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

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