Earn a Master of Arts in Counseling Degree Online

counseling@northwestern

Start Your Counseling Career, and Chart Your Own Northwestern Direction



CACREP Accreditation

Gain the knowledge and skills to pursue licensure as a mental health counselor.

Multiple Study Options

Study full time or part time, and earn your master’s degree in 18 to 39 months.

Hands-On Clinical Experience

Work with our field specialists to find suitable, Northwestern-approved placements.

Lasting Relationships

Make connections with diverse professors and classmates across the country.


The CACREP-Accredited MA in Counseling Program, Delivered Online

The Family Institute at Northwestern University offers an online MA in Counseling Program so you can earn an esteemed counseling master’s without attending classes on campus. The online program prepares you for a variety of careers helping children, adolescents, and adults in various settings, including addiction and recovery centers, colleges and universities, hospitals, and private practice.

As a Counseling@Northwestern student, you will use our virtual campus to complete interactive assignments and attend live, face-to-face classes that support your development as a self-reflective counselor. You will also gain hands-on experience working directly with clients during supervised placements at clinical sites that meet Northwestern’s criteria.

Bridge to Counseling Program for students new to counseling

Optional specialization in child and adolescent therapy/counseling

Four start dates per year, with rolling admissions decisions

No GRE scores required for admission to the program

From the moment you inquire about the program to the moment you graduate and beyond, Counseling@Northwestern will provide personalized support services so you can earn your degree and start helping individuals, families, and groups in need.

"Counseling@Northwestern really blew me away with the lectures, the interactive pieces, and the ability to not only have class but also have meetings with my classmates. I don't feel like I’m missing anything by not being on campus. The connections that I've made with my classmates have surprised me. We've invested in each other, and I wasn’t expecting that in an online program."

SARA WITZLER

COUNSELING@NORTHWESTERN GRADUATE