Study Master’s in Counseling in South Carolina
There is no doubt that getting a master’s degree in counseling is hard work. You have to commit at least two or three years of your life to complete the course requirements and fieldwork before you graduate. Then, after graduating, you have several years of supervised practice to complete before you gain full licensure as a counselor.
But online learning helps streamline this process. In South Carolina, for example, numerous universities offer graduate programs in counseling with 100 percent of the coursework done online. The fieldwork component can be completed at an approved site in your hometown or nearby, therefore reducing your time commitment for travel that much more.
The question is, which online counseling master’s degree is right for you? The guide below offers some of the popular options you might consider.
Online Master’s in Counseling in South Carolina
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online master’s in counseling programs in South Carolina:
- Winthrop University
- Charleston Southern University
- Old Dominion University
- North Carolina State University
- Walden University
- Grand Canyon University
National University - The Chicago School
- Northwestern University
Winthrop University
Online Master of Education in Counseling and Development
Winthrop University’s online Master of Education in Counseling and Development is a 60-credit, two-year program accredited by CACREP. With just seven semesters of full-time study required, you can quickly complete your degree and get started on your professional career.
This program is known for its rigorous curriculum (thus the CACREP accreditation). The coursework you complete online is tailored to your specific needs—there are two concentrations available in School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health. Choose the track that fits your goals, and get the training you need to be an effective counselor.
By completing this program, you’ll set yourself up for success in the next step of your career. For example, this program prepares you to sit for numerous professional examinations, including the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) exam, the National Counselor Exam (NCE), and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE).
You’ll acquire the necessary knowledge to pass these exams by participating in a thorough curriculum. The curriculum is divided into several components:
- Core Courses
- Concentration Courses
- Practicum Courses
The core coursework focuses on foundational topics necessary to understand counseling as an area of study and practice. For example, a Counseling Theories class is required, and explores essential theories in this field, such as psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and systems theory. You’ll explore how these and other theories are similar and different, and examine how to apply them effectively in a therapeutic setting.
You’re also required to take a Counseling Skills class. Rather than focusing on theory like the course described above, this class discusses the techniques, strategies, and interventions you might use in the context of therapy. Furthermore, you’ll learn how to develop a therapeutic relationship, how to improve your self-awareness, and how to facilitate positive change with your clients.
As is common for a degree like this, you must also take a course called Career and Lifestyle Development. This class goes beyond learning how to help someone improve their job prospects. Instead, you’ll study major theories regarding career counseling, educational planning, and lifestyle development. A significant portion of this course is spent studying motivation, too.
Additional core classes address topics like the following:
- Diversity Issues in Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Appraisal of the Individual
- Loss, Grief, and Crisis Counseling
- Lifespan Developmental Counseling
Other classes focus on specific types of counseling, such as Family Counseling, Addiction Counseling, and Counseling Children and Adolescents. You’ll also take courses in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, Educational Research and Design, and Advanced Counseling Interventions.
As for the concentration courses, you’ll take two classes for the clinical mental health track: Foundations and Ethical Issues in Community Mental Health and Clinical Mental Health Program Planning, Consulting, and Supervision. The first course on ethics offers an overview of the organizational structures in counseling settings. You’ll analyze what it means to practice ethically, how to deliver ethical care, and what to do if you have concerns about others’ ethics.
The second course on program planning helps you understand how to develop, organize, and implement counseling programs. You’ll learn how to evaluate programs, work with other stakeholders, and explore various supervision models, too.
Lastly, this program has a two-part practicum and two-part internship that allow you to put your learning into practice. In all, you must complete 175 practicum hours in a supervised setting. During the practicum, you’ll work on various skills including advocacy, relational counseling, and consultation.
The two-part internship requires 600 hours of work in an applied counseling setting. As with the practicum, you’ll hone a variety of skills, especially those relating to counseling practice. You’ll have opportunities to work with many different types of clients with varying needs, and you’ll get practice working with both individual clients and groups.
The following are the requirements for applying:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (though you can apply with a lower GPA, provided you have high enough GRE scores).
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide a current resume.
- Provide three letters of recommendation.
- Submit an essay in which you explain why you’re pursuing this degree and why you are a good fit for counseling.
- Complete a background check.
Charleston Southern University
Online Master of Science in Clinical Counseling
At Charleston Southern, you can complete a Master of Science in Clinical Counseling in less than three years if you study full-time. With a total of 60 credits, this program prepares you well for your future career with a comprehensive online curriculum and ample opportunities to get real-world experience prior to graduating.
This program offers live classes two evenings each week to assist you in working around your work schedule. There are also two live afternoon classes each week. The coursework is divided into major studies and electives, with the bulk of your courses falling into the former category.
You’ll start the degree by taking fundamental classes in areas such as:
- Psychopathology
- Social and Cultural Foundations
- Human Growth and Development
- Counseling and Personality Theories
- Ethical Issues in Counseling
You’ll build upon those basic courses by taking advanced classes focusing on specific areas of counseling. For example, the Models of Integrative Therapy class explores how religion and psychotherapy can be used together as an integrative approach to counseling. You’ll learn about theology, philosophy, and how your personal views on each impact your practice as a counselor.
This program additionally requires you to take Research Methods and Statistics. The emphasis of this course is on the different approaches you can use to examine group differences in research. You’ll learn about qualitative research designs, data analysis, and program evaluation models, too.
Another important required class is Lifestyle and Career Development. This class analyzes life factors relating to one’s career and career development. You’ll explore various vocational theories, career decision-making models, and career assessment techniques. Furthermore, you’ll develop the skills necessary to provide career guidance and education when appropriate.
The remaining core courses examine the following topics:
- Introduction to the Profession
- Techniques of Counseling
- Grief, Crisis, and Trauma
- Advanced Tests and Measurements
- Psychopathology and Diagnosis
- Group Dynamics and Theory
The elective component of the curriculum requires you to complete three classes. The program offers nearly a dozen options to choose from. For example, you might take Family Stress and Resilience, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and Counseling for Sexual Concerns. Alternatively, you might take Child and Adolescent Counseling, Advanced Training in Addiction Treatment, and Theories of Marriage and Family Counseling.
You must complete a three-credit practicum as well. The practicum is your first taste of real-world working experience as a counselor. You’ll work in an approved setting and have an on-site supervisor to guide your development. You’ll gain critical clinical experience by working with clients with all manner of presenting issues. The practicum requires you to complete at least 100 hours of work, 40 of which must be in direct contact with clients.
The practicum is followed by a two-part, six-credit internship during which you must accumulate at least 600 clock hours. Of those, 240 hours must be in direct contact with clients. Again, this is a supervised experience; you’ll have a licensed on-site supervisor and you must participate in weekly supervision with your professors and classmates. This is the final step in the process of completing this degree. Armed with the knowledge and skills you acquire, plus the practical experience from the practicum and internships, you’ll be ready to pursue a professional license.
The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide a goals statement.
- Provide two online recommendations.
- Participate in an interview.
Old Dominion University
Online Master of Science – Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Old Dominion University offers a CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Education with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that’s available to you online. Once you graduate, you’ll meet the educational requirements needed to become an LPC in many states.
A unique feature of this program is its faculty. Numerous faculty members have won awards from the American Counseling Association. The faculty is also actively engaged in the field as professional counselors. What’s more, the program’s professors are committed to equity issues and social justice; the coursework reflects this focus.
Since this is an online program, you can access course materials and participate in online activities from anywhere. Some of your classes are synchronous, meaning they take place live online and require you to participate at a specific date and time. Other classes, though, are asynchronous, which means you work through the course at your own pace (provided you meet instructor deadlines, of course).
The curriculum is evenly split between core courses and concentration coursework for clinical mental health counseling, with 30 credits required for each. The core coursework explores essential aspects of counseling, such as:
- Principles of Professional Counseling and Ethics
- Counseling for Lifespan Development
- Counseling and Psychotherapy Techniques
- Advanced Counseling and Psychotherapy Techniques, Crisis, and Trauma
- Introduction to Research Methods in Education
You’re also required to take Testing and Client Assessment, which explores both individual and group approaches to assessment. You’ll learn about the role of assessment in diagnosis, the history of assessment, and cross-cultural issues in psychological assessment as well.
The Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy class is another important piece of this program. The central focus of the class is on giving you a basic introduction to a wide range of theories as a means of helping you determine which orientation best fits your personality and counseling style.
You must also complete a course on Foundations of Career Development. This is a critical class because so many people experience work-related issues throughout their lives. You’ll examine theories of career development, current trends, and career planning tools as well.
Meanwhile, the clinical mental health counseling coursework begins with Group Counseling and Psychotherapy. It takes a unique set of skills to work effectively with groups of clients. This course facilitates the development of those skills, including active listening, leadership, and advocacy-related skills.
You’ll also take a class on Addictive Disorders. Not only will you discuss the many different types of addictive disorders, but you’ll also examine their causes, risk factors for their development, and the types of counseling approaches that are most effective in treating these types of disorders.
Other clinical mental health-focused classes include the following:
- Introduction to Counseling Supervision
- Mental Health Counseling
- Family Systems and Family Development
Like the other programs in this guide, this one requires a 100-hour practicum that allows you to get your feet wet in this profession without being fully independent. In fact, much of your initial work in the practicum will be in tandem with your supervisor. For example, you might co-lead a group therapy session.
Then, in the 600-hour internship, you’ll work more independently. For example, you’ll work with individual clients, couples, families, and groups, and do so on your own (though supervision is still critically important. Apart from the 240 hours of direct client contact time you’re required to accumulate, you must also complete 360 or more hours of other counseling work, such as professional development, case conceptualizations, writing case notes, and so forth.
You can apply to this program online at any time. To do so, you must meet these requirements:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a 2.8 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from each institution you’ve previously attended.
- Submit an essay discussing your career goals.
- Submit two letters of recommendation that address your academic and professional capabilities.
North Carolina State University
Online Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Another out-of-state program that’s offered online is the Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina State University. The program is multifaceted; you’ll study counseling theory and elements of practice, but you’ll also explore preventative intervention methods, multiculturalism, and developmental theory, to name just a few. This CACREP-accredited program prepares you to sit for relevant licensure exams on your way to obtaining state licensure.
You’ll begin this three-year, part-time, cohort-based program by taking classes that are fundamental to understanding the academic and applicatory elements of counseling. These classes include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Career Counseling and Development
- Theories of Counseling
- Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Research Issues
Moreover, you’ll take Orientation to Professional Counseling, Identity, and Ethics, which helps you explore who you are as a counselor. You’ll examine counseling as a profession, your duties as a professional counselor, and relevant ethical and legal elements of this career, too.
The Multicultural Counseling class helps you develop the skills required to work with clients from a vast range of backgrounds. You’ll discuss issues like prejudice and racism and how they affect the development of the counseling relationship. There will be opportunities for self-reflection, too—you’ll gain insights into your own biases and work through how they might influence your work as a counselor.
Another course you’re required to take is Counseling Couples and Families. Though you’ll typically work with individual clients, it’s important to have a working knowledge of couples and family therapy. As such, this class examines modern approaches to working with couples and families, techniques and interventions you can use in therapy, and crisis management strategies as well.
The remaining coursework includes studies in the following areas:
- Gender Issues in Counseling
- Strategies for Clinical Assessment in Counseling
- Techniques in Counseling
- Multicultural Life Span Human Development
As is common, the fieldwork element includes a one-semester practicum and a two-semester internship. Both experiences are supervised and take place in an approved clinical counseling setting. The practicum is less hands-on; you’ll spend much of your initial time observing your on-site supervisor. However, as you progress through the practicum, you’ll have opportunities to meet with clients one-on-one.
During the internship, you’ll assume virtually full responsibilities of a professional counselor. You’ll be responsible for intake procedures with clients, administering assessments, and developing treatment plans. Additionally, you may work with groups, assist in developing psychoeducational programs, and participate in staff meetings and other professional development opportunities.
You must complete the following steps to be considered for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a personal statement that explains your future goals.
- Provide a current resume.
- Provide three letters of recommendation.
How Much Do Licensed Mental Health Counselors Make in South Carolina?
As of January 2025, the average annual salary for a licensed mental health counselor working in South Carolina is $97,000. More experienced and top earning licensed mental health counselors working in South Carolina make over $130,000 per year.