Top 25 Most Affordable Master’s Degrees in Counseling in the South

The Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at Western Kentucky University offers CACREP accredited Master of Arts in Education degrees in both Counseling and School Counseling. The Counseling degree offers specializations in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling and in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The graduate counseling programs at Western Kentucky University offer an affordable and comprehensive education designed to prepare graduates to pursue professional licensure and be leaders in their chosen area of specialty as a professional school counselor, licensed professional counselor, or licensed marriage and family therapist.

Courses include: introduction to counseling; classroom guidance; testing and assessment; group counseling; social and cultural diversity; developmental career counseling; human development; counseling theories; techniques of counseling; counseling children and adolescents; play therapy; theories of counseling; professional studies in counseling and marriage and family therapy; mental health diagnosis and treatment; family systems counseling; crisis counseling; and theories of addictions.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 1,620.00
• Application Deadline: March 15th for fall and October 15th for spring
• Credits Required: 48 – 60

Fort Valley State University, founded in 1895, offers a Master of Science in Education in School Counselor Education. This 48 credit program emphasizes training school counselors to understand the whole student with attention to, and a comprehensive understanding of, context. Graduates will be prepared to provide services in elementary, middle, and high school settings through coursework, practicum, and internship experiences.

Courses include: career counseling; counseling theories; comprehensive school counseling; group counseling; counseling interventions and prevention; foundations of professional ethics and school law; evaluation and testing in education; human growth and development; school and family consultation; and counseling diverse populations.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 4,330.00
• Application Deadline: April 1st
• Credits Required: 48

The Master of Arts in Counseling at Xavier University of Louisiana is accredited by the CACREP. Students at Xavier University can choose to specialize in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. Students will learn in the classroom and in clinical internship and practicum settings to provide culturally competent services to diverse populations. Graduates will be prepared to advocate for clients and students and collaborate with community members, health care professionals, parents, teachers, and administrators.

Courses include: counseling theories; counseling techniques; lifestyle and career development; human growth and development; foundations and ethics in counseling; group work in counseling; psychopathology and diagnosis; family and systems counseling; crisis, trauma, grief and loss counseling; behavior disorders of children and adolescents; substance abuse and addictions counseling; spirituality in counseling; introduction to play therapy; school counseling- principles and administration; couples and relationship counseling; and social and cultural diversity in counseling.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 5,100.00
• Application Deadline: July 1st for fall, November 1st for spring and April 1st for summer
• Credits Required: 60

Delta State University Counselor Education Program offers Master of Education degrees in both Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. Both degrees are accredited by the CACREP. Faculty members have a broad range of academic interests and expertise covering counseling issues that they bring to the classroom and supervision. Graduates will be trained as professional counselors ready to pursue careers in community or school settings.

Courses include: introduction to counseling; counseling theory; assessment techniques in counseling; group counseling; career development and placement; social and cultural foundations; human growth and development; foundations of clinical mental health counseling; counseling skills; methods of counseling research and statistics; crisis intervention techniques; counseling children and adolescents; marriage and family counseling; foundations of school counseling; and classroom management for school counselors.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 6,298.00
• Application Deadline: April 25th for fall and January 4th for spring
• Credits Required: 60

Two CACREP accredited counseling degrees are available at Jackson State University: the Master of Science in Education in School Counseling; and the Master of Science in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Department faculty are regularly involved in research and support students in collaborating on research, publications, and presentations at national conferences. The program offers a number of unique electives giving students the opportunity to have a particular area of expertise upon graduation.

Courses include: introduction to professional counseling; lifestyle and career development; principles and techniques of counseling; dynamics of group process; social and cultural foundations of counseling; counseling children; counseling the gifted; grief counseling; counseling adolescent females and women; crisis intervention strategies; group work with adolescents; clinical mental health counseling; theories of the helping relationship; marriage and family counseling; and seminar in legal and ethical issues.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 7,141.00
• Application Deadline: March 1st for fall, March 15th for summer and October 15 for spring
• Credits Required: 51 – 60

Gardner-Webb University offers students the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in School Counseling or a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling. The School Counseling program provides training to prepare graduates to work in elementary, middle, and high school settings and provide students with social and academic support. The Mental Health Counseling Program prepares graduates to provide counseling services in a range of settings from community mental health clinics to private practice. The counseling programs at Gardner-Webb will prepare students to provide clinical services to diverse populations of students, individuals, couples, and families.

Courses include: counseling theories and techniques; methods of research and program evaluation; legal, ethical, and professional issues in counseling; multicultural counseling; advanced human growth and development; the counselor as professional practitioner, and consultant; professional development of the mental health counselor; group counseling; career development-theory and practice; crisis intervention counseling; couples and family counseling; and child and adolescent counseling.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 7,722.00
• Application Deadline: Round 1 October 15th, Round 2 January 15th, Round 3 April 15th
• Credits Required: 48 – 60

Liberty University offers three CACREP accredited counseling degrees. Students can earn a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling in the residential on-campus programs. (A CACREP accredited Master of Education in School Counseling is available online). Liberty University offers counseling courses from a faith-based perspective. Graduates will be prepared, through coursework, internship and practicum experiences, to pursue the licensure (LPC and LMFT) to match their degree.

Courses include: orientation to counselor professional identity and function; ethical and legal issues in counseling; human growth and development; multicultural counseling; counseling techniques and the helping relationship; integration of spirituality and counseling; theories of counseling; group counseling; assessment techniques in counseling; career development and counseling; psychopathology and counseling; marriage and family counseling; crisis counseling; clinical diagnosis and treatment planning; substance abuse- diagnosis, treatment and prevention; premarital and marital counseling; and human sexuality.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,051.00
• Credits Required: 60

A Master of Arts in Counseling with CACREP accredited concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling is available at Johnson University. This graduate degree in counseling is offered in the hybrid format of study. Students will engage in courses on the Tennessee campus about two weekends per term per course. Additional course requirements will be completed online and hands on learning will happen through practicum and internship experiences. This flexible hybrid format gives working students the flexibility to maintain their professional commitments while advancing their career. Faculty are able to connect with and support students throughout the student's time in the program with a 1:10 faculty student ratio.

Courses include: graduate counseling orientation; research and statistics; integrating theology and therapy; ethics and professional issues in counseling; social and cultural diversity in counseling; human development over the lifespan; human sexuality; theories of counseling and marriage and family therapy; child and adolescent assessment, diagnosis and treatment; group dynamics, theories and techniques; addiction etiology and counseling; crisis intervention and psychological first aid; foundations in school counseling; and contemporary trends in school counseling.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,100.00
• Application Deadline: October 1st for spring and January 15th for summer
• Credits Required: 49 – 62

Wilmington University offers a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Students will learn to assess, diagnose, and treat a broad spectrum of clinical issues. Graduates will be prepared to support the mental health needs of diverse populations in a variety of settings. Electives for this program will be based on the student's practicum and internship setting and include topics such as: evidence based family treatment; humanistic counseling; and cognitive-behavioral counseling. The program reports that in 2016, their pass rate for the National Counselor Exam was 100%.

Courses include: theories of counseling; human development; tools, techniques, and strategies of counseling; ethics and practices of clinical mental health counseling; diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology; group counseling; counseling for career development; family counseling; counseling diverse populations; addictions counseling; and psychopharmacology for counselors.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,190.00
• Application Deadline: February 1st
• Credits Required: 60

Converse College offers a COAMFTE accredited Master of Marriage and Family Therapy. Students can elect to complete the program at a full-time or part-time pace within 2-5 years. Courses generally take place during the day, with supervision sometimes offered in the evenings. The Marriage and Family Therapy program at Converse College emphasizes training students to be culturally competent, grounded in systems theory, and have a strong understanding of ethical issues. Graduates will be prepared to pursue licensure as a marriage and family therapist. Students who are interested can complete the optional Play Therapy track leading to potential certification as a play therapist.

Elective courses include: introduction to dialectical behavioral therapy; family therapy with families of addiction; traumatic stress and the family; a systemic understanding of group dynamics; marital and family therapy supervision; treatment of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse; creative approaches to family therapy; business strategies for health practitioners; spiritual/ religious issues in psychotherapy; psychopharmacology; gender in family therapy; LGBTQ issues in MFT; play therapy history and theory; play therapy techniques; and play therapy applications for special populations.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,400.00
• Application Deadline: February 1st
• Credits Required: 63

A Master of Science in Counseling with concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and in School Counseling is available at Carson-Newman University. The program is offered through a Christian framework. Graduates will be prepared to pursue professional licensure and certification. A variety of unique electives such as: neuroscience and counseling interventions with individuals and families; spirituality, family systems, and holistic mental health care; and survey of persons with exceptionalities are offered for each specialization, allowing students to feel well prepared to support individuals, couples, and families in their chosen area of focus.

Courses include: theories and techniques of counseling; helping relationships and counseling skills with individuals and families; holistic counseling in a diverse world; group counseling processes; issues in human development; career development and counseling; professional orientation and ethics in counseling; counseling and development of children and adolescents; introduction to family systems in counseling; crisis interventions in counseling with individuals and families; assessment and treatment planning; marriage and family therapy in mental health; foundations in school counseling; individual and group appraisal; consultation and collaboration; and counseling students for college access and success.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,580.00
• Credits Required: 51 – 60

Northeastern State University offers a CACREP accredited Master of Science in Counseling. This graduate degree offers three areas of specialization; clinical mental health counseling; addiction counseling; and school counseling. The 60 credit program is made up of 42 credits of core courses and 18 credits of specialization courses. Depending on the area of concentration graduates will be prepared to pursue credentialing as a licensed professional counselor, licensed drug and alcohol counselor, or certification as a school counselor.

Courses include: counseling theories; professionalism and ethics; assessment and statistics; methods and techniques of counseling; advanced lifespan psychology and adjustment; counseling research; clinical psychopathology; career development; diversity issues in counseling; marriage and family counseling; personality assessment; foundations in counseling; addiction counseling theories; family addiction theories; addicted family interventions and assessment; foundations in school counseling; and child and adolescent counseling.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,813.00
• Application Deadline: December 15th
• Credits Required: 60

A Master of Education in Counselor Education is available at Lynchburg College. This graduate degree in counseling offers two CACREP accredited areas of specialization: clinical mental health counseling (60 credits); and school counseling (48 credits). The Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization will train students in working with individuals, couples, families, and groups in a variety of clinical settings from private practice to hospitals. The School Counseling Program will prepare graduates to work in the K-12 school setting with students, teachers, and administrators in promoting social and academic well being.

Courses include: human development; professional identity and ethics of clinical health counselors; counseling theories; research in counseling; career development; counseling techniques; marriage and family counseling; abnormal behavior; addiction counseling; evaluation and assessment; cross-cultural counseling; legal and ethical issues in counseling; professional identity and function of school counselors; and survey of special education.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 8,820.00
• Application Deadline: May 1st for summer, July 31st for fall and November 30th for spring
• Credits Required: 48 – 60

Lindsey Wilson College offers a Master of Education in Counseling and Human Development with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling. Department faculty work to connect with and support students throughout their time in the program. Faculty bring a diverse range of interests and experience to the program to enrich students learning and future work in the field of mental health. This 60 credit, CACREP accredited program will prepare graduates to pursue licensure.

Courses include: personal growth and development group; lifecycle development in individuals and families; counseling theories and techniques; group counseling techniques; career education counseling; psychopathology; professional issues and ethics; diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders; substance abuse treatment; and systemic family therapy.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 9,503.00
• Credits Required: 60 – 61

A Master of Arts in Counseling is available at Columbia International University. Columbia International University is a Christian university offering a CACREP accredited program that strives to educate the whole student, in all areas including: personally; professionally; spiritually; and clinically. Graduates of the program have gone on to pursue careers in a number of areas such as Christian marriage counseling; secular and nonsecular clinical settings; treatment centers; schools and universities to name a few.

Courses include: clinical counseling orientation; multicultural counseling; counseling theory; professional orientation and ethics; research, statistics, and evaluation; psychopathology; human growth and development; counseling techniques; assessment; groups; career development; and advanced counseling techniques and practicum.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 9,540.00
• Application Deadline: November 23rd for spring and March 16 for fall

The Counselor Education Program at Henderson State University offers CACREP accredited tracks in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (60 credits) and School Counseling (48 credits). Students will engage in coursework both in the classroom and through online programming. Students will receive clinical training in complex issues including grief and loss; trauma; suicidal ideation; mood disorders; life-cycle challenges; and relationships. All coursework and clinical experiences are designed to prepare graduates to successfully pursue licensure.

Courses include: marriage counseling and family systems; advanced human development; assessment in counseling; psychopathology; theories of counseling; career counseling; social and cultural foundations; professional clinical mental health counseling; psychopharmacology; advanced play therapy; sex counseling; counseling children and adolescents; counseling ethics; professional school counseling; and case management school (K-12).

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 9,666.00
• Application Deadline: March 15th for summer, June 15th for fall and November 15th for spring
• Credits Required: 48 – 60

Trevecca Nazarene University's offers two master's degrees in counseling–a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy, both of which are CACREP accredited. The Graduate Counseling Program at Trevecca Nazarene University has been training students in the field of counseling for over 25 years. As a well-established program, students have the opportunity to engage in clinical training with local programs in the community that have partnered with the university to offer internships. Students will develop strong relationships with peers in the classroom as they work towards their professional goals.

Courses include: lifespan development; helping relationships; group therapy and process; advanced abnormal psychology; counseling diverse populations; ethical standards and legal issues; introduction to psychological research; effective treatments in therapy; theories of counseling and psychotherapy; chemical use and abuse; career counseling and professional development; marital therapy; marital life-cycle; systems theory and family therapy; divorce and divorce adjustment; and child in the family system.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 9,743.00
• Application Deadline: June 15th for fall, October 15th for spring and February 15 for summer
• Credits Required: 60

A CACREP accredited Master of Arts in Counseling is available at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Students can choose between the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program or the School Counseling Program. Both specialties are available at various Lenoir-Rhyne campuses. The program strives to meet the needs of working students with courses offered in the evening and on weekends as well as in the online and hybrid formats of study. Department faculty work to mentor and support students throughout their time in the program with the aim of preparing graduates to provide high quality professional, ethical, and culturally competent counseling services to diverse individuals and communities.

Courses include: counseling theories; introduction and foundation of school counseling; advanced school counseling; school counseling and special education; professional orientation and ethical practices; counseling techniques; diversity issues for the helping professionals; group counseling; career counseling; addictions counseling; psychopathology, diagnosis, and treatment planning; couples and family counseling; child, individual, and family development; clinical mental health counseling; consultation process, crisis intervention; and research and statistical methods.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 9,900.00
• Credits Required: 61

University of Holy Cross provides a Master of Arts in Counseling with three CACREP accredited areas of specialization to choose from: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling; and School Counseling. Students are supported in learning and growing in the classroom and in the community, both personally and professionally. Emphasis is placed on spiritual and cultural awareness when working with individuals, couples, families, and groups. The program reports a high and timely graduation rate, with graduates prepared to pursue professional licensure.

Courses include: human growth and development; social and cultural foundations; career and lifestyle development; theories of counseling; theory and practice of group counseling; professional orientation/ethics; techniques in counseling; marriage and family counseling; chemical dependency from a systems perspective; clinical mental health counseling; sexual trauma; diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders; foundations and contextual dimensions of school counseling; crisis intervention; and counseling families.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 9,900.00
• Credits Required: 60

East Central University offers a CACREP accredited Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. This 60 credit degree prepares graduates to work in both rehabilitation counseling as well as in clinical mental health counseling and to pursue professional certification or licensure in either specialty. Courses are offered on the Ada Campus and on the McAlester Campus with the opportunity to start in the fall or spring.

Courses include: clinical rehabilitation and clinical mental health foundations; counseling theories; human services administration and supervision; career and lifestyle development; legal and ethical aspects of case management; community services theory and practice: framework for job placement; appraisal and assessment of individuals, groups, and families; diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and co-occurring disorders; medical aspects of disability: human growth and development- a multicultural approach; assessment of social, psychological, and relational aspects of disability; counseling interventions; and theories of marriage and family.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 10,184.00
• Application Deadline: March 1st for fall/summer, October 1st for spring
• Credits Required: 60

The Psychology and Counseling Department at Mississippi College offers three CACREP accredited graduate degrees in counseling: School Counseling; Mental Health Counseling; and Marriage and Family Counseling. Students in the program will gain clinical skills through internship placements where they will work directly, under supervision, with the population and in the setting they plan to work with professionally. Course curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to successfully navigate the licensure process, including successfully completing the required national exam following graduation.

Courses include: legal, ethical, and professional issues in counseling; theories of personality and counseling; helping relationships; multicultural counseling; lifespan development; techniques of group counseling; lifestyle and career counseling; systems theory and intervention strategies; addictions counseling; foundations, contextual dimensions, knowledge, and skills of school counseling; foundations, contextual dimensions, knowledge, and skills of marriage and family counseling; couple dynamics and counseling; and family dynamics and counseling.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 10,206.00
• Application Deadline: June 15th for fall, September 15th for spring and February 15th for summer
• Credits Required: 48 – 60

Students can earn a CACREP accredited Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. This 60 credit program is made up of core counseling courses, clinical mental health counseling specialization courses, an elective, and a supervised clinical training series. The program reports high pass rates for the national examination. The program emphasizes a commitment to diversity and issues of social justice. The department faculty values diversity and actively recruits minority students.

Courses include: clinical mental health counseling orientation and ethical practice; human growth and development in counseling; assessment in counseling; career counseling and development; theories of counseling; social and cultural diversity issues in counseling; group counseling; research in counseling; personality assessment in counseling; crisis and disaster counseling; marriage, couple, and family counseling; psychopharmacology in counseling; substance use and process addiction counseling; and counseling consultation, administration, and program evaluation.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 10,674.00
• Credits Required: 60

The School of Education and Human Development at Hampton University offers three CACREP accredited Master of Arts degrees in: Community Mental Health Counseling (including the Pastoral Counseling concentration); School Counseling; and Student Affairs/College Student Development. The counseling programs at Hampton University emphasize the personal and professional development of the student as a counselor. Graduates will be ready to be leaders in the field of counseling while promoting the overall health and well-being of clients in a variety of school and clinical settings.

Courses include: assessment and appraisal in counseling; lifespan development; theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy; group process in counseling; career development; treating the substance abuser; identity, ethics, and legal aspects of counseling; community mental health and welfare services; introduction to research and program evaluation; counseling with diverse populations; marriage and family counseling; crisis intervention and grief counseling; abnormal psychology and psychopathology; school counseling classroom management, curriculum design and instructional technology; and college student development, ethics, and techniques.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 10,776.00
• Application Deadline: June 1st for fall, November 1st for spring and April 1st for summer
• Credits Required: 64 – 70

The College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University -Corpus Christi offers a Master of Science in Counseling. Four CACREP accredited tracks of study are available in: addictions counseling; clinical mental health counseling; marriage, couple, and family counseling; and school counseling. Students in the program will have the opportunity to receive clinical training on campus at The Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology Counseling and Training Clinic. Students will provide free counseling services to community members (children, individuals, couples, and families) under the supervision of licensed professional counselors and doctoral students. Graduates will be prepared to pursue licensure as LPCs, LMFTs, and professional school counselors.

Courses include: introduction to counseling; career counseling; counseling theories; addiction counseling; theory and practice of multicultural counseling; ethical and legal issues in counseling; abnormal human development in behavior; developmental issues in human personality and behavior; group counseling; introduction to clinical mental health counseling; introduction to marriage, couple, and family counseling; clinical mental health counseling strategies; counseling couples; family counseling with children and adolescents; responsive services in schools; developmental school counseling; and consultation in school settings.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 10,912.00
• Application Deadline: June 15th, October 15th, February 15th
• Credits Required: 60

The Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education at Texas A&M University at Commerce offers CACREP accredited master's degrees with specializations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling (both 60 credits). Offered as a part time program, students can complete the Master of Science in Counseling in four years or less. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling emphasis will prepare graduates to pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor. The School Counseling emphasis supports students in working towards certification as a professional school counselor. Additionally, students completing the school counseling emphasis will be eligible to pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor if they complete additional coursework.

Courses include: introduction to the counseling profession; counseling theories and techniques; career development; school counseling and development; basic counseling skills; assessment in counseling; advanced school counseling; counseling diverse populations; clinical mental health counseling; counseling children and adolescents; introduction to play therapy; developmental issues and strategies in counseling; and ethics in professional counseling.

• Average Graduate Tuition: $ 10,974.00
• Application Deadline: June 1st for fall, October 1st for spring, February 1st for summer
• Credits Required: 60