Frequently Asked Questions

To become a licensed professional counselor, you will need to meet your state’s educational and clinical training requirements. In Pennsylvania, a master’s degree and 3,000 hours of clinical experience are required to achieve licensure.

A degree like our online M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling can provide you with the training and clinical experience you need to pursue licensure. Our online program is designed for:

• Professionals who are working toward becoming licensed professional counselors
• Individuals with personal or professional commitments who want to earn a counseling degree on a part-time, online schedule
• Career changers who want to make a difference in their community

As our world has grown increasingly complicated, the demand for knowledgeable, trained counselors has risen. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 18% growth in the employment of counselors by 2032, with particular demand for those specializing in substance abuse, behavioral disorders and general mental health.

A respected mental health counseling master’s degree can make an impactful difference in your career. Our online Mental Health Counseling master’s provides students with an advocacy mindset and helping skills that can be applied to a variety of mental health career paths. The top employment areas (as noted by Lightcast, an authority on labor market analytics) for professionals with a mental health counseling master’s degree include:

• Individual and family services
• Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers
• General government support
• Colleges, universities and professional schools
• Offices of mental health practitioners
• Elementary and secondary schools

Graduates with an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling often pursue roles such as licensed professional counselor, mental health clinician or behavioral health specialist.

Common employment settings include individual and family services, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, government agencies, colleges and universities, private practices and elementary or secondary schools.

This degree also prepares graduates for positions in advocacy, case management and community mental health organizations.

Yes, our program was designed to be completed while you work. Learn about the logistics of our curriculum on our curriculum page.

The shortest amount of time in which students can earn their degree is three years, and most students complete the program in this time frame. The maximum completion time for this master’s program is six years.

Yes. Lehigh University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Lehigh University’s on-campus modality is accredited by MPCAC, but the online modality currently is not. However, the curriculum of the online modality is fully aligned with MPCAC requirements, reflecting our commitment to the highest standards in counseling education.

The online program must have a graduating class before it is eligible for accreditation (in addition to meeting other requirements). Once we have a graduating class, the College of Education may choose to pursue MPCAC accreditation. However, since this accreditation is not required for licensure, upholding MPCAC standards holds more significance than accreditation itself.

It is not possible to grant retroactive accreditation. Keep in mind that no matter the accreditation status of Lehigh University’s online program at the time of your graduation, you will have received an education that adheres to MPCAC standards. This alignment with MPCAC is crucial to your future as a skilled professional.

MPCAC accreditation is not required for licensure in any state, including Pennsylvania. Upon completing this program, you will be qualified to pursue a career as a licensed counselor.

If you reside outside Pennsylvania, be sure to verify current licensing requirements with your state board.

This program is not accredited by CACREP. In Pennsylvania, CACREP accreditation is not mandatory for licensure, so it is not a common feature for counseling degrees.

No. Currently, in Pennsylvania, you do not need to graduate from a CACREP-accredited program to pursue licensure. If you reside outside Pennsylvania, you should verify the requirements with your state board, as regulations vary and are subject to change.

Keep in mind that while some states have adopted CACREP requirements for licensure, most only request CACREP-equivalent credentials. Typically, graduation from a CACREP-accredited program is not necessary. Depending on the state, you may need to fulfill additional requirements for your degree to be considered equivalent.

The online and campus-based M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling programs operate as distinct cohorts with separate structures. Due to accreditation standards, clinical training requirements and limited cohort sizes, students admitted to one modality are not permitted to transfer to the other. Please carefully consider your preferred learning format before applying, as changes cannot be made after admission.

Applicants must submit a completed online application, official transcripts with a minimum 3.0 GPA, a resume, two letters of recommendation and a personal statement. No GRE is required for this program. Additional details and deadlines can be found on our admissions page.

You can find the next application deadline and start date on our admission page.

No, neither GRE nor GMAT scores are required to apply to our program.

We welcome international students! However, this program cannot provide visa sponsorship. International applicants must already be eligible to study in the United States.

Please see our international students page for more information.

You can find a full summary of our program’s tuition and fees on our tuition and financial aid page.

Yes! Financial aid is available for all graduate students — regardless of whether they study part time or full time, online or on campus. Students are encouraged to request federal and state financial aid by completing their FAFSA.

Students who hold a Pennsylvania teaching certification through the Pennsylvania Department of Education receive a 15% tuition discount. Lehigh University employees and their family members receive 100% tuition remission as taxable income.

Lehigh University is also a Yellow Ribbon Program participant. Learn more on our veterans education benefits page. For more information about funding, you can visit our tuition and financial aid page.

Our FAFSA code is 03289.

In general, students in this program may complete internships in the location of their choice.

However, internships in New York are currently not permitted due to New York state regulations. Students attending universities outside New York may only complete in-state internships if they are enrolled in a CACREP-accredited program. Since Lehigh University’s mental health counseling programs are based in Pennsylvania and follow MPCAC standards, our students cannot pursue internships in New York.

For as long as this policy is in place, we will help you secure an appropriate placement in Pennsylvania or another state outside of New York.

Please note that this limitation only applies to internship locations and should not impact your eligibility for New York state licensure. Graduates of our on-campus program have successfully obtained New York licensure after completing internships in Pennsylvania (or other states). Since our online program follows the same curriculum as the on-campus degree, we do not foresee barriers to New York state licensure for graduates of the online M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling.