Northwestern University Online Master’s in Counseling & MFT
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Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Counseling@Northwestern and MFT@Northwestern are delivered by The Family Institute faculty through the Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies. It offers CACREP- and COAMFTE-accredited online programs in counseling and marriage and family therapy.
Counseling@Northwestern is the CACREP-accredited online master of arts program in counseling that prepares self-reflective clinical mental health counselors with a rigorous curriculum in theories and evidence-based practices.
The program includes 24 graduate-level courses, a 200-hour practicum, a 600-hour internship, and in-person immersions, with a child and adolescent specialization available. Students complete either the standard program (for psychology undergraduates) or a bridge to counseling program (with three introductory courses), with courses such as psychodynamic counseling; psychopathology and diagnosis in counseling; ethics and legal issues in counseling; and theory and technique of group counseling and psychotherapy.
MFT@Northwestern is the COAMFTE-accredited online master of science program in marriage and family therapy that teaches therapists to treat diverse clients considering relationships and systemic contexts. The program consists of 25 graduate-level courses, which can be completed full-time in 21 months or part-time in 36 months, including one immersion and 400 clinical fieldwork hours at local sites. Students learn integrative systemic therapy through courses such as basic concepts of systems therapy; self and other systems; intimate relations I; and family therapy with children and adolescents.
Admission to Counseling@Northwestern requires a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, with psychology or human services preferred but not required. Admission to MFT@Northwestern requires a bachelor’s degree, preferably in psychology, social sciences, behavioral sciences, child or family services, human development, or family science, plus unofficial or official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a current resume or CV, an academic statement, a personal statement, and TOEFL if applicable. GRE scores are not required for admission.
Northwestern University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and the MFT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). The online master of arts in counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Online MA – Counseling
Online MA – Counseling: Child and Adolescent Emphasis
Online MS – Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT)
633 Clark St. Evanston, IL, IN
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
No
2 – 2 immersion experience in Chicagoland facilities
24 units
January, April, June, September
Complete in as few as 18 months
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0 or higher
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, ME, MA, MN, MO, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, TN, TX, UT, WA
Program Tuition
24 units
$5,743/unit
$137,832.00
$5,743/unit
$137,832.00
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Family & Human Development, Counseling: Child
No
2 – 2 immersion experience in Chicagoland facilities
24 units
January, April, June, September
Complete in as few as 18 months
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0 or higher
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IL, IA, ME, MA, MN, MO, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA
Program Tuition
24 units
$5,743/unit
$137,832.00
$5,743/unit
$137,832.00
Program Essentials
Master's Degree
Family & Human Development, Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy
No
1 – 1 immersive experience required
25 units
January, April, June, September
Can be completed full time in as few as 21 months and part time in as few as 36 months
Program Admissions
No GRE required
3.0 or higher
AL, AK, AZ, AR, DC, FL, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, ND, OH, OK, OR, PR, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY
Program Tuition
25 units
$6,701/unit
$167,525.00
$6,701/unit
$167,525.00
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 and Twitter (@FarheenGani).