Counseling Specialties

Clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) programs prepare counselors to work with individuals, couples, families and groups in community agencies, private practice, hospitals and treatment settings. They are the usual route toward professional counselor licensure (LPC, LMHC, LPCC, LCPC or a similar state title), which also requires post-degree supervised experience and an examination.

Master's: 87Online coursework: 38

School counseling programs prepare counselors for PK–12 schools. School counselors are credentialed by state education agencies (certification or licensure as a school counselor) — a different credential from clinical counselor licensure, with its own requirements that vary by state.

Master's: 65Online coursework: 29

Addiction counseling programs focus on substance use and other addictive disorders. At the graduate level they are counselor preparation programs; at the bachelor's level they are undergraduate degrees, and state addiction-counselor credentials have their own education, supervision and examination requirements.

Bachelor's: 2Master's: 16Online coursework: 13

Rehabilitation counseling programs prepare counselors to work with people with disabilities on employment, independent living and adjustment. CACREP lists Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling as separate specialties.

Master's: 12Online coursework: 7

Clinical rehabilitation counseling combines rehabilitation counseling with clinical mental health preparation. Programs state their own licensure and certification pathways; check each program's disclosure for your state.

Master's: 13Online coursework: 6

Marriage, couple and family counseling is a counseling specialty. It is not the same as a standalone marriage and family therapy (MFT) degree, which belongs to a separate profession with its own accreditor (COAMFTE) and state license.

Master's: 11Online coursework: 3

Career counseling programs prepare counselors to help people with career development, decision-making and work-life transitions.

College counseling and student affairs programs prepare professionals for work with students in higher education. They are not automatically clinical licensure preparation; each program states its own professional purpose.

Master's: 4Online coursework: 1

Counselor education and supervision is the doctoral specialty that prepares counselor educators, supervisors, researchers and leaders. Programs usually require a counseling master's degree for admission.

Doctoral: 26Online coursework: 7