Counseling professionals work with a diverse range of individuals, couples or groups, helping their clients to achieve goals and attain greater mental and emotional health. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts a consistent rate of employment growth for the counseling field over the next decade. Possible work settings include schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and private practices. Counselors may concentrate on marriage and family counseling, school counseling or drug and alcohol counseling, to name just a few possible specializations.
Regardless of work environment or area of specialization, counseling positions require state licensure and a master’s degree. For non-traditional students needing greater flexibility in their studies, online master’s degree programs are an option worth exploring. Below is a ranking of the top 10 counseling programs online. The listing includes helpful information on tuition rates and program strengths for each school named.
In order to make the list, schools had to offer degree programs that can be completed predominately or entirely online. Factors taken into consideration when compiling the list included school reputation, accreditation and degree requirements. The list aims to present options for degree candidates with a broad range of educational and career interests. It includes degrees with concentrations in school counseling, career counseling and family counseling, among others. Universities are numbered according to reputation and national ranking.
Some of the nation’s highest-rated schools – including Wake Forest University and the University of Massachusetts – appear on the list. In recognition of the changing needs and goals of today’s postgraduate student, a growing number of prestigious schools are making their top-quality degree programs available to online students, making distance-based obstacles to education a thing of the past. Several non-traditional, online-only institutions made the list as well. Online-oriented schools such as Northcentral University and Capella University offer convenient and flexible learning formats, making them a worthwhile consideration for modern adult learners.
1.Wake Forest University – Cost: $33,000.00 per year of study
Degree Name: Master of Arts in Counseling-Clinical Mental Health
2.Seton Hall University – Cost: $1,033.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Arts in Counseling
3.University of North Dakota – Cost: $466.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Arts in Counseling- K-12 School Emphasis
4.University of Massachusetts – Cost: $475.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master’s of Education in School Counseling
5.Post University – Cost: $20,000.00 total tuition cost
Degree Name: Master of Science in Human Services – Alcohol and Drug Counseling
6.Northcentral University – Cost: $675.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Arts in Psychology – Industrial/Organizational Psychology
7.Sacred Heart University – Cost: $700.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
8.Capella University – Cost: $458.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
9.Walden University – Cost: $420.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Science in Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling
10.University of the Rockies – Cost: $726.00 per credit
Degree Name: Master of Arts in Psychology – Career Management and Counseling Specialization
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