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6 Top Value Counseling Master’s Degrees in Georgia

Top Counseling Schools - Best Value - 2016
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Welcome to our ranking of the six top value master’s degrees in counseling in Georgia.

If you’re thinking about earning your master’s or Ph.D. in counseling and you live in Georgia (or you would like to) take a look at these top-ranked schools. Students in the South have more than their fair share of options; you’ll find counseling degrees everywhere from large state schools in big-city Atlanta to private colleges in the suburbs.

Click here to see the methodology we used for this best master’s in counseling degree ranking.


6. Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA

School Counseling, M.Ed.; Community Counseling, M.Ed.; Student Affairs, M.Ed.

Website
With three concentrations in counseling at the master’s level, Georgia Southern University’s College of Education prepares students for careers that are as diverse as they are delicate. GSU’s CACREP-accredited programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, and Student Services in Higher Education are perfect for those looking to provide counseling services anywhere from public elementary schools to juvenile detention centers and mental health facilities. These top counseling graduate degrees offer graduate assistantships and internships alongside traditional coursework to engage students in and out of the classroom.
Tuition and Fees: $18,669/yr
Score: 56

5. University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, GA

Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.

Website
Mental health is a field that is only just earning the respect and academic rigor it has always deserved. Join the effort to rehabilitate and support those in need at the University of North Georgia, home to one of the top counseling master’s degrees in Georgia. Featuring extensive coursework in human development, psychotherapy, and individual and group counseling, this challenging program prepares students for rewarding and much needed counseling positions in psychiatric hospitals, college and university counseling centers, and rehabilitation programs. UNG also requires students to complete a substantial clinical internship requirement to ensure that they leave with real-world experience as well as a diploma.
Tuition and Fees: $11,933/yr
Score: 61

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4. Albany State University

Albany, GA

School Counseling, M.Ed.

Website
It is a sad reality that many students are unable to succeed in school due to emotional disturbances, family issues, and even trouble with their peers. Albany State University’s affordable master’s degree in counseling addresses this nationwide problem by transforming compassionate and motivated individuals into life-changing professionals. But this degree in School Counseling is not just cheap; it also has accreditation from CACREP as well as the National Council on the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which ensures students that the highest standards of curricular and educational rigor are the university’s first priority.
Tuition and Fees: $10,098/yr
Score: 66

3. Mercer University

Macon, GA

Community Counseling/Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.

Website
Practice (and only practice) makes perfect; that’s why Mercer University requires all of its graduate counseling students to complete a total of 600 hours of clinical practice and actually pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) before they can earn their Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. That may sound like a huge commitment, but Mercer helps students balance their work and class schedules with night classes that meet just once a week. Through a robust combination of summer internships, clinical practicums, and coursework in sociological and psychological theory, students in this top master’s degree in counseling in Georgia gain the confidence, knowledge, and experience they need to enter the field as consummate professionals.
Tuition and Fees: $15,204/yr
Score: 83

2. Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA

Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.S.
Counselor Education and Supervision, Ph.D.
School Counseling, M.Ed.

Website
Georgia State University’s CACREP-accredited graduate degrees in counseling—Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS); Counselor Education and Supervision (Ph.D); and School Counseling (M.Ed)—represent the gold standard in counseling education in the South. With such a wide range of degree offerings, GSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services Department is perfect for any stage in your career. Whether you have a bachelor’s degree and are seeking state licensure and a career in a school or mental health facility, or you want to pursue your own research at the academic level, GSU has all the resources you need to pursue your goals.
Tuition and Fees: $16,753/yr
Score: 88

1. Valdosta State University

Valdosta, GA

School Counseling, M.Ed.

Website
If you ever experienced bullying or some other frightening situation as a child, you understand how important student counseling services can be to the development of a young person. Valdosta State University’s CACREP-accredited graduate degree in counseling is designed to meet the needs of students in a huge range socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, from rural and isolated settings to dense, multicultural urban environments. As an offshoot of the Psychology and Education Departments, VSU’s Counseling Department utilizes data-based, theoretical models as well as in-person cultural training to develop compassionate leaders and advocates for children within the school system.
Tuition and Fees: $12,178/yr
Score: 100

This concludes our ranking of the best value graduate degrees in counseling in Georgia.

Sources:
College Navigator
Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Academic Programs
Thomson Reuters Essential Science Indicators

Published May 2016