St. Charles / St. Louis 
Counseling Master's (MA) Degree

Counseling is a rewarding field that allows you to bring empathy and creativity to those struggling to cope with the challenges in their lives, including conflicts, transitions, career decisions, illness, and disability. Lindenwood’s St. Louis (St. Charles) counseling master's degree program has one of the best reputations in the area for preparing students for jobs in a wide variety of mental health agencies and schools in the St. Louis region.

We make it easy for you to fit graduate school into your busy schedule by offering our counseling classes in the evening at a host of convenient locations. You’ll get to know your professors one-on-one through our small class sizes, and all of our students get hands-on experience through countless internship opportunities in the fields of professional and school counseling. At Lindenwood University, your future improving the lives of countless others is within reach!

Lindenwood University Counseling Faculty

The counseling faculty at Lindenwood University are accomplished researchers and professional counselors who are dedicated to sharing their firsthand knowledge and years of experience in the field. Their small, more intimate classes enable you to form meaningful mentoring relationships with them and share your own views in insightful class discussions. With connections to a multitude of counseling agencies and organizations in the area, our faculty are great at helping you find the perfect internship and introducing you to other practitioners in the field.

Earning a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling at Lindenwood University

When you choose to major in counseling, you’ll take courses in personality theories, trauma counseling, substance abuse counseling, and adjustment and learning issues in children and adolescents. Our comprehensive program also allows you to specialize in one of two degree programs in clinical mental health counseling or school counseling, depending on your career goals.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program (60 credit hour program)

The clinical mental health counseling degree program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a career in any area of the counseling field and working with people of all ages, races, cultural backgrounds, and circumstances. It includes courses in grief counseling, appraisal of the individual, and adult diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as one semester of practicum, and two semesters of internship experience. This broad-based degree track will ensure that you meet professional counselor licensure requirements in the state of Missouri.

School Counseling

The school counseling degree program will give you the tools you need to succeed as a certified counselor working with children and young adults in a k-12 school setting. School counselors typically assist with individual academic planning, provide student counseling in the areas of academic, social emotional and post-secondary career planning. These school leaders offer consultation for educators and collaborate with parents and teachers to ensure the emotional well-being of children and youth while building a positive school culture and climate.

The school counseling degree program includes classes in human growth and development, family and school consulting, and lifestyle and career services. This track ensures that you meet the requirements for school counselor certification in the state of Missouri.

What Can You Do with a Counseling Degree

Graduates with a Master of Arts degree in counseling are fully prepared to work in a variety of school and/or mental health settings with individuals, groups, and families. Many go on to specialize in a particular area, such as marriage and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, mental health counseling, career counseling, and school guidance counseling.

Program Evaluation Post-Graduate Survey

Academic Year	2023*
Number of Graduates	5 (Includes Spring, Summer, and Fall Terms)
Number of Respondents	4 (80%) (Includes Spring, Summer, and Fall Terms)
Pass Rates on CPCE	100% (Includes Spring, Summer, and Fall Terms)
Job Placement Rates	Full-Time: 75% Part-Time: 25%
Satisfaction with Employment	8.75 on a 10-point scale. 10 being the highest.
Level of Preparedness	9.25 on a 10-point scale. 10 being the highest.
Least Prepared Curricular Areas	Research
Most Prepared Curricular Areas	Counseling Skills, Group Work, Professional Orientation, Social & Cultural Foundations**

*Due to low n, the first group of graduates was combined between December 2022 through December 2023.
**4-way tie at highest score of 10.