2022.² Counselors working in other health care offices closely followed, with median annual wages of $50,260 in the same time period.²

The highest 10% earned more than $82,710.²

¹National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health by the Numbers, on the internet, at https://nami.org/mhstats (viewed April 30, 2021)

²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, on the internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm (viewed Nov. 15, 2023).

Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

³World Health Organization, Mental Health & COVID-19, on the internet, at https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/covid-19 (viewed April 30, 2021)

⁴Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, on the internet, at:

• https://www.cacrep.org/for-students/student-faqs-2/ (viewed April 30, 2021)
• https://www.cacrep.org/for-students/why-should-i-choose-an-accredited-program/ (viewed April 30, 2021)