Frequently Asked Questions

Winthrop University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s, and specialist degrees. The online Master of Education in School Counseling and online Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Winthrop University meet the high standards of excellence for CACREP Accreditation.

The 2024 CACREP Standards Cover:

• The Learning Environment
• Academic Quality
• Foundational Counseling Curriculum
• Professional Practice
• Entry-Level Specialized Practice Areas in the Following Topics:
• Addiction Counseling
• Career Counseling
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
• College Counseling and Student Affairs
• Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling
• Rehabilitation Counseling
• School Counseling

No, but in instances where a student does not meet the 3.0 GPA requirement, a GRE score of 146 on the Verbal Reasoning section and 140 on the Quantitative Reasoning section OR a scale score of 392 or above on the MAT test can be submitted when you apply to the online master’s in education counseling program at Winthrop University.

Visit the admissions overview page to learn more about the admissions requirements. Requirements will vary in the cases of international students and other situations.

Yes, there is a residency.

Beginning Fall 2026, all fully online master’s students must complete a CACREP-required residency as part of the CSDV program. This residency enables faculty to directly assess students’ core counseling skills and professional behaviors.

Residency Details:

• Course: CSDV 602 Counseling Skills
• Format: Two consecutive days (Friday–Saturday) on campus
• Timing: One weekend between October and December
• Attendance: Students must attend one of two scheduled residency sessions offered during the fall semester

Students will work directly with faculty and peers following a structured schedule at a predetermined campus location.

The online M.Ed. in Counseling and Development is compatible with state certification in school counseling, national counselor certification, and state licensure for professional counselors and aligns the curriculum with CACREP expectations and standards. Within the program, you will:

• Develop a professional counseling identity.
• Apply the Multicultural Counseling Competencies when working with clients.
• Explain human growth and development theories as they apply to the counseling process.
• Differentiate among career assessments to inform client needs and growth.
• Demonstrate foundational counseling skills that are informed by theory.
• Assess the implementation of group counseling procedures.
• Integrate basic concepts of qualitative and quantitative assessment into practice.
• Design a research methodology that will be used to inform their practice.

Coursework builds your expertise and skills with two internships and two practicums that provide rich, career-building experiences and are closely supervised by caring and engaged faculty.

• Align your career goals with either the School Counseling concentration or the Clinical Mental Health concentration.
• Learn from faculty who are deeply dedicated to your success and fully committed to their engagement with you throughout learning.
• The program prepares you for the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE).

Typically, coursework is asynchronous, meaning you may log in to learn when and where it is best for you to do so — there are no set times to attend a course. However, there may be an exception depending on the needs and requirements of a course.

Yes. The outcomes and much of the faculty are exactly the same between the on-campus and online programs.

You can earn the Master of Education in Counseling and Development online in just 3 years (7 semesters). The program is 60 credit hours offered full-time.

Yes, we offer several scholarships opportunities for graduate students. To be considered for any of the scholarships, students must be active students in a graduate program, in good academic-standing, and meet any minimum GPA requirements that the deed of gift may specify.

PK12 Employee Tuition Discount: For SC and NC individuals working in the PK12 sector, you may be eligible to receive a 30% tuition discount rate if you are enrolled full-time or part-time in a postbaccalaureate program.

The tuition for the online Master of Education in Counseling and Development program is $699 per credit for a total tuition of $41,940. For more information, you can visit our tuition and financial aid page.