The 12 Best MPCAC-Accredited Programs for Aspiring Counselors
The right MPCAC-accredited programs can affect your counseling career trajectory by a lot. MPCAC (Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council) formed in 2011 to provide standards and curricular guidelines for master’s degree programs in psychology and counseling. This accreditation serves as a quality marker for psychology-based counseling programs. MPCAC accredits 62 programs currently. These include clinical mental health counseling, counseling psychology and school counseling. You might be seeking MPCAC accredited programs on campus or learning about MPCAC accredited online programs. This guide emphasizes 12 top choices to help you find your ideal fit.
1. New York University (NYU) Steinhardt – MA in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness
Program Overview
NYU Steinhardt delivers its online master’s program through the Counseling@NYU platform, which offers a Master of Arts in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness. The program targets aspiring mental health counselors seeking licensure in professional settings of all types. Distinguished NYU faculty teach the curriculum and prepare you to help clients of all ages deal with mental health challenges such as anxiety, grief, post-traumatic stress disorder, relationships, and job transitions.
The program’s structure combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on clinical training. You’ll complete 60 graduate-level credit hours through live online classes paired with interactive counseling lab simulations. You’ll also participate in real-life training through a 100-hour practicum in a mental health setting that has 40 hours of direct practice. This experience transitions into a more extensive 600-hour internship at an NYU-approved clinical location, where you’ll complete 240 hours of direct client contact.
Key Features and Accreditation
The Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness program at New York University holds accreditation from the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) from July 2015 through July 2026. This positions it among MPCAC-accredited programs that are 11 years old with a proven track record.
You can customize your learning path through electives covering topics such as substance-related disorders, marriage and family counseling, adolescent sexual decision-making, responses to trauma, and immigrant-origin youth. The program emphasizes multicultural perspectives and requires you to explore and blend content through this lens prior to practicum and internship experiences.
New York State has registered Counseling@NYU as a license-qualifying program in mental health counseling. Graduates meet the academic requirements for licensure and qualify for diagnostic privileges in New York State. Licensed mental health counselors can diagnose mental disorders and create assessment-based treatment plans independently.
Study Length and Format
You can complete the program in as few as 21 months through five full-time terms. Part-time options extend the timeline to around 30 months. The program operates on rolling admissions and accepts applications year-round with multiple start dates annually.
The curriculum requires a three-day on-campus immersion in New York City if circumstances allow. You’ll access faculty-designed asynchronous content around the clock and receive one-on-one attention during faculty office hours.
NYU Steinhardt Career Outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as licensed mental health counselors in a variety of settings that include outpatient care centers, family service centers, hospitals, community agencies, substance abuse and outreach programs, university counseling centers, and private practice. The program gives you the skills to assess individuals and groups with attention to gender, race and ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and ability or disability. You’ll apply counseling skills such as case conceptualization, practice, and advocacy while forming helpful counseling relationships.
2. University of Denver – MA in School Counseling
Program Overview
The Morgridge College of Education at University of Denver operates SchoolCounseling@Denver, an online master’s program designed to develop school counselors into agents of change. The program takes a comprehensive approach to meet the academic, career and social/emotional needs of students from a variety of backgrounds within P-12 school systems. The program requires 90 quarter credit hours in 24 courses, which translates to 60 semester hours.
The curriculum roots itself in skill development and self-reflection to help you become more aware of your own experiences, strengths and opportunities for growth. Courses focus on how issues of identity, power, privilege, disability and discrimination affect students both individually and as a school population. School counseling and mental health professionals teach you directly. You’ll build your personal counselor identity through journaling, field training and mock counseling sessions.
Key Features and Accreditation
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits the program and places it among recognized counseling education programs. This accreditation and the curriculum guide you to eligibility for School Counselor Credentials within Colorado and meet licensure requirements for other states.
You’ll complete 700 total fieldwork hours that include a 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship at a P-12 school near your community. The practicum requires supervision by an approved, credentialed school counselor. Internship experiences split into two 300-hour segments. The program requires no on-campus, in-person attendance for graduation, though you must complete all practicums and internships in the United States.
Study Length and Format
You can complete the program in as few as 22 months on a full-time basis, which depends on your selected start term. The program offers multiple entry points throughout the year, with start dates in January, March, June and September. Admission requires no GRE, and you’ll need a minimum 2.5 undergraduate GPA.
The learning format combines online instruction with live, synchronous classes. Weekly class sessions allow for face-to-face interaction and collaboration, and you can also access asynchronous coursework.
University of Denver Career Outcomes
Recent graduate cohorts demonstrate strong employment outcomes. The 2024-2025 cohort achieved a 90% employment rate. Earlier cohorts showed employment rates of 85% for 2022-2023 graduates, 91% for 2021-2022 and 100% for 2020-2021.
Credentialing exam pass rates remain high consistently, with 100% pass rates for the 2024-2025, 2021-2022 and 2020-2021 cohorts. The 2023-2024 cohort achieved a 95% pass rate. Program completion rates show 39% of students graduate within two years, 61% within three years and 68% within four years.
3. Towson University – MA in Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
Towson University’s Department of Psychology houses an MA in Psychology with a Counseling Psychology concentration that trains therapists and researchers focused on improving mental health in individuals, groups, families, and communities. You can select between two distinct tracks based on your career goals. The practitioner option prepares you to work as a counselor or therapist at the master’s level, with curriculum mapping onto Maryland’s licensure requirements for Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). The research option provides intensive training and mentorship in research methodology, statistics, and design through completion of a master’s thesis. This prepares you for successful PhD program admission.
The program operates from a small cohort-based model and allows you to receive customized advising and mentoring from faculty tailored to your individual career goals. More than half of students identify as members of racial minority groups, including Black, Asian, Latine, and Middle Eastern/North African Americans. The diverse student body also has individuals who identify as gender non-binary, queer, or part of the LGBTQ+ community. Over 50% of students have disclosed they have a disability, long-term illness, or chronic health condition.
Key Features and Accreditation
Towson University holds MPCAC accreditation from February 2016 through June 2034. This positions it among 18-year-old MPCAC-accredited programs with long-term recognition. The program places strong emphasis on developing cultural competence throughout the curriculum. This includes courses, practicum and internship experiences, and extra-curricular activities. This focus on social justice and culturally responsive counseling provides you with tools to participate in culturally inclusive work with individuals and communities.
You’ll complete a 300-hour practicum during your second year in the fall semester. This requires 20-24 hours weekly of placement where you provide counseling under licensed supervision. You’ll participate in a supervised 300-hour internship during spring semester after successful practicum completion. You maintain 20-24 hours weekly on-site at clinical settings. The program allows you to accumulate up to 1,000 of the 3,000 supervised hours required for licensure while still in the master’s program.
Study Length and Format
You can complete the 60-unit degree in two calendar years with full-time attendance. Part-time options exist if you need flexible scheduling. Courses meet once weekly for 2.5 hours. Scheduling is designed to minimize days you need to come to campus. The program delivers instruction through in-person format and ensures hands-on training and direct faculty interaction.
Towson University Career Outcomes
100% have passed the exam among alumni who graduated within the last three years and took the National Counselor Examination (NCE). Graduates find employment in community mental health centers, private practices, hospitals, group homes, rehabilitation centers, and substance abuse programs. You’ll be prepared to work with clients facing concerns in personal, social, vocational, or educational areas.
4. The Chicago School – MA in Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
The Chicago School’s Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology uses the science of psychology to develop knowledge in foundational principles of psychology and counseling. You’ll learn to assess, understand, diagnose and treat clients with cognitive, behavioral and emotional issues in a variety of mental health settings. The clinical training program gives you evidence-based practice to work with individuals, couples, families, communities and systems.
Core faculty are clinical psychologists who use their expertise to educate and train students to acquire the knowledge, skills and awareness to practice as health service providers at the master’s level. You’ll cover topics including existential-humanistic psychotherapy, addiction evaluation and treatment, family therapy, ethics in practice, professional guidelines and diversity and cultural issues under their guidance.
Key Features and Accreditation
The Chicago School’s Chicago Campus program holds MPCAC accreditation from December 2018 through December 2028. This represents the maximum 10-year accreditation period MPCAC allows and positions it among MPCAC-accredited programs with full recognition.
Multicultural education and practice are merged throughout the curriculum. The blended option provides convenience for working professionals and allows you to combine the majority of online coursework with intensive weekend instruction on campus. Training sites available for field placement include community mental health centers, child welfare and family service agencies, substance abuse programs, college counseling centers and private group practices.
Study Length and Format
You’ll complete a minimum nine-month placement experience with at least 700 hours. This includes 280 direct service hours during the placement. The program requires a 3.0 GPA or higher for admission, along with a $50 application fee. The GRE is not required, though you may submit scores to boost your application.
Tuition runs $1,458 per credit hour for M.A./M.S. programs. The program admits students on a rolling basis. Applications are reviewed by the Admission Committee once submitted.
The Chicago School Career Outcomes
Graduates find employment in hospitals and community-based clinics, mental health centers, social service agencies, substance abuse facilities, hospices and rehabilitation centers. You’ll be prepared to provide services to diverse populations, with training sites chosen based on their knowing how to serve varied clientele.
5. University of West Florida – MA in Psychology
Program Overview
University of West Florida’s Department of Psychology adopts a scientist-practitioner approach in its MA in Psychology program, designed for the Counseling-Licensed Mental Health Counselor concentration. The 60-semester-hour curriculum gives you the ability to deliver counseling services upon completion of credentialing requirements as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida or as a licensed professional counselor in other states. The program also provides a foundation to pursue doctoral programs in mental health care-related fields.
The curriculum balances three core components: disciplinary core courses totaling 9 hours, clinical acumen-building classes spanning 42 hours, and direct service experience through practicum and internship placements accounting for 9 hours. You’ll benefit from small class sizes that enroll 15-20 students. This allows individualized attention from knowledgeable faculty with expertise in counseling and psychotherapy.
Key Features and Accreditation
The program holds MPCAC accreditation from May 2002 through September 2032 and positions itself among long-standing MPCAC-accredited programs with three decades of continuous recognition. The curriculum lines up with Florida state licensure requirements and MPCAC accreditation standards.
You’ll complete intensive, supervised clinical training during a year-long, 1,000-hour internship in a community mental health setting. The program supplies all requirements for “Registered Mental Health Intern” status and allows you to work under supervision for two years before becoming eligible to apply for licensure in Florida. Other states have similar practice requirements as well.
Study Length and Format
The proposed cohort plan allows you to complete the program in 6 regular semesters plus 2 summer sessions, totaling 2.75 years. You’ll register for three courses per semester and two courses during summer sessions over the first two years. Your final year includes internship experiences plus one course.
The program delivers face-to-face instruction on campus in Pensacola, Florida. It emphasizes direct interaction with doctoral-level faculty who possess both clinical and research experience.
University of West Florida Career Outcomes
The program produces about 32 master’s degree graduates in psychology each year. Graduates secure professional mental health counseling positions within weeks of graduation. Career paths include private practice clinicians, community mental health practitioners, and college counseling center therapists. Other positions held by graduates include project director for genetics clinics and addiction interventionists in high school settings. Employers include Southwest Airlines, Navy Federal Credit Union, Ascension Health System, Lakeview Center Inc., and Lutheran Services Florida.
6. Chatham University – MS in Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
Chatham University’s Master of Science in Counseling Psychology develops self-awareness, clinical knowledge, and counseling skills required of mental health professionals. The curriculum integrates theory, research, and practical experience. You’ll learn to assess clients in their family and social contexts, design evidence-informed interventions, and review treatment effectiveness. The program maintains a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social justice throughout your training.
You’ll complete 60 credits to confer the degree, which meets one of the qualifications to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Pennsylvania. Field placement training opportunities occur throughout Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh at hospitals, community mental health agencies, private practices, and correctional facilities. Populations you’ll serve include infants and parents, children, adolescents, adults, and senior citizens. They work through depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, relationship problems, career development issues, eating disorders, and end-of-life concerns.
Key Features and Accreditation
The program holds MPCAC accreditation from April 2017 through April 2027 and positions itself among ten-year-old MPCAC-accredited programs. The counseling psychology graduate programs received HRSA-funded Behavioral Workforce Education and Training grants in Fall 2017 for the WELL Project and in Fall 2021 for the Healthcare Alliance Promoting Pittsburgh Youth Project (HAPPY Project). A collaborative four-year HRSA grant continued the HAPPY Project in summer 2025.
Faculty members serve as experienced educators, researchers, and mental health practitioners. They provide mentorship and advising throughout your graduate experience. Chatham offers a 20% corporate partner discount, graduate assistantships, and professional campus work positions to make education more affordable.
Study Length and Format
You can complete the 60-credit program in 2.5 to 3.5 years. Tuition runs $19,458 for the first year. The program accepts applications on a rolling basis with deadlines of April 1st for fall admission and November 1st for spring admission. You’ll need a minimum 3.0 GPA for entry.
Chatham University Career Outcomes
The Graduate Class of 2025 achieved an 80% career outcomes rate. The mean reached $83,252 among hired graduates reporting salaries. Counseling psychology graduates from recent cohorts showed 98% passage rates on the National Counselor Examination in 2023, 2024, and 2025. 50% to 80% of graduates got state licensure, while 6-7% enrolled in doctoral programs.
7. Pacific University – MA in Applied Psychological Science
Program Overview
Pacific University’s MA in Applied Clinical Psychology consists of 62 semester credits designed to complete in 2 years of full-time study. The program operates on a tri-semester year, with classes running from approximately early September until late July. Clinical training may extend beyond term start and end dates.
The first year focuses on coursework alone, whereas the second year combines a small class load with a clinical practicum and research project. You’ll build theoretical and empirical foundations needed to develop clinical and methodological skills applicable in clinical settings of all types. The curriculum explores how cultural, biological, social, and behavioral factors affect psychological phenomena.
Key Features and Accreditation
Pacific University holds MPCAC accreditation from August 2017 through August 2027. This positions it among 10-year-old MPCAC-accredited programs. The program prepares you to work as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), consultant, or similar roles. Graduates may also be eligible for licensure as a mental health practitioner depending on specific state requirements. Graduates in Oregon meet educational requirements for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor.
You’ll complete a minimum 700-hour practicum in the second year. This practicum may be served in community settings of all types, where you’ll gain experience working with a wide range of client populations and mental health concerns. You receive regular clinical supervision at community placements and attend clinical seminars weekly with a core faculty member.
Second-year students can pursue assistantship opportunities that include assisting faculty with class and research activities, or working as teaching assistants with master’s students in lab courses.
Study Length and Format
You’ll complete either a quantitative thesis or a qualitative evidence-based practice sample. The thesis project is completed with a core faculty member as chair. The qualitative evidence-based practice sample is a clinical case study completed in conjunction with practicum under the guidance of a core faculty member in a seminar format.
Pacific University Career Outcomes
The program prepares you to work or to become a competitive applicant for psychology doctoral programs.
8. Assumption University – MA in Clinical Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
Assumption University operates a 60-credit Clinical Counseling Psychology program that fully integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy theory and practice throughout the curriculum. The program addresses common clinical problems like aggressive behavior in children, ADHD, depression and anxiety through evidence-based CBT approaches. Over 50 years old, the program has graduated more than 700 well-trained practitioners. You’ll benefit from learning from skilled psychologists committed to excellent clinical practice and CBT research advancement. The curriculum prepares you to meet educational requirements for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor in Massachusetts and most other states.
Key Features and Accreditation
The program holds MPCAC accreditation through December 2028 and stands among MPCAC-accredited programs with extended recognition. Assumption received the Outstanding Training Program Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT), marking the first time this doctoral-level award was granted to a master’s program. You’ll complete 100 practicum hours and 600 internship hours, with 100 practicum and 240 internship contact hours in a three-semester sequence. The program offers up to 10 Graduate Fellowships each year and provides tuition waivers for 30 credits. Fellowship recipients work closely with faculty mentors for two semesters on advanced psychological research.
Study Length and Format
Most students complete the program in 2-3 years and average about 7 semesters. Part-time options allow you to take 1-2 courses per semester, with up to 7 years to finish. Classes meet Monday through Thursday once weekly during late afternoon or evening hours. The program delivers instruction in person on campus, with courses scheduled to accommodate working professionals.
Assumption University Career Outcomes
Internship supervisors noted the exceptional quality of student preparation for clinical placements. Employers value graduates and seek them out, especially those who hosted students in internship positions where they are often hired upon graduation. The program supplies complete preparation for the LMHC licensure exam and rigorous training in treatment planning and CBT techniques.
9. University of Kansas – MS in Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
The University of Kansas Department of Educational Psychology offers a master’s program in counseling psychology that prepares those who want to work as counselors or proceed into doctoral training. The curriculum offers a broad introduction to counseling psychology theory, research and clinical practice. It has a mental health counseling focus. The mental health concentration needs at least 60 credit hours. Beyond core work in counseling psychology that covers theory, career development, interviewing, assessment, group counseling and professional issues, students complete coursework in developmental psychology, research, diagnosis and psychopathology. A practicum is also required.
Key Features and Accreditation
The MS in Counseling Psychology holds MPCAC accreditation from July 2017 through July 2027. Faculty research focuses on career development, assessment and intervention, multicultural counseling, counselor training and positive psychology. The program has a required practicum in a counseling setting. Graduates meet academic requirements to become Licensed Professional Counselors in Kansas.
Study Length and Format
Students who enroll full-time typically finish the program in two and a half to three years. Part-time completion is available. The program received 104 applications for the 2025 academic year, offered admission to 40 students and enrolled 19.
University of Kansas Career Outcomes
The program graduated 14 students in 2025. Graduates can work as professional counselors, academic counselors and career counselors.
10. Russell Sage College – MA in Counseling and Community Psychology
Program Overview
Russell Sage College’s School of Health Sciences offers a 60-credit MA in Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology approved by the New York State Education Department’s Office of the Professions. The program delivers courses online through a mix of live evening meetings and asynchronous content you can access on your schedule. Graduates qualify to take the exam required to practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York state.
Russell Sage combines community psychology and counseling in ways other programs don’t. This trains you to work directly with clients while viewing mental health from a macro level. You’ll complete academic and clinical classes in behavioral sciences and build therapeutic skills under licensed professional supervision.
Key Features and Accreditation
The program holds MPCAC accreditation from August 2010 through November 2028. Three built-in elective courses allow you to pursue concentrations in Trauma and Acute Care, Couples and Family Counseling, or Substance Abuse and Addiction Counseling. Students choosing the Substance Abuse concentration complete requirements to become a Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee (CASAC-T).
Study Length and Format
You can complete the program full-time in about three years. Applications for fall 2026 are due by March 15th, 2026. Admission requires a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA and no GRE scores.
Russell Sage College Career Outcomes
Graduates enter private and group practices, state and county agencies, health care systems, and human service agencies.
11. William Paterson University – MA in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
William Paterson University’s MA in Clinical and Counseling Psychology trains you in professional counseling practice, assessment, and mental health research. The curriculum emphasizes clinical skills and ethical responsibility while grounding you in scientific, methodological, and theoretical foundations. You’ll develop as a compassionate scientist-practitioner committed to social justice work and serving marginalized groups. The program offers two tracks: a 48-credit non-licensure option and a 60-credit licensure track. The latter qualifies you to apply for Licensed Associate Counselor status in New Jersey.
Key Features and Accreditation
William Paterson holds MPCAC accreditation from June 2014 through July 2026, though on probation currently. You’ll complete 600 hours of supervised fieldwork during your final year. Graduate assistantships provide full tuition waivers plus stipends for 20 hours of weekly campus work. Students with strong academic records and financial needs who apply by March 1st can access these opportunities.
Study Length and Format
Full-time students complete the program in two years. Part-time enrollment extends completion to three to five years. The program blends in-person daytime classes with limited evening online synchronous courses via Zoom. Summer sessions deliver asynchronous content, though practicum courses require in-person attendance during fall and spring semesters.
William Paterson University Career Outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as master’s level mental health clinicians, researchers, or work in human services settings. The foundation also supports doctoral-level studies. Career opportunities span counseling roles in alcohol and drug abuse programs, schools, mental hospitals, and agencies.
12. Chestnut Hill College – MS in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Program Overview
Chestnut Hill College’s MS in Clinical and Counseling Psychology prepares you to become a competent and ethical mental health professional through 60 graduate credits. The program exposes you to theory and practice while providing training in professional skills, appreciation of diversity and social justice, and preparation for doctoral study. You can choose from seven concentration options: Child and Adolescent Therapy, Child and Adolescent Therapy with Specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Co-Occurring Disorders, Couple and Family Therapy, Diverse and Underserved Communities, Generalist, and Trauma Studies.
Key Features and Accreditation
The program holds MPCAC accreditation and ranks among the top 3 programs in Pennsylvania for Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology based on total master’s degree conferrals in 2020. The degree meets requirements for master’s licensure in Pennsylvania as either a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). You must accrue 3,000 supervised hours of counseling work after completion.
Study Length and Format
You’ll complete the program in 3 to 3.5 years on average. Tuition runs $765 per credit, totaling $45,900 for the degree. Classes operate at two locations: the main Philadelphia campus and Lehigh Valley Campus in Center Valley, PA. Most courses meet once weekly for three hours during evenings, with select Saturday courses from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
Chestnut Hill College Career Outcomes
Field placements occur at a variety of treatment centers throughout Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, including hospital and outpatient settings. Program alumni provide connection and support for current students, and these placements often lead to employment opportunities.
Next Steps
The right MPCAC-accredited program can substantially shape your counseling career trajectory. You might prefer online flexibility like NYU Steinhardt’s program. Or you might want hands-on campus experiences at Towson University. These 12 programs offer different pathways to licensure and professional success. Each program brings unique strengths, from specialized CBT training at Assumption University to social justice emphasis at William Paterson.
Your ideal program depends on your career goals and preferred learning format. Assess factors such as accreditation periods, clinical hour requirements and specialty concentrations. The investment you make now in choosing a quality MPCAC-accredited program will pay dividends throughout your counseling career.