Belhaven University Online Master’s in Counseling
Belhaven University offers online master of arts in counseling programs designed for adult learners, including specializations in clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family counseling, and a standard concentration. Each 60-credit track aligns with Mississippi LPC Board standards for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure and prepares students for careers helping people with mental health, family, or related challenges from a Christian perspective.
All tracks feature primarily online synchronous coursework in seven-week formats with live Zoom sessions, plus two short week-long residencies on the Jackson campus (one in the first year, one in the second). They include a 100-hour practicum (40 hours direct client contact) after five foundational courses, followed by two 300-hour internships (120 hours direct contact each), supervised for real-world readiness. Core courses cover ethics, human growth, research, group counseling, and integration of counseling with Christianity.
The clinical mental health counseling specialization focuses on advanced skills for mental health practice and meets LPC educational requirements while also covering core coursework. Unique courses include advanced psychopathology: diagnosis and treatment planning; crisis and trauma counseling; childhood and adolescent disorders and treatment; and advanced counseling and psychotherapy skills.
The marriage and family counseling specialization trains students to work with couples, children, adolescents, and families. Key courses are family systems theory; advanced marriage counseling; advanced family counseling: children, adolescents, and families; and human sexuality.
The standard concentration offers flexibility by combining any courses from clinical mental health or marriage and family specializations to customize learning within the 60-credit program.
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college and a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA. Psychology minor, GRE, or transfer credits are not required for admission. All eligible applicants complete a virtual interview with counseling department faculty. Conditional admission is possible for strong candidates who don’t meet standard criteria, per the admission committee.
Belhaven University is a private evangelical Christian university located in Jackson, Mississippi. It is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The MA in counseling programs align with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards, per the Mississippi LPC Board, and will be eligible for a CACREP accreditation application before the first cohort graduates.
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Online MA in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Online MA in Counseling – Marriage and Family Counseling
Online MA in Counseling – Standard
1500 Peachtree StreetJackson, Mississippi
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
No
2 – 2 on-campus residencies required
60
Fall, Fall II, Fall III, Spring, Spring II, Spring III, Summer, Summer II, Summer III
Complete in as few as 2.5 years full-time or 4 years part-time
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, Fl, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI
Program Tuition
60
$625.00
$37,500.00
$625.00
$37,500.00
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy
No
2 – 2 on-campus residencies required
60
Fall, Fall II, Fall III, Spring, Spring II, Spring III, Summer, Summer II, Summer III
Complete in as few as 2.5 years full-time or 4 years part-time
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, Fl, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI
Program Tuition
60
$625.00
$37,500.00
$625.00
$37,500.00
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
No
2 – 2 on-campus residencies required
60
Fall, Fall II, Fall III, Spring, Spring II, Spring III, Summer, Summer II, Summer III
Complete in as few as 2.5 years full-time or 4 years part-time
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, Fl, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI
Program Tuition
60
$625.00
$37,500.00
$625.00
$37,500.00
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. Rates may change, so please check here for the latest tuition information. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. “Resident” and “non-resident” refer to the student’s school-recognized state residency status. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees.
Farheen Gani
WriterFarheen Gani has researched degree programs and salaries in counseling since 2020. She has written about topics such as genetic counselor salaries and family and human development bachelor’s degrees. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.