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Online and On-Campus Counseling Degrees and Programs in Virginia

There are over 20 schools in Virginia that offer programs in the five major counseling categories: mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, rehabilitation counseling, school counseling, and substance abuse counseling.1 In addition to in-person traditional programs, Virginia’s colleges and universities offer hybrid and online options. Online counseling degrees are delivered primarily or entirely through internet-based learning. Hybrid degrees combine online coursework with in-person classes. Eleven of the counseling schools in Virginia 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 Virginia Counseling Schools and Programs

The table below summarizes public and not-for-profit colleges and universities in Virginia 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 Virginia counseling licenses Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), School Counselor (SC), and Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP). 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
Bluefield UniversityCACREPHybridYesYes$18,726
Divine Mercy UniversityCACREPOnlineYesN.Av.
Eastern Mennonite UniversityCACREPYes$23,936
Emory & Henry CollegeOnlineYesYes$21,714
George Mason UniversityCACREPHybridYesYes$18,841
Hampton UniversityCACREPOnlineYesYesYes$33,204
James Madison UniversityCACREPYesYes$18,528
Longwood UniversityCACREPYesYes$21,166
Marymount UniversityCACREPOnlineYes$26,717
Norfolk State UniversityYesYes$12,272
Northern Virginia Community CollegeYesYes$9,627
Old Dominion UniversityCACREPOnlineYesYesYesYes$17,254
Patrick & Henry Community CollegeYes$4,827
Radford UniversityCACREPYesYesYes$16,835
Regent UniversityCACREPOnlineYesYesYes$16,579
Reynolds Community CollegeOnline/HybridYesYes$5,101
Southside Virginia Community CollegeYes$6,713
Southwest Virginia Community CollegeHybridYesYes$8,669
University of LynchburgCACREPYesYes$27,305
University of VirginiaCACREPYes$20,401
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityCACREPYesYesYesYes$19,656
Virginia Highlands Community CollegeYes$5,613
Virginia State UniversityYesYes$16,770
Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)CACREP, COAMFTEYesYesYes$20,109
William & MaryCACREPOnlineYesYesYesYes$18,399

Virginia 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

  • Regent University

Online School Counseling Degrees

Online Substance Abuse Counseling Degrees

Top-Ranked Schools With Counseling Programs in Virginia

US News & World Report’s Best Student Counseling Programs 2022

  • University of Virginia (#16 tie)5

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

Select Schools in Virginia With Counseling Degrees

Traditional Graduate Programs

George Mason University

George Mason University (GMU) offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counseling rooted in social justice and multicultural values. Students can choose from two CACREP-accredited concentrations, Clinical Mental Health (CMH) Counseling and School Counseling, which share core coursework requirements. In the 60-credit CMH program, students learn to provide a range of counseling services, such as individual, group, and family counseling. This concentration assists students in meeting the coursework requirements to become Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in Virginia. The 60-credit School Counseling track leads to a provisional license for school counseling in the state and enables graduates to work in PreK-12 school settings. A Graduate Certificate in Counseling is also offered to former GSU counseling students seeking LPC or school counseling licensure.

James Madison University

James Madison University (JMU) offers three CACREP-accredited graduate degrees in counseling. The Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a 60-credit, three-year program that meets coursework requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia. Students complete a set curriculum with only one elective course and either a research project or a thesis. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling is a 60-credit degree that meets state requirements for school counseling licensure. Students learn to provide social, emotional, and academic guidance and support in K-12 settings and gain supervised experience. The hybrid Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counseling Education and Supervision is a 48-credit program designed for applicants with a master’s degree in counseling and allows students to complete coursework online with three to four-day residencies required twice per semester. Students conduct counseling research and learn about teaching, leadership, and advanced clinical skills. According to JMU, PhD students take an average of three to four years to complete this degree.

Marymount University

Marymount University is a Catholic institution located in Arlington. The university has a CACREP-accredited Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling with concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling (PCMHC), and School Counseling. Both the CMHC and PCMHC concentrations require 60 credits and meet the state coursework requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia, but the PCMHC concentration requires students to complete additional coursework in religion and spirituality. The CMHC program is also offered as a dual degree with an MA in Forensic and Legal Psychology for those interested in counseling careers in criminal justice and legal settings. The School Counseling concentration prepares graduates to provide social and emotional support to students in K-12 settings and meets state requirements for school counseling licensure, though it is not accepting applicants for 2023. Marymount also offers all three concentrations as online programs.

Old Dominion University

At Old Dominion University (ODU), students can complete a Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) in Counseling with CACREP-accredited concentrations in either Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. Both concentrations comprise 60 credits, including a core counseling curriculum and a specialization core, and meet Virginia educational requirements for licensure in the respective areas of the profession. Courses in the School Counseling track can be taken on a full or part-time basis and are offered in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate the schedules of working teachers and other professionals. Old Dominion University also has a CACREP-accredited Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education with a Counseling concentration and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in Counseling, which are available to applicants with a master’s degree in counseling who wish to develop advanced counseling skills and knowledge.

Radford University

Radford University offers prospective students the opportunity to complete a CACREP-accredited Master of Science (MS) in Counseling and Human Development degree with a concentration in either Clinical Mental Health or School Counseling. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration consists of 60 credits and prepares graduates of the program to provide professional counseling services in a variety of mental health settings, such as state hospitals, private facilities, and private practice. The program meets Virginia educational requirements to earn licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and can be applied toward the educational requirements for various substance abuse counseling credentials in the state. The School Counseling concentration requires 48 credits and meets state requirements to become a school counselor. Students in both programs take a shared counseling core of 30 credits before completing specialization courses, electives, and supervised internships in community settings.

Online and Hybrid Programs

Hampton University

Hampton University (HU) is a historically black institution that offers an online Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling with a General Counseling concentration; an online Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in Counseling; and a hybrid Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counselor Education and Supervision. The MA degree is a 31-credit program that provides students with the foundational knowledge necessary to become a Qualified Mental Health Provider (QMHP) in Virginia. Students must then transfer to the on-campus MA in Counseling program to complete a CACREP-accredited specialization in Community Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling to be eligible for state counseling licensure. The Ed.S. in Counseling is an advanced study program for graduates of HU’s MA in Counseling program, while the PhD provides the opportunity to develop skills in teaching, research, and mentorship.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Not only does Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) offer the only rehabilitation counseling degree in the state, but the Master of Science (MS) in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling is accredited by CACREP and can be completed through a combination of online and on-campus classes on a full-time or part-time basis. The degree comprises 60 credits and students choose between two concentrations: Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling. It meets the educational requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia and enables students to take the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) national exam. VCU offers an online Post-Master’s Certificate in Professional Counseling designed for applicants who already have a master’s degree in counseling but need to complete additional coursework for the LPC and various substance abuse counseling credentials in the state. VCU also offers an on-campus, CACREP-accredited Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counselor Education with concentrations in Couples and Family Counseling and School Counseling.

William & Mary

William & Mary (W&M) offers an online, CACREP-accredited Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counseling with a School Counseling track and a Clinical Mental Health Counseling track with an optional concentration in Military and Veterans Counseling. Each track includes 60 credits, admits new applicants three times per year, and takes approximately three years to complete. While courses can be completed online, students must complete on-site work experiences, attend supervision meetings, complete group work with other students in the program, and attend two three-day residencies. The School Counseling track is designed to teach students how to provide emotional, developmental, and social support to diverse student populations in elementary, middle, and high school settings, while the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track uses a holistic and multicultural approach to counseling theory and techniques. Both tracks meet state educational requirements for licensure in their respective areas. On-campus versions of these degrees are also available, along with an M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health and Addiction Counseling and an M.Ed. in Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling.

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