Study Master’s in Counseling in Minnesota
As a counseling graduate student in Minnesota, you have several decisions to make. First, you have to decide what kind of counseling you want to study—will it be clinical mental health, school counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or something else? Second, you need to determine the type of program you want to enroll in—a Master of Science, Master of Arts, or Master of Education?
Of course, you also need to decide which school you wish to attend. Fortunately, there are many colleges and universities in Minnesota that offer counseling programs. What’s more, you have your pick of online programs that offer the greatest flexibility for getting your degree.
Below are some of the popular counseling program options in Minnesota worth your consideration. In these programs, you can get the education and training you need to pursue your career goals.
Online Master’s in Counseling in Minnesota
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online master’s in counseling in Minnesota:
- Crown College
- Saint Mary’s University
- University of Olivet
- Northwestern College
- Southern New Hampshire University
- The Chicago School
- National University
- Arizona State University Online
Crown College
Online Master of Arts in Counseling
The Master of Arts in Counseling from Crown College is a 60-credit program that meets Minnesota’s professional counseling licensure requirements. Many other states recognize this program as being satisfactory for their educational licensure requirements, too.
One of the unique features of this program is that it’s available as an accelerated dual-degree program. You can earn your undergraduate and graduate degrees in just six years rather than the typical seven years. With so much time saved, you can begin your career early and start making a positive impact on people’s lives.
As you probably expect, this degree begins with studies in broad-based areas of counseling. For example, Theories and Practices of Counseling provides a detailed overview of counseling theories and their relevance in current research. You’ll also learn how to apply the theories you learn about in a clinical setting. Some of the theories you’ll discuss include cognitive, person-centered, and behaviorism.
Early in the program, you’ll also take Human Growth and Lifespan Development. This class surveys how people develop from conception to old age. You’ll explore changes in cognition, emotions, family, and personality. Likewise, you’ll focus on physical, vocational, and cultural changes across the lifespan.
Other foundational classes you’re required to take include the following:
- Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling
- Counseling Skills, Methods, and Techniques in Helping Relationships
- Assessment, Testing, and Measurement in Counseling
This program further requires you to take counseling courses focusing on specific topics or practices. A good example of this is the Addictions and Substance Abuse class. The course focuses on the 12 core functions of addiction treatment. You’ll explore different theoretical approaches, motivational interviewing, and theories of chemical dependency, too.
Multicultural Counseling is yet another highly focused class you must take. This course offers an overview of cultural trends, behaviors, and attitudes that are affected by religion, socioeconomic status, age, race, and other factors. Furthermore, the course examines clinical intervention methods that are rooted in multicultural research.
Perhaps one of the most interesting courses you’ll take in this program is Psychopathology. This class addresses the study of mental illness and the classification of mental illnesses in the DSM system. In particular, you’ll learn how to identify and describe mental illnesses, develop methods of treatment and interventions, and devise a better understanding of psychopathology in children and adults.
The psychopathology class has a companion residency that requires you to visit campus. This residency allows you to work face-to-face with licensed counselors to apply what you’ve learned about psychopathology and diagnosis. You’ll demonstrate your competency in role-play situations and get valuable feedback from your on-site trainers.
Additional coursework explores areas such as:
- Group Process and Treatment
- Career Counseling and Lifestyle Development
- Marriage and Family Therapy
- Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
- Counseling Research and Evaluation
One practicum is required as part of your training. During the practicum, you must accumulate at least 100 hours of clinical work. Forty of these hours must be in direct contact with clients in a therapeutic setting. Throughout the practicum, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to complete your hours under the supervision and tutelage of an experienced, licensed counselor.
The program’s final requirement is a counseling internship. The internship takes place over two semesters, during which time you’re required to complete at least 600 hours of counseling training. Just like the practicum, the internship is supervised and allows you to put your learning into practice.
You’ll have many responsibilities during your internship, including working with individual clients, groups, and families. You’ll undertake case conceptualizations, practice counseling techniques, and generally develop professional counselor qualities as you prepare to complete the program and graduate.
The application requirements are as follows:
- Complete an online application.
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Saint Mary’s University
Online Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services
At Saint Mary’s University, you can complete a Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services that prepares you to pursue state licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). You’ll gain the required education through a 60-credit curriculum that requires 2.5 years to complete.
One of the highlights of this program is that the curriculum is taught by highly experienced faculty. Your professors have real-world experience working as counselors, and their compassionate and skilled approach to working with clients of all kinds will help you develop into an equally dependable professional.
Though this can be a standalone program, you can also decide to apply to Saint Mary’s PsyD program if you like. If you choose to go this route, you’ll complete one year of the master’s program, and then transition into the PsyD program, where you’ll finish your master’s studies and your doctoral studies combined.
The curriculum begins with a 42-credit sequence of required core courses. One of the first courses you’ll take is Social, Cognitive, and Affective Bases of Behavior. This class is critical because it gives you a broad overview of why humans behave the way they do—and the potential reasons for that behavior. Some of the topics you’ll discuss include sensation, learning, and language development. You’ll also explore topics like group dynamics, emotion, and temperament.
Another important foundational course is Statistical Techniques and Research Methods. Learning about quantitative and qualitative research methods allows you to interpret and understand psychological research and apply your learning in your work with your clients. As part of your studies, you’ll learn how to use descriptive statistics, test hypotheses, and conduct research according to ethical standards.
Additional foundational coursework is required in the following areas:
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychopathology
- Psychophysiology
- Marriage and Family Counseling
- Psychological Assessment
Furthermore, you’ll take classes like Counseling Skills and Practice which focuses on helping you develop basic counseling skills. More specifically, you’ll work on the skills required to build effective helping relationships. This includes learning how to be an active listener, how to integrate ethical principles into your practice, and safety planning, to name a few.
Career Counseling is another required class that furthers your skill development. You’ll learn about the relationship between people and their careers and how you can use assessments to help clients more clearly identify their career goals. Moreover, this course examines how one’s career intertwines with other life roles, particularly those of family, culture, and lifestyle.
You are required to take a Group Counseling class, too. This class examines the history of group counseling as well as common group therapy techniques. You’ll discuss common issues that arise in group counseling situations, develop effective leadership qualities that make you a better group facilitator, and you’ll explore the unique ethical and multicultural considerations you must make when working with groups.
In addition to the required coursework outlined above, you are also required to take 12 credits of elective courses. Taking these classes enables you to tailor your degree to your interests. If, for example, you’re interested in working with children, you might take Early Childhood Mental Health and Child Assessment as two of your electives. If, on the other hand, you’re interested in working with people experiencing trauma, you might take Living With Experiences of Trauma and Clinical Issues of Bereavement. Other elective options include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Professional Psychological Writing
- Human Sexuality
- Clinical Use of Hypnosis
- Stress Management
- Cognitive and Behavioral Counseling Approaches
This program requires you to complete a 700-hour practicum. Typically, these hours are earned over the course of two semesters. During that time, you’ll learn how to apply the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired in a variety of counseling settings. For example, you might conduct individual therapy, group counseling, and meet with couples and families, too. Your practicum placement will be in a supervised setting, so you’ll have an on-site mentor to help guide your development as a professional counselor.
You must complete the following steps to be considered for admission:
- Complete an application for admission.
- Have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. If your degree is not in psychology or a closely related area, you may have to take General Psychology prior to starting this program.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a reflective essay.
- Provide a current resume.
- Provide three recommendations from references who can substantiate your academic ability, volunteer activities, and professional experience.
University of Olivet
Online Master of Arts in Counseling
An out-of-state online option you might consider for getting your counselor education is the University of Olivet’s Master of Arts in Counseling. The program focuses on a variety of mental health issues and incorporates issues of inclusion, equity, and belonging into the curriculum as well. What’s more, the program was developed to align with national accreditation standards for counseling and state-level licensing requirements, too.
An interesting opportunity you’ll have in this program is participation in the Equity Counseling Academy (ECA). The Academy promotes equitable and inclusive counseling practices while also highlighting social justice issues. The purpose of this type of training is to help build a community of professional leaders committed to inclusivity and the success of all clients, no matter who they are.
This 60-credit program begins with basic counseling coursework, such as:
- Professional Ethics and Orientation to Practice
- Career Development
- Counseling Children and Adolescents
- Group Counseling Theory and Techniques
- Counseling Across the Lifespan
As mentioned earlier, there is a strong focus on diversity and equity issues. As such, you’ll take a number of courses focusing on these topics. For example, the Social Justice and Cultural Diversity in Counseling class offers insights into the diverse experiences clients may bring to the therapeutic relationship. Furthermore, you’ll examine historical and modern social justice issues and analyze how they might impact your work with your clients.
Additionally, you’re required to take Theories of Counseling in Diverse Contexts. This class not only explores major counseling theories, but you’ll learn how each applies when working with diverse clientele. The theories you discuss may include psychodynamic, behavioral, existential, and systems, to name a few.
Alongside the diversity-themed coursework, you’ll take a class on Counselor Identity and Conceptualization of Practice. As a pre-professional counselor, it’s important to explore your identity as a counselor and identify your preferred theoretical orientation. Once you do that, you can more clearly define who you are as a professional and how you conceptualize treatment with each individual client.
Additional coursework is required in the following areas:
- Psychopathology: Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
- Sexuality Counseling
- Trauma and Crisis Intervention
- Testing and Assessment Procedures
- Research Methodology and Evaluation
You’re further required to take either Counseling Sexual and Gender Minority Clients or Counseling Vulnerable and Restricted Populations.
The remaining requirements for this degree include numerous expert therapist series classes in which you learn strategies and techniques for working with different types of clients from practicing therapists. You must also complete residency requirements and a three-credit Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum. The practicum is your first opportunity to work directly with real-world clients. You’ll do so in an approved counseling setting, which is supervised by an experienced and licensed counselor.
Lastly, you must complete a two-part Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship. The internship is the bridge between being a pre-professional counselor and an independent, licensed counselor. During the internship, you’ll assume a full-time counseling role and will work with individuals, couples, and families in therapy. You may also have opportunities to work with groups, participate in advocacy, and work with other professionals (e.g. social workers, psychologists) on a team approach to addressing a client’s mental health needs.
You must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission:
- Have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a statement of purpose in which you discuss your career goals, your strengths and weaknesses that pertain to counselor education, and your reasoning for pursuing a graduate degree.
Northwestern College
Online Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Across the southern border from Minnesota is Iowa, where you’ll find Northwestern College. However, you don’t have to go to campus to complete your degree at Northwestern. Instead, you can complete the college’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling remotely.
This online program requires you to take 60 credits. Most students complete the program in just over two years (seven semesters, to be exact). With 100 percent online coursework and field experiences that take place at approved sites near where you live, this program offers all the flexibility you need to complete your studies.
Northwestern is a faith-based institution, so your counselor education also includes studies of Christianity and faith. Not only that, but you’ll learn how to operate from a culturally sensitive perspective, practice according to key ethical principles, and provide professional support and compassionate care for each of your clients.
The curriculum begins with Professional Orientation and Ethics courses that lay the groundwork for your practice. On the one hand, the Professional Orientation class surveys the historical and theoretical foundations of counseling. On the other hand, the Ethics class identifies common ethical dilemmas you might encounter in your work and helps you develop the skills necessary to work within the bounds of your professional ethics.
Additional coursework is required in the following areas:
- Social and Cultural Foundations
- Human Growth and Development
- Assessment and Appraisal
- Marriage and Family
- Crisis, Trauma, and Suicide
Several skills-based classes are also required. For example, Theories and Skills of Counseling I is an integrated course that presents basic counseling skills for you to learn, then allows you to practice what you learn in role-play situations. You’ll learn how to actively listen, question your clients, and assist clients in reflecting on their emotions and behavior. Likewise, you’ll get a better understanding of major theories like Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Adlerian Therapy, and Client-Centered Therapy, to name but a few.
The Theories and Skills of Counseling I class is followed by part II, which builds on the basic skills you acquired in the first half of the course. Again, this class has an experiential component, so you can learn advanced skills and apply them in role-play situations with your classmates. Additionally, you must submit video recordings of your role-plays to your professor so they can provide critical feedback to you.
Another important skills-based class is Group Counseling and Group Work. Working with multiple clients at once requires a unique set of skills and competencies. As such, you’ll learn about the stages of group formation, how to facilitate a supportive atmosphere in a group, and how to use groups effectively to encourage positive change. Furthermore, you’ll have opportunities to meet with other classmates to participate in a group process, where you’ll serve as a group leader and as a group member.
The remaining coursework covers topics in areas such as:
- Diagnosis and Psychopathology
- Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
- Research and Program Evaluation
- Foundations of Addiction Counseling
- Career Development
Your first intensive taste of fieldwork occurs during the 100-hour practicum. You’ll be assigned a practicum site where you’ll have a supervisor to guide you through the process of becoming a more confident counselor. You’ll have both direct and indirect service time during the practicum, meaning, you’ll work with clients some of the time, but also have ample opportunities to explore other aspects of this job, such as maintaining case files and billing insurance.
The fieldwork experience expands in the Internship—a two-semester placement in which you must accumulate at least 600 clock hours of work experience. You’ll essentially work as a full-time counselor during the internship, though you’ll still have an on-site supervisor and be required to participate in supervision with your professors and classmates. By the internship’s end, you’ll have all the tools and competencies to work as a professional counselor.
You need to complete the following steps to be considered for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a writing sample written in APA style that addresses your career goals, your abilities to be successful in a graduate program, and your aptitude for forming therapeutic relationships with clients.
- Submit a current resume.
- Provide two letters of recommendation.
- Complete a criminal background check.
Southern New Hampshire University
Online Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Established in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit institution with a network of over 160,000 alumni nationwide. SNHU holds accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
At SNHU, you can enroll in the 60-credit Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, designed to meet the educational criteria required for licensure in many states. This program is accredited by the CACREP through 2028.
The program emphasizes developing a “counselor identity” by encouraging you to see the counselor role as an integral aspect of who you are rather than just a profession. You’ll engage in self-reflection to understand your personality and learn how to integrate it into your counseling practice.
The curriculum is structured around four central themes: ethical reasoning, appreciation of diversity, critical thinking, and merging theory with practical application in clinical settings. You’ll learn to use counseling theories and strategies to build professional skills for client consultation, treatment, and intervention. Additionally, you’ll develop skills in group counseling and working with diverse clients in various environments.
As a CACREP-accredited program, SNHU ensures that you master eight core curricular areas:
- Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
- Human Growth and Development
- Social and Cultural Diversity
- Career Development
- Counseling and Helping Relationships
- Group Counseling and Group Work
- Assessment and Testing
- Research and Program Evaluation
As part of the program, you’ll complete two five-day residencies. These sessions, held in New Hampshire or designated locations, offer opportunities to engage with faculty and peers in individual and group settings. During these residencies, you’ll apply theoretical knowledge under the guidance of experienced faculty.
Your first residency occurs in your initial year, and the second is completed before beginning practicum and internship courses. These residencies are integrated into a 10-week course that includes online learning before and after the in-person component. Lodging and most meals are provided for a fee, and financial aid may help cover travel expenses.
You’ll also complete a 100-hour practicum and two 300-hour internships. These hands-on experiences help you gain practical skills and meet state-specific licensure requirements.
The program aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills required for a career in clinical mental health counseling. It focuses on preparing you to embrace the responsibilities of a counselor.
Admission requirements include:
- A personal statement.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- A form acknowledging your awareness of program and state licensure requirements.
SNHU is committed to affordability, offering some of the most budget-friendly online tuition rates. You can save time and money by transferring up to 12 credits from another institution or earning credits based on prior work experience.
How Much Do Licensed Mental Health Counselors Make in Minnesota?
As of January 2026, the average annual salary for a licensed mental health counselor working in Minnesota is $74,871. More experienced and top earning licensed mental health counselors working in Minnesota make over $150,000 per year.