School of Nursing & Health Sciences · Graduate program
Master of Arts in Community Counseling
Turn your calling to help others into a profession.
You want to make a difference in people’s lives. MVU’s Master of Arts in Community Counseling (MACC) helps you build the knowledge, counseling skills, and supervised clinical experience to turn that purpose into a career.
60
credit hours
2 years
6 semesters
Hybrid
in person every other week
Evenings
classes fit around work
Small
classes, personal attention
600 hours
supervised clinical experience
Why MVU for counseling
A program built around your life and your future clients
Graduate study that fits a working schedule, with the supervised practice you need to grow into the profession.
Designed for working adults
Each class meets in person one evening every other week, with online work in between, so you can keep working and caring for family while you study.
Learn from practitioners
Your instructors are practicing, licensed professionals who bring real counseling experience into the classroom.
Practice before you graduate
A practicum and two internships put your skills to work with real clients, under professional supervision.
Personal attention
Small classes mean you know your faculty, and you can talk directly with the Program Director about your goals.
A clear professional purpose
Coursework and supervised experience are designed around the education Missouri requires for professional counselor licensure.
Is this program for me?
MACC may be a great fit if you want to…
- Build a career centered on helping people through challenges and change.
- Move into counseling from another professional field.
- Earn a graduate degree while you keep working or caring for family.
- Learn counseling through both academic study and supervised clinical experience.
What will I learn to do?
Skills you’ll practice and grow
- Build therapeutic relationships and professional counseling skills.
- Apply assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and counseling interventions.
- Work ethically with clients from diverse backgrounds and communities.
- Understand mental health concerns and connect counseling theory with clinical practice.
- Develop professional judgment and a counselor identity through supervised experience.
Your path
From classroom to counseling practice
Each stage builds on the last, so you move from learning the skills to using them with clients, with more support at every step.
01
Knowledge & skills
Foundation and core courses in theory, ethics, development, assessment, diagnosis, and counseling skills.
02
Practicum
Your first supervised experience with clients, after the five foundation courses, 15 more credit hours, candidacy, and the qualifying exams.
03
Internship I
More responsibility in an approved clinical setting, with site and faculty supervision.
04
Internship II
Advanced, supervised practice that builds your confidence and professional identity.
05
Licensure pathway
Graduate ready to pursue professional counselor licensure. Licensure itself is granted by the state.
What clinical training looks like
- Work directly with clients in approved community and regional counseling settings.
- Gain experience in assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, counseling interventions, and professional documentation, as appropriate to your placement.
- Receive supervision from qualified site supervisors and MVU faculty.
- Work with the Practicum Coordinator to find a placement that fits your interests and program requirements.
Eligibility, supervision, site approval, liability insurance, and background-check requirements are explained in the MACC Student Handbook.
600
clock hours of supervised clinical experience
240
hours of face-to-face counseling
Hours are completed across the practicum and both internships, over at least two semesters. Qualifying HIPAA-compliant telehealth counseling may count when licensing rules allow.
Where can this degree take me?
Counseling careers in many settings
Licensed professional counselors work with adults, children, couples, and families in settings like these.
Community mental health
Behavioral health
Hospitals and health care
Youth and family services
Substance use treatment
Crisis services
Community agencies
Private practice*
*Private practice requires the appropriate state license. For current pay and job outlook, see the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics guide to substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors.
About licensure. The MACC provides the graduate education required for professional counselor licensure in Missouri. Licensure is granted by the state, not the University, and the degree does not by itself guarantee licensure. If you plan to practice outside Missouri, check with that state’s licensing board and your advisor about any additional requirements.
Affording your degree
Plan your investment
Graduate tuition is charged per credit hour, and there are several ways to help pay for it.
Tuition
$500 per credit hour for 2026–27. Internship I and II each carry a $100 course fee. See tuition and fees.
Graduate assistantships
Some students work on campus as graduate assistants in exchange for tuition remission. Ask the Program Director about current openings.
Financial aid
Graduate students may qualify for federal loans and other aid. Start with Tuition & Financial Aid.
Explore the curriculum
60 credit hours, step by step
All 20 courses are required, and each is 3 credit hours; there are no electives. You start with five foundation courses, build on them with core counseling courses, and finish with the supervised clinical sequence.
Foundation courses (15 credit hours)
- COUN 501 Counseling Theory
- COUN 502 Ethics and Professional Orientation
- COUN 503 Relationship Dynamics
- COUN 504 Human Lifespan Development
- COUN 505 Appraisal of the Individual
Core counseling courses (36 credit hours)
- COUN 506 Career Development
- COUN 507 Group Therapy
- COUN 508 Social and Cultural Diversity
- COUN 509 Research Methods
- COUN 510 Psychopathology
- COUN 512 Marriage & Family Therapy
- COUN 514 Children and Adolescent Therapy
- COUN 516 Addictions Counseling
- COUN 517 Human Sexuality
- COUN 518 Psychopharmacology for Counselors
- COUN 519 Crisis and Trauma Counseling
- COUN 524 Advanced Counseling
Clinical sequence (9 credit hours)
- COUN 521 Practicum
- COUN 522 Internship I
- COUN 523 Internship II
Milestones on the way to your degree
- Candidacy: after at least 12 credit hours, petition for candidacy with approval from two program faculty and a short essay on your goals and growing counselor identity.
- Qualifying exams: after candidacy and the five foundation courses, pass a multiple-choice exam and a clinical case vignette before you start practicum.
- Capstone project: during internship, write a literature review on a clinical case or counseling issue and present it to program faculty or at the Student Research Symposium.
- CPCE: pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination, a national exam, before you graduate. Exam fees are your responsibility.
- Grades: pass every course with a B or higher.
Ready to take the next step?
Applying is simple
Four steps from application to your first class.
01
Apply online
Complete the free online application. Choose “Graduate Student – New” and “Community Counseling.”
02
Send your materials
Upload your transcripts, an updated resume, a 1–3 page personal statement, and two or more professional recommendation letters to your applicant portal.
03
Interview
We’ll contact you for an interview, which is required for admission.
04
Confirm your spot
If you’re accepted, return your Letter of Intent within 21 days of your acceptance letter.
Admission requirements and deadlines
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, with a major in psychology or a closely related field. If your major is closely related, complete General or Introduction to Psychology and two other social science courses before starting MACC classes.
- A GPA of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for your last 60 hours of undergraduate work.
- A personal statement (1–3 typed pages) about why you want to pursue the MACC and your professional goals.
- Two or more letters of professional recommendation from former professors, supervisors, or other professionals.
- An updated resume.
- If English isn’t your first language, proof of English proficiency (a TOEFL score may be required).
- An interview with the program.
- MVU graduates who meet the admission criteria may be offered priority admission.
- Deadlines: apply by July 1 for fall and November 1 for spring. Later applications may be considered if space is available.
Is the program online?
It’s hybrid. Each class meets in person one evening every other week, which gives you face-to-face instruction and relationships with your instructors. In the weeks between, you complete online assignments, so you’ll need a computer or tablet and internet access.
How long does it take?
The program is designed to be completed in two years, over six semesters.
Are there electives?
No. All 20 courses (60 credit hours) are required, including Psychopharmacology for Counselors and Crisis and Trauma Counseling.
When do classes meet?
In the evening, so you can keep working. Depending on the course, class runs within 5:00 to 9:45 p.m.
Can I keep working while I’m in the program?
Yes. Evening classes are designed for working adults. Plan ahead for the practicum and internships, which require time at a clinical site.
Will this degree make me a licensed counselor?
The MACC provides the graduate education required for professional counselor licensure in Missouri. Licensure is granted by the state, not the University, and the degree does not by itself guarantee licensure.
I want to practice outside Missouri. Will this work?
Licensure requirements vary by state and can change. Check with the licensing board in the state where you plan to practice, and work with your advisor on any additional requirements.
How many clinical hours will I complete?
At least 600 clock hours of supervised clinical experience, including at least 240 hours of face-to-face counseling, across the practicum and two internships.
Do I need a psychology degree?
Your bachelor’s degree should be in psychology or a closely related field. With a closely related major, you’ll complete General or Introduction to Psychology and two other social science courses before you start.
Who helps me find a practicum site?
The Practicum Coordinator helps you identify a suitable placement that fits your interests and the program’s requirements.
Talk with the Program Director
Have questions about fit, scheduling, clinical placements, or assistantships? Reach out. We’re happy to talk through your goals.
Master of Arts in Community Counseling
