Master's in Counseling Online Mental Health Degree

Flexible

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

Affordable

Take advantage of some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, plus financial aid for those who qualify.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 100,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality.

Recently, Southern New Hampshire University 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 200,000 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 your industry. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

96.5% of students would recommend SNHU.³ Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Part of our mission to expand access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials — with no GRE or GMAT required.

Requirements specific to this program include:

• A personal statement
• Two letters of recommendation
• A form acknowledging awareness of both the program requirements and the state licensure requirements applicable to you

To apply, use the online application.

Simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options, answer all your questions, and walk you through the application process, which includes:

• Completing a graduate application
• Providing undergraduate transcripts

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms. You can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials.

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. [Note: because of Covid-19 precautions, counseling residencies will be held virtually until early 2022.]

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.

"I absolutely love the residency experience," said Dr. Stacee Reicherzer, clinical faculty member of the MA Counseling program at SNHU. "It brings all that students are learning in their courses to a whole other level because they're getting real-time counseling practice. Also, the residency exposes students to new people, new ways of thinking, new ideas."

"As counselor educators, we love interacting with our students face to face, watching first hand as they experience learning breakthroughs and develop in their roles as professional counselors," she said. "Sharing our experiences with and connecting to our students is the greatest reward of our profession."

In the end, Dr. Reicherzer said, these experiences result in "one of the best memories a counseling student will take from their program of study."

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 (see descriptions below). 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.)

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. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• 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 a 25% increase through 2029 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.

"We have 2 residencies for each of our students in their master's program," said Dr. Kristi Cannon, associate program director of clinical counseling at SNHU. "One is in their second term, starting them off early in the program, and then one is later before they move into field experience."

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.

"It really is the best of both worlds," said Dr. Stacee Reicherzer, clinical faculty member at SNHU. "It offers, of course, the convenience of online education, but then we take it to the residency to be with people that they've been learning with and meet faculty for the first time."

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 set to grow 25% through 2029 – much faster than the national average for all occupations.¹

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:¹

• 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."⁴

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 areas⁵:

• 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.

Schools around the country offer master's in counseling programs. However, to help you narrow it down, the college you choose truly needs to be right for you and your goals.

Southern New Hampshire University is one such school that offers a master's in mental health counseling program.

Why might you consider choosing SNHU for your master's in counseling program?

• It's accredited. In 2020, our master's in counseling online program was awarded accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Accreditation through CACREP shows that the program has met the high standards that this premier counseling organization has put forth. In addition, SNHU has earned regional accreditation through the New England Commission of Higher Education. Regional accreditation is the most accepted type of accreditation, typically recognized throughout the entire U.S.
• It's convenient. Online education was built and developed for busy adults, whose schedules have often not left them with time to attend traditional class schedules at brick-and-mortar schools. At SNHU, you'll have 24/7 access to your assignments – as well as the ability to work on assignments throughout the week when it's most doable for you, whether that's at noon or midnight.
• It's affordable. Our programs have been recognized as having some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. In fact, we haven't even raised our online tuition since 2011. Plus, our Student Financial Services team is on hand to help create a customized payment plan for you – ensuring that you're only borrowing the money that you need to cover costs.
• It's nonprofit. One reason we're able to stay so affordable is because we're a nonprofit university. Because our mission revolves around access to education, we put our money right back into programs and resources for our students.
• It's taught by leaders in the field. Not only do our counseling faculty and instructors have extensive field experience and a passion for counseling, but 95% of them also have PhDs, which means you're learning from talented and accomplished individuals.

Contact an admission counselor today to learn more about SNHU and how our online counseling program can work with your professional goals.

Costs vary per school. So can your financial aid award. Both are important to consider when choosing between master's in counseling programs.

Southern New Hampshire University is considered one of the most affordable schools in the country. For this 60-credit online program, it costs $627 a credit – or just $37,620 in total tuition costs for the full degree program.

Financial aid may also help reduce the cost of your online master's in mental health counseling. If you're eligible for aid, our Student Services team is on hand to talk you through your award and can help you make the best decisions on what aid to accept.

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. Earning your bachelor's in psychology or sociology degree, among similar majors, can be beneficial, but it's not necessary. SNHU's online master's in counseling program welcomes students from a wide range of academic backgrounds.

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.

“I think … the residency component is a really important piece that allows us that face-to-face. There’s real value in being able to work one-on-one with our students in a direct format,” said Dr. Kristi Cannon, associate program director of clinical counseling at SNHU. “Certainly, as a faculty member, it’s valuable to me to get some eyes and ears directly on my students and be able to self-correct in the moment as they’re practicing their skills throughout the week.”

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 is one of the necessary requirements to become a licensed mental health counselor.

That's why Southern New Hampshire University offers a master's in mental health counseling – so that you can be on your way to beginning a meaningful career. And with more than 47 million U.S. adults suffering from mental illness, it's a crucial time to be part of the counseling field.¹

When you enroll in a master's in mental health counseling at SNHU, you'll be pleased to learn that the program is also CACREP accredited. Because many states require counselors to have earned a CACREP-accredited degree as part of their licensure process, your SNHU master's can put you one step closer to your counseling career.

Your SNHU master's can also prepare you to become a counselor because of the coursework that makes up the program. This 60-credit degree was designed to align with CACREP curriculum standards, so that your education can prepare you for the future. A few of the classes you'll take include:

• Career Counseling
• Diagnosis of Emotional and Mental Disorders
• Prevention and Intervention of Crisis and Trauma
• Substance Abuse Disorders and Process Addictions

Our master's degree meets the educational criteria for licensure in almost all states. It's important to do your research to determine if the program you choose can help you earn licensure where you live.

Also needed to be a counselor are practicum and internship hours, which SNHU includes as requirements in its program. 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.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, the salary for employees in mental health, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counseling roles was $47,660 in May 2020.²

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

BLS notes that government is the highest-paying industry for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors, reportedly earning median annual wages of $54,070 in 2020.¹ Counselors working in state, local and private hospitals, closely followed with median annual wages of $50,450 in the same time period.¹

The highest 10% earned more than $78,700.²

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 April 30, 2021).

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

³According to more than 9,200 SNHU online students in survey responses from the fall of 2019.

⁴World 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)

⁵Council 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)