MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Online

Credit Hours

Online* with required intensives

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Dates: January 19, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | March 23, 2026

Empower Others to Create Positive Change by Earning a Licensure-Track Master’s in Counseling Program Online

Earning Liberty University’s Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree online can help equip you with the specialized training you need to gain state licensure and become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).**

An LPC is a licensed mental health professional who is trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental health and behavioral problems. By earning this online counseling degree, you can enhance your understanding of human psychology through field-tested techniques and learn best practices for promoting the mental health and holistic wellness of clients in diverse communities.

A master’s in counseling degree online can help you become an ethical, well-trained mental health counselor with the knowledge, values, and skills to empower others to make positive changes in their lives. Completing a counseling degree online can help prepare you for counseling practice through rigorous academic courses, dynamic interaction with mentors and faculty, and a carefully structured practicum and internship process.

Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

This program requires 2 intensive courses. Currently, students have a choice of completing these in person in Lynchburg, Va., or in an online, synchronous format. Beginning Fall 2026 with the 2026-2027 DCP, students will be required to attend both courses in person.

*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.

**Liberty maintains strict compliance with all licensure requirements for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Not a Virginia resident? We want to help find the best program for you! To view educational requirements and whether a specific program aligns with the licensure requirements for your state, please review our licensure/certification requirements webpage.

What is an LPC degree?

An LPC degree is a “license for professional counseling” degree, or a degree designed to help graduates obtain a professional counseling license. Liberty’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is an LPC program.

After you complete this program, you can research your state’s approved pathways to transition from a general LPC to a specialized field. See your state’s board of counseling website for details.

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Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty

Why Choose an Online Master’s in Counseling Degree?

Do you want to empower others to conquer challenges and become healthy and productive? Liberty University’s online clinical mental health counseling degree can help prepare you for a career as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Learn evidence-based, field-tested skills from professors who have years of real-world counseling experience and are committed to mentoring their students.

Counseling is a unique calling that requires a special kind of person. As a counselor, you’ll seek to help people overcome challenges that can seem insurmountable. At times, you will serve as a place of solace for your clients – a beacon of hope in a world that can seem ruthless, endless, and devoid of meaning.

At Liberty, our professors can be a tremendous asset to you. You’ll receive guidance from them throughout all of your courses and have the opportunity for even more interaction with them during your 2 intensives. You’ll also observe professional counselors in their practices during your counseling practicum and start honing your counseling skills throughout a 2-semester internship.

Once you complete your master’s degree in counseling online and pass your state licensure exam, you’ll be equipped to pursue a professional counseling career. You may be able to pursue roles in many areas, such as healthcare, community agencies, education, social services, or private practice. An online master’s in professional counseling degree provides a flexible, effective pathway to licensure – while preparing you for your future career.

CACREP Accreditation

Our online mental health counseling degree is also CACREP-accredited. You may be wondering what this means for your degree and why CACREP accreditation is important.

Here are a few reasons why:

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is the nation’s foremost accrediting group for determining the quality and rigor of a graduate-level counseling program.

In order to earn CACREP accreditation, a graduate program must be evaluated by CACREP and found to meet or exceed national academic standards set by the counseling profession. Liberty’s MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling online degree fits that bill.
CACREP accreditation also ensures that a degree program can help prepare you for licensure. Though licensure requirements may vary by state, earning a CACREP-accredited MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling can help you pursue a career as a licensed mental health professional.
Though it may be possible to pursue a career as a licensed mental health professional without a CACREP-accredited graduate degree, CACREP is largely accepted as the standard that employers in counseling professions require. Becoming a professional counselor is much simpler with a CACREP-approved degree under your belt.

If you’re looking for a CACREP-accredited mental health counseling degree online that allows you to prepare for a career as a licensed professional counselor and gain valuable skills from the comfort of home, look no further than Liberty’s master’s in clinical mental health counseling.

What Will You Study in a Master’s in Counseling Online?

Our master’s in clinical mental health counseling degree online provides a foundational series of courses designed to cover the most essential studies in human behavioral health. These courses are designed to train you in ethical and legal issues in counseling, multicultural counseling, theories in counseling, and many other areas of study for evidence-based best practices.

To meet private counseling practice requirements and become a licensed clinical counselor, your online counseling classes must meet specific advanced counseling content areas. Our program is designed to help you receive the hands-on training by focusing on these critical knowledge areas in group counseling, psychopathology, and other important assessment and practical skill areas.

The practicum and internship requirements embedded into our LPC online program allow you to gain valuable, real-world experience under the supervision of a professional counselor. At Liberty, we believe in the value of real-world experience because it allows you to see and learn things that may not be fully covered in a textbook or a lecture.

These courses are designed to give you the necessary skills and knowledge to be an effective mental health caregiver in your chosen field. By pursuing a clinical counseling degree online, you can earn a career-enhancing credential and confidently pursue careers in the helping professions.

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

This program falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences.
View our Graduate Behavioral Sciences Course Guides (login required).
Two 3-credit hour intensives with flexible scheduling are required.
One 3-credit hour practicum that requires 100 hours – 40 of which are direct contact hours.
6-credit hour internship taken in two 3-credit-hour courses over 2 semesters.
Review the background check and comprehensive exam information.
The MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program online may lead to licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in most states. See which states have unique board requirements.
You can read more about the National Counselor Examination on our counselor education page.

Degree Completion Plan

Licensure Information

The 60-hour clinical mental health counseling degree is designed to lead to professional licensure as outlined by individual state boards of counseling. Before enrolling in a licensure program at Liberty University, students should consult the rules and regulations regarding professional counseling for their particular state. More specifically, students should be aware of the following before enrolling in one of Liberty University’s counseling programs:

State regulations regarding licensure opportunities if an applicant has a previous felony conviction.
State regulations regarding the type and number of academic courses and practicum/internship hours.
The state accreditation requirements for educational institutions.
The state regulations and requirements for online graduate education programs.

State Licensure Requirements

Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

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Tuition & Aid

At Liberty University, a private Christian education is less expensive than you think. Over the last 10 years, Liberty University’s Online Program has only raised its standard tuition costs by less than 5% – and most of our online tuition rates rank in the top 35% for affordability for 2025 when compared to our leading online competitors.

Graduate Full Time	$580/Credit
Graduate Part Time	$645/Credit
Military Graduate	$290/Credit

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

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Financial Aid & Scholarships

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Admission Information for Our Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

Admission Requirements

Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.7 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work. Please note – once accepted into the program, a 3.0 graduate GPA is needed to maintain good academic standing in the program.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
Students must have 3 credit hours in statistics (ex: MATH 201) either on their transcripts or must complete this requirement as a prerequisite to specific graduate courses.
Contact information for 2 recommenders from professional sources (i.e., not family/friends). This form can be submitted online (login required) or to luoverify@liberty.edu – 1. Name 2. Position/Title 3. Email 4. Phone 5. Place of Employment 6. Mailing Address. These individuals should be qualified to address the applicant’s ability to complete the graduate-level work, disposition, ability to become a counselor, and their maturity, motivation, and ethics. Some examples of individuals that may be suitable include professors, employers, or leaders in an organization where the applicant volunteers. Please note: This contact information must be less than 1 year old.
Statement of Purpose
- Please describe in 200-250 words why you desire to become a counselor and indicate the type of counselor certification you plan to seek after graduation.
- Describe in 200-250 words an occasion in which you have interacted with an individual or a group of individuals from another culture. Identify the cultural differences which were present and how you demonstrated respect for those differences.
- Describe in 200-250 words how you form effective interpersonal relationships with others in individual and group settings.
Complete the form agreeing to the Department of Counselor Education and Family Study’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Mission Statement and Diversity Statement.
Students seeking to be admitted into this program and planning to finish it outside of the U.S. will be required to sign an International Disclosure Agreement (login required).
ACD – Department Admission Review approval required – upon all documents being received on the checklist, the application will be sent for admission review by the department. This review can take 1-2 full business days for review (24-48 hours).
Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.

Bridge Program

Students who do not meet the required 2.7 GPA can potentially be placed into the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Studies.* Upon successful completion of this certificate with at least a 3.0 GPA, these students can be reevaluated for the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

*In order to be eligible for the alternate pathway, admission requirements for the graduate certificate must still be met.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.

Transcript Policies

Unofficial College Transcript Policy

Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:

Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
Cumulative GPA
A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
Degree and date conferred (if applicable)

Official College Transcript Policy

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.

If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.

Admissions Office Contact Information

Submit your application online or over the phone.

Start Online Application

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

Active Duty
Reserve/National Guard
Veterans/Retirees
Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Current Department of Defense Employees

Available Benefits:

Tuition discounts – $290 per credit hour for graduate courses
Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder*
8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

*Not applicable to certificates.

These rates are reflective of academic year 2025-2026. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.

View Military Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Liberty University’s clinical mental health counseling degree online?

One benefit of Liberty’s online clinical mental health counseling degree is that it can help you prepare for in-demand careers. The U.S. Department of Labor projects overall growth for mental health counselors – learn more.* Insurance companies offer more coverage for mental health services than in the past. This change means that the federal government, community clinics, and local hospitals are expanding their mental health counseling staff to provide effective treatment for patients.

Highlights that set Liberty’s clinical mental health counseling degree apart from others:

Our award-winning online learning environment means you can complete your coursework on a schedule that fits your life.
The intensive courses provide an opportunity for closer collaboration and interaction with your professors and classmates.
The practicum and internship provide hands-on, marketable experience working directly with hurting people in your community.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, (Viewed online Dec. 22, 2025). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

How do I know the master’s in clinical health counseling is right for me?

If you need flexibility, an online mental health counseling degree is offered in primarily 8-week sections. You’ll be able to complete the vast majority of your degree from the comfort of your home, and you’ll be able to complete your field experience requirements at a location near you.
If you want to gain experience, our online mental health counseling degree features a practicum and an internship. These allow you to gain real-world experience, learn valuable skills, put what you learn into practice, and build professional connections.
Liberty’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is CACREP-accredited. This means you can be confident that your online counseling degree meets the highest academic standards.
The clinical counseling degree is taught by expert professors with years of experience. Our instructors are passionate about the subjects they teach, but are even more passionate about helping you achieve your goals. By choosing Liberty for your MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, you choose professors with a vested interest in your success.
If you want to become a licensed professional counselor, our online clinical mental health counseling degree is designed to help you become a licensed mental health professional.
Since 1971, Liberty’s mission has been to Train Champions for Christ. We don’t just want to train the next generation of clinical mental health counselors – we want to train principled, ethical professionals whose dedication to clients is preceded only by a love of Christ.

What can you do after completing a Licensed Counselor Program?

Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling provides the training, knowledge, and experience that can help you pursue a career as a professional counselor. With professional counseling licensure and an LPC degree accredited by CACREP, your training and expertise can be recognized as meeting a high standard of excellence. There are opportunities for counseling in many areas, including:

Addictions and recovery counseling
Community counseling
Ministry-based counseling
Private counseling practice

The online counseling degree assists students in pursuing the required state licensure areas of knowledge and practice. This allows students to pursue state-regulated counseling positions to work in private, public, and nonprofit roles where counseling and human services skill sets are required. After completing the online degree in counseling and satisfying state licensure requirements, you may be able to start your own private practice in counseling.

As a licensed professional counselor (LPC), you may be qualified to work in the following types of treatment centers:

Hospitals
Inpatient mental health treatment facility
Mental health agency
Private practice

With additional licensure requirements, graduates may also pursue roles as school counselors, addiction counselors, marriage and family therapists, and many other counseling roles. Please review your state’s licensure requirements for more information about counseling licensure requirements.

How do our counseling degrees’ field experience requirements work?

Our master’s in clinical mental health counseling has 1 practicum and 2 internships. Both are semester-long courses.

The practicum requires 100 hours of field experience – 40 of those direct client hours, and 60 of those related activities such as reading literature, creating and examining case notes, and crafting treatment plans. The practicum, which also requires a few set login times, should be completed near the end of the mental health degree online – but before the internship. In order to register for the practicum, students must complete all required prerequisites and have at least a 3.0 GPA.

The internship requires 600 total hours of field experience. Because it may be difficult to complete all of these hours in 1 semester, students are required to complete the internship over the course of 2 semesters. One other difference between the practicum and the internship is that the internship requires group supervision while the practicum does not. However, we recommend group supervision as part of the practicum, if possible.

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MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degree Online CACREP Accredited

Empower Others to Create Positive Change by Earning a Licensure-Track Master’s in Counseling Program Online

What Sets Us Apart?

Why Choose an Online Master’s in Counseling Degree?

CACREP Accreditation

What Will You Study in a Master’s in Counseling Online?

Potential Career Opportunities

Featured Courses

Degree Information

Licensure Information

State Licensure Requirements

Not sure what to choose?

Tuition & Aid

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Admission Information for Our Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

Admission Requirements

Bridge Program

Preliminary Acceptance

Transcript Policies

Admissions Office Contact Information

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Military

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Liberty University’s clinical mental health counseling degree online?

How do I know the master’s in clinical health counseling is right for me?

What can you do after completing a Licensed Counselor Program?

How do our counseling degrees’ field experience requirements work?

Are you ready to change your future?

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