Online counseling and therapy degrees designed for flexibility
Expand your ability to help individuals, couples or families. Our counseling and therapy master’s or doctoral degrees or certificates are designed to help you gain insights and practical skills from experienced scholar-practitioners. We offer areas of focus in clinical mental health counseling, school counseling and marriage and family therapy.
Master's $2,500 scholarship: Reduce your tuition up to $2,500 with Capella Progress Reward scholarships available for MS in Marriage and Family Therapy, MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and MS in School Counseling. Eligibility rules and exclusions apply. Connect with us for details.
Find your counseling or therapy program
Learning format
MS in Nursing (MSN)
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MSN in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner »
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MSN in Care Coordination
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MSN in Family Nurse Practitioner »
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MSN in Nursing Education
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MSN in Nursing Informatics
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MSN in Nursing Leadership and Administration
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RN-to-MSN Care Coordination
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RN-to-MSN Nursing Education
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RN-to-MSN Nursing Informatics
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RN-to-MSN Nursing Leadership and Administration
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Accredited and recognized
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Accreditation provides the assurance we meet standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, student services and fiscal stability. See all our accreditations and recognitions.
- Counseling
- Marriage and Therapy
Capella University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and MS in School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through March 1, 2028.
The Capella University MS in School Counseling is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
The MS in Marriage and Family Therapy program at Capella University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; 703-838-9808, [email protected].
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Advisory Board
The contributions of the Capella School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Advisory Board give you confidence that our programs provide student-centered education that is competency-based, rigorous and relevant. Our coursework teaches skills and knowledge in behavioral health that help meet the needs of an ever-evolving society.
Our programs are built around student success
Our accredited counseling and therapy programs offer a flexible learning environment that can help you pursue your professional goals in the mental health field. Get the support you need to help fit education into your busy schedule as you work toward your degree.
Specialized accreditation
Capella’s specialized accreditations and professional recognitions show our commitment to the highest standards in education.
Licensure guidance
Reach your goals with the help of our support teams, including those dedicated to licensure and clinical requirements.
Residencies and internships
Enhance and apply your skills and knowledge through required residencies and internships.
Client-first curriculum
Our degrees and certificates offer skills to help you achieve meaningful outcomes with your clients.
Have questions about our counseling and therapy programs? Start here.
Both counselors and therapists work with clients on short-term and long-term goals. Therapists apply a more systemic lens in their approach. Both counselors and therapists work in a variety of settings and are trained to work with a variety of disorders. Capella offers an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, an MS in School Counseling and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy. Explore the differences in the Helping Professions guide.
A Capella degree will help you learn the skills and knowledge you need to practice therapy, but it is important to understand all educational and individual requirements for licensing. Capella University cannot guarantee licensure, certification, or endorsement. State regulations vary regarding professional licensure. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with requirements for your state. Learn more about professional licensure.
The length of time to complete your degree will depend on many factors including your degree level and learning format. Connect with our enrollment specialists to learn more.
“Capella has helped prepare me through the application of skills that I have acquired. Conceptualizing cases has helped me apply rapport-building skills and equipped me to build a model that analyzed the needs of my school in order for me to be a better educator in order to better service my community.”
Accreditation confirms the rigor and quality of higher education institutions and the programs they offer. Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In addition, Capella programs have earned the following:
- CACREP accredited: Capella University’s MS in Mental Health Counseling and MS in School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) through March 31, 2028.
- CAEP accredited: MS in School Counseling. Capella University’s Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) unit is accredited based on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards through 2024. CAEP is the only recognized national accreditor for educator preparation. (CAEP, 1140 19th St. NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 223-0077)
- COAMFTE accredited: The MS in Marriage and Family Therapy program at Capella University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; 703.838.9808, [email protected].
- Certificate in Play Therapy: The Association for Play Therapy (APT) has designated Capella University an Approved Center for the Study of Play Therapy
Capella’s counseling and therapy faculty
Learn with faculty you can trust in a program that teaches skills and knowledge to help effect meaningful, positive change in the mental health of individuals, couples and families. Our counseling and therapy faculty offer their professional experiences and practical insights to help you apply your learning in the classroom to your work in the real world of counseling and therapy. They help build a relevant curriculum by engaging in practice, staying informed about emerging needs and maintaining collaborative relationships with colleagues in practice. You will learn with real-world tools, processes and practices from our scholar-practitioner faculty.
Meet counseling and therapy leadership
Counseling and therapy career resources
Marriage and family therapy & social work degrees: How to tell the difference.
Although social workers and marriage and family therapists are both concerned with mental health and well-being, they practice two distinct professions. Discover the differences.
What is clinical counseling?
Clinical counseling professionals help individuals with emotional and mental health difficulties in a clinical setting. Learn about the professional skills required and the educational options that can help you pursue a clinical counseling career.
The difference between a dissertation and doctoral capstone
Learn the differences between a doctoral capstone and a dissertation, including details about project focus, timeframe and what’s required for each.