Are you looking to advance your career as a clinical mental health counselor; marriage, couple and family counselor; or school counselor? With a program and faculty reflecting Messiah’s reputation for Christian academic excellence, Messiah University’s CACREP-accredited master's in counseling prepares you to work in a variety of professional settings.
Messiah’s counseling master’s degree and certificate options allow you to achieve work-life balance without sacrificing the advantage of small class sizes and personalized attention from our faculty. Courses are online (with optional in-personal intensives), so you are free to pursue your career and your degree simultaneously.
Empower others to find healing and hope. Messiah University’s CACREP-accredited clinical mental health counseling track prepares you to serve diverse populations with empathy, expertise and a deep commitment to whole-person care.
Help relationships grow and thrive. You will be prepared to address the emotional and mental health needs of individuals, couples and families with an emphasis on on restoring and strengthening relationships.
Earn your M.A. in Counseling with a school counseling track at Messiah University. Gain practical skills to support K-12 students in a CACREP-accredited program.
Earn your post-master's Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Counseling at Messiah University. Tailored coursework with no-fee tuition and rolling admissions every 8 weeks.
All of Messiah's M.A. counseling degree tracks are nationally accredited by CACREP. The university's CACREP accreditation has been extended until 2028. (Why is CACREP accreditation important?)
The Master of Arts in Counseling at Messiah University prepares students to serve others with clinical excellence, ethical integrity, and a Christ-centered foundation. Grounded in hands-on training, close faculty mentorship, and a deep commitment to holistic care, the program equips future counselors to support individuals, families, and communities in meaningful ways. Students graduate ready to pursue licensure, engage diverse populations, and integrate faith with professional practice in a variety of counseling settings.
All of the courses, whether online or in the classroom, are taught by experienced Messiah University faculty, who are active counselors (clinical mental health, school, or marriage and family) and accomplished scholars. Messiah's faculty will encourage and mentor you to consider your own faith, the faith of others, and the relationship between counseling and issues connected to faith in your profession.
Yes. The Master’s counseling programs at Messiah University are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This accreditation applies to the program’s three master’s tracks: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, and Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling. CACREP accreditation indicates that these programs meet nationally recognized standards for professional counselor preparation and supports graduates in pursuing professional licensure or certification.
Yes. The program can be completed 100% online, or students can choose to attend two in-person intensive courses. Students choose what works best for them.
The program is designed with working professionals in mind. Students can begin at multiple points during the year and may adjust the pace of their studies, taking more or fewer courses depending on their schedule and responsibilities.
At Messiah, counseling education is shaped by both professional counseling standards and thoughtful Christian reflection. Courses invite students to consider how spiritual beliefs, values, and practices influence human development, healing, and ethical counseling practice. The goal is to prepare counselors who can thoughtfully engage spirituality when it is meaningful for clients.
