MA in Counseling (Online Pathway)

Launching Summer 2025!

Western Seminary is launching an online pathway for the Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The mission of the MAC degree program is to equip practitioners of personal integrity and spiritual maturity who will provide effective, ethical, culturally inclusive, and professional counseling from a Christian worldview. The program prepares Christian counselors to practice in clinical mental health counseling settings, nonprofit organizations, or church and parachurch organizations.

The curriculum is designed to meet rigorous standards of professional preparation for Clinical Mental Health Counseling including knowledge and skills in:

• Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
• Social and Cultural Diversity
• Lifespan Development
• Career Development
• Counseling Practice and Relationships
• Group Counseling and Group Work
• Assessment and Diagnostic Processes
• Research and Program Evaluation

The counseling program places an emphasis on personal and spiritual formation of the developing counselor as well as integration of biblical and theological studies to develop integrated professional counselors. The online pathway provides greater accessibility to the Portland-based, CACREP-accredited MAC program. This qualifies you for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Oregon and provides the flexibility to obtain licensure in many other states (state by state listing coming soon).

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What Sets Our Counseling Training Apart?

• CACREP Accreditation
• Unique integration of Christian theology and counseling in a seminary context
• Mentoring from core faculty who are licensed professional counselors with earned doctorates and years of clinical experience
• Opportunity to complete the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination before graduation - 98% of Western graduates pass on their first attempt
• An emphasis on “learning while doing," serving clients as early as your second semester in the program and completing 700 hours of clinical experience across two sites
• The opportunity to join our online cohorts and complete your degree remotely (see below for more information).

Online Cohort Structure

Each year, Western will admit a small group of students into an online pathways cohort. These cohorts will meet for three years and journey through the same classes together. Students will complete eight credits per semester, mostly via web conference. Each summer, students will be required to complete a one-week residency on our Portland campus. For more information about the cohort scheduling and eligibility, request info and our admissions team would love to answer your questions.

Counseling Curriculum

Course List

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization (Portland Campus) 60 hours counseling studies + 4 hours biblical studies + 4 hours theological studies. 
• Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling Specialization (Sacramento and San Jose Locations) 63 hours counseling studies + 4 hours biblical studies + 4 hours theological studies.

CACREP Accreditation

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) holds member schools to the most rigorous standards of counseling curriculum and training experience in the United States. In the absence of a national counseling licensure standard, a CACREP accredited counseling degree is the best asset you can have to achieve licensure–in many states.

Counseling Education That Keeps Debt Down

We encourage wise financial stewardship as you pay for school. Look into your options for financial aid, and find median pay rates and employability outlook for counselors at the  Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Admission Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited undergraduate institution
• A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
• A completed application for admission and all admissions materials, followed by a virtual interview.

If you do not meet one of these requirements, contact an Admissions Counselor to explore alternative MA in Counseling admission options.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has granted accreditation to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program (MA degree) at Western Seminary Portland Campus.