Study Master’s in Counseling in Alabama
If you’re an undergraduate student in Alabama and thinking about a future career as a counselor, pursuing your graduate degree online is a great choice. On the one hand, online learning offers much more flexibility than attending class on campus. On the other hand, many colleges and universities offer online courses for in-state prices, so even if you don’t live in Alabama, you might be able to study while paying in-state tuition.
The question that arises is this: Which online counseling master’s program in Alabama is right for you? This guide will help you answer that question by presenting detailed descriptions of some of the popular counseling programs. Read about each one, compare and contrast them, and choose the one that best fits your needs.
Online Master’s in Counseling in Alabama
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online master’s in counseling programs in Alabama:
- University of Alabama
- University of West Alabama
- Faulkner University
- Troy University
- Grand Canyon University
- National University
- Walden University
- The Chicago School
- Northwestern University
University of Alabama
Online Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling
The Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Alabama is a 60-credit, CACREP-accredited program that’s available to you as a part-time or full-time student. Throughout the program, you’ll learn how to support and empower others such that they can live more productive, happier, and healthier lives. Upon graduation, you can work in various settings, from the Veteran Affairs Administration to advocacy organizations to private practice, to name a few.
First and foremost, you must acquire foundational knowledge and skills in rehabilitation counseling. So, the first courses you take focus on the fundamentals. For example, you’ll take Counseling Theory and Process, which examines historical and modern counseling theories to give you a broad overview of the various theoretical orientations available to you. What’s more, you’ll learn about the counseling process and your role in it.
You’re required to take Career Development, too. This is an important class for rehabilitation counseling because many clients typically need career counseling services. You’ll learn how to administer assessments, assist clients with tasks like creating a resume, and help them prepare for interviews, too. Furthermore, this class explores how one’s career is intertwined with other aspects of life, such as one’s relationship with others and one’s role in the community.
Other foundational courses focus on topics such as:
- Counseling Skills
- Professional Issues, Ethics, and Advocacy in Counseling
- Group Procedures
- Individual and Group Appraisal
- Orientation to Rehabilitation Counseling
You’ll also take classes focusing on particular aspects of this line of work. For example, you’ll take Case Management, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Placement. This class dives into the intricacies of managing a client’s rehabilitative process. You’ll learn about the importance of working with other professionals to help your client achieve their goals, how to provide supportive career rehabilitation services, and how to advocate for your client at every step of the way.
Substance Abuse Counseling is another course you must take as part of your training. As you’d expect, this class focuses on developing the skills necessary to assist clients in breaking the cycle of addiction. You’ll learn about various types of addictive substances, get training in crisis intervention, and learn how to utilize the group process to help people with substance abuse problems work through their issues.
This program requires you to take research-related classes as well. For example, the Introduction to Education Research class examines proper research techniques. You’ll learn about basic research design, elementary statistics, and program evaluation techniques. Then, in Statistical Methods in Education, you’ll explore quantitative and qualitative analyses, learn how to evaluate empirical data, and learn how to report your findings in a professional manner, too.
Other required coursework focuses on the following topics:
- Special Topics: Work and Disability
- Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disabilities
- Life Span Development
- Psychopathology
You must also take one elective, which has to be approved by your advisor before you enroll.
The final aspects of this program are a 3-hour practicum and a six-hour internship. The practicum is a 100-hour experience during which you’ll start working with clients in a therapeutic setting. The practicum is a stepping stone to the internship; during the practicum, you’ll learn how to apply what you’ve learned in the program. Then, during the internship, you’ll develop your skills further with more independent practice in rehabilitation counseling.
Both field experiences are supervised; you’ll get daily feedback from your supervisor on the ground and meet weekly with your classmates and professors to conceptualize cases and provide constructive criticism to one another. The university will help you find a practicum placement, but you are responsible for finding a suitable internship site.
You must meet these criteria to apply:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Have a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA, a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 credits of undergraduate work, or a 3.0 GPA in all graduate work.
- Provide official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a statement of purpose.
- Submit three letters of recommendation.
- Participate in an online interview with program faculty.
University of West Alabama
Online Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The University of West Alabama’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is a 60-credit, three-year program accredited by CACREP. The courses are taught by experienced mental health counselors who are currently practicing and licensed. You’ll also benefit from a one-on-one mentor as part of the University of West Alabama Mentor Collective. This unique program helps you settle into the program by learning how to become a better student and build your network of support.
This program’s curriculum includes nine credits of professional courses, six credits of electives, and 45 credits of clinical mental health counseling classes. The professional courses explore basic counseling topics, such as Life Span Development and Learning, Techniques of Educational Research, and Educational Statistics. Meanwhile, the six elective credits can be earned by taking two courses of nearly two dozen options. Some of the electives available to you include the following:
- Personality Assessment
- Psychopharmacology
- Introduction to Play Therapy
- Technology and the Counseling Profession
- Counseling With Special Populations: Grief, Trauma, and Crisis
As noted above, the bulk of your coursework is in the clinical mental health concentration. This portion of the program begins with a Professional Orientation class that essentially teaches you how to be a professional counselor. You’ll learn about basic ethical issues, get fundamental training in basic counseling theories, and explore essential professional standards, too.
In the Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling class, you’ll build on your existing knowledge to gain a better understanding of the clinical process. The class focuses on transitioning you into putting your knowledge of counseling theory into practice. You might also discuss topics like holistic wellness, treatment planning, behavioral medicine, and neuroscience.
The curriculum includes a course on Theories and Techniques in Distance Counseling as well. This unique course explores the application of counseling techniques in a telehealth setting—something that is increasingly common. You’ll learn how to be an active listener, how to gently guide clients on self-discovery, and how to assess clients without actually being in the same room as them. There are also discussions of technology and remote delivery services.
Of course, many of the core courses focus on special topics in clinical mental health counseling. For example, you’re required to take Counseling Children and Adolescents so you can acquire the special skills needed to work effectively with young clients. You’ll also take Group Counseling, which examines the roles of the therapist in developing, managing, and facilitating group work with clients who have shared mental health issues.
You’ll also take a course called Diagnostic Techniques in Counseling. One of the primary focuses of this class is to learn the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) system of diagnosis. You’ll explore common and less common mental illnesses, learn about their etiology, and develop expertise in recognizing disorders and their symptoms.
Other specialized courses you need to successfully complete include the following:
- Career Development and Counseling
- Strategies for Crisis Intervention
- Counseling Multicultural Populations
- Psychopathology
- Theories and Techniques of Counseling
This program requires a Pre-Practicum fairly early on in the program that introduces you to counseling as an applied practice. The pre-practicum also requires a four-day on-campus residency during which you’ll get hands-on experience utilizing the basic skills you’ve learned in the program.
The other experiential components of this program include a Practicum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and an Internship in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The former is an intensive, introductory experience in an approved mental health setting. You’ll have a supervisor to direct your development on-site. You’ll work closely with your supervisor to apply your skills, learn new ones, and polish your personal counseling approach.
In the internship, you’ll take on a larger role in an approved counseling setting. You’ll still be supervised, but you’ll have more responsibilities. For example, you might have a small caseload of 3-4 clients that you work with independently. But, you would meet consistently with your supervisor to debrief your work and get feedback on what you’re doing well and what needs more attention.
You can apply online if this program seems like a good fit. The admissions criteria are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a current resume.
- Submit an essay discussing your professional goals.
- Provide three recommendation forms from references who are familiar with your academic and professional potential.
- Participate in a video interview.
Faulkner University
Online Master of Science in Counseling
The Master of Science in Counseling from Faulkner University is a 61-credit, three-year program that offers you the flexibility of studying full-time or part-time. Upon completing this program, you’ll meet the educational requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) credential in Alabama. Your degree might also meet the educational requirements for licensure in other states.
The curriculum is largely online. The only exception is that you’re required to participate in two on-campus residencies. These residencies focus on clinical training and are one week long each. This in-person training is crucial to your development; it allows you to practice your skills in a supportive, cooperative environment with your classmates and professors.
The online coursework explores many different aspects of counseling. Core coursework begins with the following classes:
- Counseling Theories
- Marriage and Family Theories
- Life Span Development
- Career and Guidance Counseling
- Counseling Diverse Populations
In addition to the courses listed above, you’ll also take Child and Adolescent Counseling, which enables you to address the specific mental health needs of children under the age of 18. Furthermore, you’re required to take Counseling in the Community, which discusses the various philosophies governing community mental health.
Group Counseling is another important course that explores the dynamics of building a therapeutic relationship with a group of people. You’ll learn basic and advanced techniques of group counseling, learn about group development, and examine group counseling theories as well.
You are also required to take Crisis Intervention in Counseling. This class helps you develop the required skills for managing crisis situations with clients. You’ll learn about crisis intervention and management, prevention planning, and evaluation strategies for crisis situations. Likewise, you’ll have opportunities to see crisis counseling in action.
Another key component of this curriculum is research. On the one hand, Research Methods explores different research methodologies you might use in the process of conducting research. You’ll examine historical research, practice modern research approaches, and learn about basic research protocols and statistics, too. You’ll take Measurement and Assessment as well, which discusses historical and modern theories of psychological measurement.
Additional required courses include the following:
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Integrations of Theology and Counseling
- Diagnosis and treatment
- Substance Abuse Counseling
- Analysis of the Helping Relationship
You must also complete a practicum and internship in addition to the online coursework and in-person residencies discussed above. The practicum is a part-time clinical placement during which you complete the required counselor training hours in a supervised setting. You’ll be placed in an appropriate location, such as a substance abuse treatment program, residential facility, or community mental health agency, where you’ll observe and participate in day-to-day counseling activities.
In the internship, you’ll refine your skills, further develop your personal counseling style, and get ample client contact hours prior to graduating. Like the practicum, the internship takes place in an approved counseling setting where you’ll be supervised by an experienced and licensed counselor.
You can apply to Faulkner University online at any time. The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher or a 3.0 GPA for all graduate work.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit three recommendation forms.
- Provide a 400-word goal statement.
- Provide a professional resume.
Troy University
Online Master of Science in Substance Abuse Counseling
Troy University offers an online Master of Science in Substance Abuse Counseling that requires you to complete 48 credits. Most full-time students can complete these requirements in just two years, making this one of the shortest programs in this guide.
The curriculum is divided between two types of classes: required core courses and electives. The required core courses form the foundation of your training as a substance abuse counselor. For example, the Professional Orientation and Ethics class offers an introductory look at the counseling profession. You’ll discuss historical figures in this field, modern approaches to counseling, and explore the professional roles you’ll fill as a substance abuse counselor.
Another foundational course that’s essential to your development is the Facilitation Skills and Counseling Techniques class. You’ll learn about basic counseling skills that are necessary for you to master to be an effective professional. These skills will be learned in didactic coursework, experiential exercises, and demonstrations from your professors.
Other required coursework includes the following:
- Group Dynamics and Counseling
- Theories of Counseling
- Counseling Diverse Populations
- Research Methodology
- Vocational Psychology and Career Development
You’ll take several other core classes, too. For example, Behavior Pathology examines psychological disorders and their origins. You’ll become familiar with the DSM system and explore treatment planning as well. Additionally, you’re required to take Evaluation and Assessment of the Individual, which focuses on recording information about clients, evaluating that information, and using the information you’ve gathered to make informed decisions about their treatment.
The elective portion of the curriculum includes three courses of your choosing. The program offers five electives, as outlined below:
- Physiological Dynamics of Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Drug Education, Prevention, and Intervention
- Treatment of Addictive Family Diseases
- Treatment Theories and Modalities of Addictive Diseases
- Treatment of Behavioral Addictions.
The first field experience in this program is a 100-hour practicum. you’ll use your time in the practicum to apply what you’ve learned in a supportive, supervised setting. You’ll enhance your counseling skills, develop improved treatment planning skills, and engage in self-reflection as well. At least 40 of the 100 hours you accumulate must be in the context of providing services to a client.
Lastly, the Addictions Counseling Internship enables you to get real-world experience in every facet of addictions counseling. You’ll work with individual clients and groups, assess clients, and develop treatment plans for clients, too. You must acquire at least 600 clock hours during the internship, 240 of which must be in direct service to clients.
You must meet the following requirements to gain unconditional admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or a 3.0 GPA for the most recent 30 credits of undergraduate work.
- Have an acceptable score on the GRE.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit one letter of recommendation.
How Much Do Licensed Mental Health Counselors Make in Alabama?
As of January 2026, the average annual salary for a licensed mental health counselor working in Alabama is around $85,000. More experienced and top earning licensed mental health counselors working in Alabama make over $130,000 per year.