Wake Forest University · Department of Counseling

Online Master of Arts in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Track

Awarded degree: Master of Arts in Counseling

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Master'sMA CACREP

Overview

Part-time online 60-credit MA in Counseling (clinical mental health track) with two required on-campus residency weekends in Winston-Salem, a 185-hour practicum and 600-hour internship at sites students secure, and three start terms a year.

Official program name: Online Master of Arts in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Track
Awarded degree: Master of Arts in Counseling
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Degree level: Master's
Counseling specialty: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Professional purpose: Clinical counselor preparationThe institution states the program prepares students for professional counselor licensure. Licensure itself also requires post-degree supervised experience, an examination and a state application.
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School: Wake Forest University — Department of Counseling
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location: Winston-Salem, NCWhere the school is located. Coursework is online; this is not a residency requirement, does not decide whether you may enroll from your state, and is not where you complete practicum or internship.
Required credits: 60 hours
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Duration: three years (continuing course work in the fall, spring, and summer semesters)
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start terms: Spring, Summer, Fall
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Teaching language: English (not separately stated)

Why this program is listed

Online master's degree in counseling, clinical mental health track.

Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list counseling bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees whose official program is counselor preparation in a named specialty, and — separately labelled — counseling psychology. Generic psychology, education, social work and standalone MFT degrees are excluded. Eligibility rules

Format and campus attendance

How coursework is delivered and whether you must come to campus for it. Practicum and internship are a separate requirement, shown in the next section. “Fully online coursework” appears only when the school says no campus attendance is required.

Academic delivery: Online courseworkCoursework is delivered online. Practicum and internship are completed in person at approved sites, and some programs also require campus residencies.
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Campus attendance for coursework: Required campus residencies or visits
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Class schedule: Not verified
Study intensity: Part-time
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Campus requirements as published

Residency Required
Two Thursday-night-through-Sunday-noon residencies on campus
Two residencies · Winston-Salem, NC
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Residency Optional
Third residency on an as-needed basis for remediation
As needed · Winston-Salem, NC
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Practicum, internship and placements

Supervised fieldwork in a clinical, community or school setting, as the school publishes it. For online programs this happens in person, usually near where you live — whatever the coursework format.

Practicum: Required185 hours. Practicum of at least 185 total hours, including at least 150 field hours and 35 hours of university supervision
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Internship: Required600 hours. Internship courses totaling at least 600 hours at a clinical mental health counseling site
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Placement arrangements and supervision

Placement arrangement: Students secure their own placement sitesThe Department does not find clinical sites for students
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Placement assistance: Email templates, site database, step-by-step instructions and drop-in clinical forum sessions support the site search
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Placement location: Students search for sites in their own area; employer sites need approval
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

How practicum and internship placements work

Curriculum

Other

Up to six transfer credits, subject to department approval
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Capstone

CNS 790 Professional Identity Capstone Course
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Prior degree: RequiredBachelor's degree from an accredited institution
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minimum GPA: RequiredMinimum 3 — Cumulative undergraduate GPA > 3.0
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Statement / essay: RequiredPersonal statement
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredCurrent resume or CV
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Interview: RequiredVirtual interview with enrollment advisor
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Background check: RequiredBackground check
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee: Required$80 — Application fee of $80
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: Optional
Source: graduate.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Priority deadlineDomestic applicants
October 1, 2026 · for Spring 2027
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Passed
Application deadlineDomestic applicants
November 1, 2026 · for Spring 2027
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming
Priority deadlineDomestic applicants
February 1, 2027 · for Summer 2027
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming
Application deadlineDomestic applicants
March 1, 2027 · for Summer 2027
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming
Priority deadlineDomestic applicants
June 1, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming
Application deadlineDomestic applicants
July 10, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Upcoming

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
Online students — Online Counseling & Human Services (per hour)From the university-wide rate table covering online students at this level	$1,700	per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$102,000 = 60 credits × $1,700 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required in-person sessions, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: finance.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Estimated total tuition: $102,000 (60 credits × $1,700 per credit)

Comparison basis: Online students — Online Counseling & Human Services (per hour), 2026-2027. Excludes mandatory fees, books, living costs and any rate changes during the program. How we calculate

Funding

Funding policy and awards exactly as the school publishes them. Competitive scholarships and assistantships are not guaranteed funding; loans must be repaid and are not scholarships. Counseling tuition and scholarships

Funding classification: Funding not verified

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable.

Scholarships, fellowships or assistantships for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation and enrollment restrictions

Institutional accreditation covers the whole school; programmatic accreditation (CACREP) covers only the specialty and degree it lists. Enrollment restrictions for online students are a separate question.

Institutional accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 12, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)Status: Accredited · Specialty: Clinical Mental Health Counseling · Degree: M.A.Accredited since January 15, 2009 · current cycle ends October 31, 2034 · listed by the accreditor as onlineSource: cacrep.org · verified October 11, 2026

Published enrollment restrictions (state authorization)

Not verified — check the school's state authorization page before applying from outside North Carolina.

International applicants

International applicants are not eligible for the online MA programSource: graduate.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Online Campus students are not eligible for WFU tuition scholarships
Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Licensure and professional disclosures

What the school publishes about professional licensure or certification. Meeting a state's educational requirements is only one part of licensure: examinations, post-degree supervised experience, background checks and a board application follow. This directory does not decide whether you qualify.

LicensureCMHC specialty leads to eligibility as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina after exam and post-master's supervised experience Official disclosureSource: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
LicensureState-by-state licensure information page, updated annually Official disclosureSource: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
LicensureStudents are responsible for checking state licensing board requirements Official disclosureSource: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

State-by-state disclosure as published

States not shown were not printed on the disclosure we checked and are not verified.

State	Educational requirements	Source
Alabama	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Alabama.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Alaska	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Alaska.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Arizona	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Arizona.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Arkansas	Does not meetClinical Mental Health Counseling track does not meet all professional licensure requirements in Arkansas.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
California	Does not meetClinical Mental Health Counseling track does not meet all professional licensure requirements in California.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Colorado	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Colorado.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Connecticut	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Connecticut.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Delaware	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Delaware.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Florida	Does not meetClinical Mental Health Counseling track does not meet all professional licensure requirements in Florida.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Georgia	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Georgia.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Hawaii	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Hawaii.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Idaho	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Idaho.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Illinois	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Illinois.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Indiana	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements with certain accommodations in Indiana.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Iowa	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Iowa.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Kansas	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Kansas.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Kentucky	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Kentucky.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Louisiana	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Louisiana.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Maine	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Maine.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Maryland	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Maryland.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Massachusetts	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements with certain accommodations in Massachusetts.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Michigan	Does not meetClinical Mental Health Counseling track does not meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Michigan.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minnesota	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Minnesota.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Mississippi	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Mississippi.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Missouri	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Missouri.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Montana	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Montana.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Nebraska	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Nebraska.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Nevada	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Nevada.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New Hampshire	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in New Hampshire.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New Jersey	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in New Jersey.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New Mexico	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in New Mexico.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
New York	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in New York.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
North Carolina	Meets (as stated by the school)the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in North Carolina.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
North Dakota	Meets (as stated by the school)the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in North Dakota.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Ohio	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Ohio.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Oklahoma	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Oklahoma.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Oregon	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Oregon.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Pennsylvania	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Pennsylvania.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Puerto Rico	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Puerto Rico.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Rhode Island	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Rhode Island.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
South Carolina	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in South Carolina.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
South Dakota	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in South Dakota.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Tennessee	Does not meetClinical Mental Health Counseling track does not meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Tennessee.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Texas	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Texas.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Utah	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Utah.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Vermont	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Vermont.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Virginia	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Virginia.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Washington	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Washington.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Washington, DC	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets professional counseling licensure requirements in Washington D.C.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
West Virginia	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in West Virginia.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Wisconsin	Meets (as stated by the school)Clinical Mental Health Counseling track meets all professional licensure requirements in Wisconsin.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Wyoming	Meets (as stated by the school)both the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track and School Counseling track meet professional counseling licensure requirements in Wyoming.	Source: counseling.wfu.edu · verified October 12, 2026

CACREP accreditation does not guarantee licensure in every state, and school counselor certification is not the same as clinical counselor licensure. LPC, LMHC and other state titles · School counselor credentials

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.

counseling.wfu.edu/about/financial-aid/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
counseling.wfu.edu/faqs-for-clinical-courses-practicum-internship-field-experience/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
counseling.wfu.edu/master-of-arts-in-counseling-mental-health-counseling/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
counseling.wfu.edu/programs/counseling-graduate-program/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
counseling.wfu.edu/programs/online-campus-program-information/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
counseling.wfu.edu/programs/online-campus-program-information/state-licensure-requirements/ — Official disclosure page, verified October 12, 2026
finance.wfu.edu/students-parents/sfs/tuition-fees/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
graduate.wfu.edu/admissions-application-deadlines/ — Official admissions page, verified October 12, 2026
DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-12) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 12, 2026
CACREP Directory of accredited programs (CSV export downloaded 2026-10-11) — Accreditor directory, verified October 11, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Key facts

Degree
MA · Master'sClinical counselor preparation
Specialty
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
CACREP
Accredited (matched in the CACREP directory)
Delivery
Online coursework
Campus attendance
Campus residencies required
Practical training
Online coursework with campus residency; practicum and internship required in person185 practicum + 600 internship hours
Study intensity
Part-time
Length
three years (continuing course work in the fall, spring, and summer semesters) · 60 hours
Tuition
$1,700 per creditOnline students — Online Counseling & Human Services (per hour), 2026-2027
Next deadline
November 1, 2026 (Spring 2027)
Location
Winston-Salem, NC

Official program page How to apply

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