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Online and On-Campus Counseling Degrees and Programs in Louisiana

There are 17 schools in Louisiana with programs in the five major counseling fields: mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, rehabilitation counseling, school counseling, and substance abuse counseling.1 Prospective students can choose from online and hybrid as well as traditional, in-person options. Online counseling degrees are delivered entirely through web-based platforms. Hybrid counseling degrees combine online and in-person coursework. In total, five schools in Louisiana offer hybrid and online counseling degrees that make counseling education more accessible to those who can’t attend traditional programs.

Table of Contents

Comparison of Louisiana Counseling Schools and Programs

The table below summarizes public and not-for-profit colleges and universities in Louisiana with traditional and online counseling programs. Where applicable, we note schools with one or more programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), and the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC).

The five major counseling degree concentrations are abbreviated as MH for mental health counseling degrees, MF for marriage and family therapy degrees, VR for vocational rehabilitation counseling degrees, SC for school counseling degrees, and SA for substance abuse counseling degrees. These correspond to the Louisiana counseling licenses Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), School Counselor (SC), and Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC). Rehabilitation counselors are typically licensed as LPCs. Note that some programs offer degree tracks that can lead to credentialing in more than one specialty. Bold text indicates a program with online or hybrid options.

School NameAccreditation2-4Online/Hybrid Programs?MHMFVRSCSANet Price1
Louisiana State University-Baton RougeCACREP—Yes——Yes—$21,808
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New OrleansCACREP—Yes—Yes——N.Av.
Louisiana State University-ShreveportCACREPHybridYes—Yes——$8,092
Louisiana Tech University——Yes—YesYes—$12,154
Loyola University New OrleansCACREP—YesYes———$24,850
McNeese State University——Yes————$10,487
New Orleans Baptist Theological SeminaryCACREP—YesYes———$15,294
Nicholls State UniversityCACREP—Yes————$12,907
Northwestern State University of LouisianaCACREPOnline/HybridYes——YesYes$13,500
Southeastern Louisiana UniversityCACREPHybridYesYes—Yes—$12,891
Southern University and A&M CollegeCACREP—Yes—Yes——$16,310
Southern University at New Orleans——————Yes$13,194
University of Holy CrossCACREPOnlineYesYes—YesYes$12,886
University of Louisiana at LafayetteCACREP—Yes——Yes—$11,818
University of Louisiana at MonroeCACREP, COAMFTEOnlineYesYes—YesYes$10,408
University of New OrleansCACREP—Yes——Yes—$11,341
Xavier University of LouisianaCACREP—Yes——Yes—$16,886

Louisiana Schools With Online Counseling Programs

Programs on the following lists may be online or hybrid. Check with schools for any in-person degree requirements.

Online Mental Health Counseling Degrees

Online Marriage and Family Therapy Degrees

Online Rehabilitation Counseling Degrees

  • Louisiana State University-Shreveport

Online School Counseling Degrees

Online Substance Abuse Counseling Degrees

Top-Ranked Schools With Counseling Programs in Louisiana

US News & World Report’s Best Online M.Ed. Programs for Student Counseling 2022

Schools in Louisiana With Counseling Degrees

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Southern University at New Orleans

Individuals looking for an addiction counseling program may be interested in the Associate of Arts (AA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in Addictive Behaviors Counseling and Prevention at Southern University at New Orleans. These degrees teach students about the prevention, assessment, and treatment of various addictions, including substance abuse and addictive disorders. The AA degree requires students to complete 62 hours and provides professionals with enhanced employment opportunities by studying specific areas of addiction counseling. The BS degree requires 39 credits in addiction counseling education and provides students with additional opportunities to develop counseling skills, as well as two internship experiences. BS students can also choose a complementary minor, such as Criminal Justice or Psychology. Graduates of the AA and BS programs will meet Louisiana educational requirements for the Addictive Disorders Regulatory Authority (ADRA), which allows students to apply for certification in different areas, such as Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) and Certified Prevention Professional (CPP).

Southern University and A&M College

Southern University and A&M College is a historically black institution located in Baton Rouge. The school offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Rehabilitation Services that requires 120 hours, including 48 hours and a field experience in the Rehabilitation Services major. An 18-credit minor in Rehabilitation Services is also offered to undergraduate students in other degree programs. At the graduate level, students can choose a 60-credit, CACREP-accredited Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling with a specialization in Assistive Technology, Rehabilitation of Ethnic Minorities, or Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment; or a 60-credit Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC).

Traditional Graduate Programs

Louisiana State University

At Louisiana State University (LSU), students can complete a CACREP-accredited Master of Education (M.Ed.) with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. The degree is comprised of 60 credits and new students are admitted in the fall. In the M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, students can complete an optional thesis and, upon completion of the degree, will meet the educational requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license in Louisiana. Students in the M.Ed. in School Counseling program will be eligible to become school counselors. LSU also offers an Educational Specialist (EdS) in Counseling available to individuals who already have a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. In this program, students complete advanced training in a specific area of counseling or complete additional coursework to meet state coursework requirements for licensure.

Southeastern Louisiana University

Southeastern Louisiana University offers a Master of Science (MS) with three CACREP-accredited tracks: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; School Counseling; and Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy. The MS degree requires 60 credits and all tracks fulfill the state coursework requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license. Students in the school counseling track will also meet the academic requirements to become school counselors in Louisiana. While the program is based at the Hammond campus, some courses may be offered in a hybrid format. All students complete 42 credits of core counseling courses, nine credits of concentration courses, and nine credits of on-site field work, including 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship. Students must also pass a final comprehensive exam.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers a Master of Science (MS) in Counseling with CACREP-accredited tracks in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. The degree is comprised of 60 credits, including 30 credits of counseling core courses and additional coursework in the area of specialization. Students in the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling learn various types of counseling skills, such as individual and group counseling, couples and family counseling, crisis counseling, and play therapy. Upon completion of the program, graduates will meet Louisiana’s academic requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license. The MS in School Counseling degree teaches students about child and adolescent development, as well as age-appropriate counseling techniques. Graduates of the program will be able to become school counselors in Louisiana in K-12 settings. New students are admitted into the MS program in the fall term. A dual-concentration degree in both Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling is available consisting of 72 hours.

Online and Hybrid Programs

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) offers two online or hybrid Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees focused on addiction: a BS in Addiction Studies and a BS in Psychology with a concentration in Prevention Specialist or Substance Abuse. Both degrees are comprised of 120 credits, including 42 credits of general education, and teach students about human behavior, addictive disorders, and counseling techniques. In addition to the general education courses, the BS in Addiction Studies requires students to complete 33 credits of addiction studies, 27 credits of psychology, and 18 credits of electives, while the BS in Psychology provides students with a greater focus on psychology coursework, requiring 48 credits in psychology, 12 credits for the Substance Abuse or Prevention Specialist concentration, and 30 credits of electives. Addiction counseling coursework from both degrees can be applied to the educational requirements for the Registered Addiction Counselor (RAC), Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC), and Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) credentials in Louisiana. NSU also offers a CACREP-accredited on-campus Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling degree with concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling.

University of Holy Cross

The University of Holy Cross is a Marianite institution in New Orleans. The school offers several online undergraduate counseling degrees that may be of interest to prospective counselors who prefer a faith-based educational environment. The Associate of Science (AS) in Addiction Counseling and the AS in Juvenile Counseling are 61-credit programs that introduce undergraduate students to interviewing, counseling, psychology, and recovery. The AS in Juvenile Counseling requires students to take additional courses in Juvenile Delinquency and Adolescent Psychology. The 120-credit Bachelor of Science (BS) in Addiction Counseling builds on the AS curriculum and includes additional coursework in addiction studies and counseling techniques. The 120-credit BS in Social Counseling enables students to take a wider range of counseling-related courses to meet degree requirements. Students in the BS programs can apply for early admission to the university’s on-campus MA in Counseling programs, enabling them to complete both degrees in a shorter time. The MA degree has three CACREP-accredited specialty areas: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling, and School Counseling. Each specialization of the MA degree meets state educational requirements to become a licensed counselor in the area of specialization. For those prospective students who prefer a flexible online option, the University of Holy Cross now offers MA degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling; and School Counseling.

University of Louisiana at Monroe

The University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) offers online and on-campus counseling degrees at the graduate level. The Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MS in School Counseling, and MS in Addiction Counseling are all offered online and on campus. All tracks require 60 credits and take approximately three years of full-time study to complete. Part-time study is permitted but all degree requirements must be completed within six years. Graduates of the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling meet coursework requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Louisiana, while MS in School Counseling graduates fulfill state requirements to become school counselors. Those pursuing the Addiction Counseling track can become Addiction Counselors and may qualify for LPC licensure as well. A 75-hour combined track is also available in which students would focus on two of the three specialties. ULM also offers an online non-clinical Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Marriage and Family Therapy with a Concentration in Systemic Studies. This program helps students develop advanced knowledge of systems theories. A clinical, on-campus PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy that meets LPC and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensure requirements in Louisiana is also available.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, Accredited Programs: https://www.cacrep.org/directory/
3. Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, Directory of COAMFTE Accredited Programs: https://coamfte.org/COAMFTE/Directory_of_Accredited_Programs/MFT_Training_Programs.aspx
4. Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council Accredited Programs: https://mpcacaccreditation.org/accredited-programs/
5. US News & World Report Best Student Counseling Programs 2022: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/student-counseling-rankings
6. US News & World Report Best Online Master’s in Education Programs Offering Student Counseling and Personnel Services 2022: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/student-counseling-rankings