Discover Academic Excellence in Our Online Counseling Courses

The curriculum associated with the William & Mary Online Master of Education in Counseling is nationally recognized for its collaborative approach to coursework and its emphasis on interactive learning environments. In a decades-long history of academic excellence, our counseling students have successfully taken advantage of attentive mentoring from faculty and transitioned effectively from the role of scholar to counselor.Now you are invited to do the same. Pursue Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), the Military and Veterans Counseling specialization within CMHC or School Counseling, and take advantage of a curriculum that emphasizes personal and interpersonal growth, cultural responsiveness and social justice in all aspects of counseling, and the alignment of theory and practice to maximize counselor impact. Your participation in this renowned program will help prepare you to engage a diverse clientele, empowering them with the ability to manage their own well-being, ease distress and resolve crises.

Become Immersed in On-Site Learning

The Online M.Ed. in Counseling programs require that students participate in two on-site residencies which will take place before students begin their practicum and again before starting their internship.* Residencies take place at William & Mary's historic campus in beautiful Williamsburg, Virginia, and last three days, during which students will engage with their instructors one-on-one and participate in a variety of experiential learning activities, including:

• Roleplay exercises emphasizing cultural responsiveness, social justice and ethical treatment
• Practice incorporating key competencies into professional practice
• Exploration of feedback received from faculty and peers
• Lecture series that speaks to diversity and social awareness
• Student presentations on advocacy, demonstrating personal movement from self-knowledge to action

*Note: Residencies may occur during any of the three years depending on your program start date. For more information regarding the residency schedule, please contact an Admissions Advisor at 866-870-6966.

Program Details

Three Paths:

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration
• Military and Veterans Counseling specialization within CMHC
• School Counseling concentration

Each program is 60 credit hours and includes:

• Practicum (3 credits) will require 100 clock hours at a school or CMHC site placement over two minimesters (an average of 8 hours per week on-site for each 7.5-week minimester), plus 1 to 2 hours per week of synchronous class/supervision time with faculty.
• Internship (2 courses, 6 credits) will require a total of 600 hours over four minimesters (an average of 18 hours per week on-site for each 7.5-week minimester), plus 1 to 2 hours per week of synchronous class/supervision time with faculty.

*Note: The supervised practicum, taken concurrently with two other courses, will take place at the end of Year 2 and beginning of Year 3. As a general rule, students are not allowed to complete their practicum and internship placements at their current place of employment (for both school counseling and clinical mental health) to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Complete the program in as few as 17 minimesters (7.5 weeks each). You can start classes in August, January or May.

View Admissions Requirements

Note: Year 3 will include the supervised internship, taken concurrently with the last three classes.