Develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions you need to become a reflective practitioner in the art and science of counseling. Gain the experiences you need to pursue entry-level licensure or certification as a caring, committed, competent, and culturally aware professional.

Three Degree Paths

Mental Health Counseling

Equip people to navigate relationships, environments, and challenges in their lives and communities as a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Details

School Counseling

Meet the academic, career, and personal/social needs of culturally diverse students in the elementary, middle, and secondary schools as a Certified/Licensed School Counselor.

Details

Rehabilitation Counseling

Geared toward providing rehabilitation and vocational services for clients with disabilities as Certified Rehabilitation Counselors.

Details

Why Truman?

100% online
Program designed for working professionals
Emphasis on reflective practice
Research-based cohort model
  • Fully online courses combined with practical experience in the field
  • A research-supported cohort system designed for the working professional
  • Experienced professors with a history of strong results on licensing/certification exams
  • An emphasis on reflective practice, cultural awareness, and relationship/skill development
  • Practical application of wellness, prevention, and intervention principles
  • A program at a university rated #1 in Missouri and #7 nationally for job placement by Zippia

 

Accreditation

The Master of Arts in Counseling at Truman State University follows a cohort model designed to meet the most commonly accepted national standards for counselor preparation: those of the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

For information on State Authorization and licensure requirements in a particular state or territory, see State Authorization.

Handbook    Annual Report    Vital Statistics

Curriculum

Your degree will be a mix of core coursework, internships, a practicum, and professional practice.

Practice both formal and informal methods of gathering pertinent information about clients.

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Begin developing a professional counseling identity as you engage with common considerations and dilemmas in the profession.

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Make informed decisions about your counseling approaches and service delivery while helping move the counseling profession forward.

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Examine a broad array of social and environmental factors that influence development and mental health. Engage in self-examination and personal exploration.

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Enhance your ability to connect with others through the intentional use of specific techniques.

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Learn the language, labels, and implications of symptomology and diagnosis.

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Learn the language, labels, and implications of symptomology and diagnosis.

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Cultivate an understanding of the group approach to counseling through skill development and participation in a group experience.

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Investigate the varied theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of counseling practice.

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Study variations in human development and their connections to health and wellness.

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Consider the impact of personal, natural, and societal crises while examining ways to build resiliency and intervene appropriately.

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Expand your impact by developing advanced counseling skills, additional counseling-related roles, and relationships with other types of professionals.

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Look at the development and manifestation of common addictions, including substance abuse and addictive behaviors.

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Apply theories and techniques of counseling with school-based clients in this 100-hour field experience.

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OR

Apply theories and techniques of counseling with community-based clients in this 100-hour field experience.

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Work directly with clients in this 300-hour field experience.

Work directly with elementary school students in this 300-hour field experience.

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Work directly with middle and secondary students in this 300-hour field experience.

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Work directly with community clients in this 300-hour field experience.

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Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Develop an in-depth understanding of work with minor clients.

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Engage with systems-based approaches to work with families and couples.

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Connect current understandings of physiology, biochemistry, and medications to counseling work with clients.

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Delve into the nuances of counseling in community settings.

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Rehabilitation Counseling


Study the legal and ethical aspects of professional counseling practice in rehabilitation settings.

Examine managed care concepts, medical terminology, resources, and the medical aspects and functional implications for a variety of disabling conditions.

Explore social, psychological, and cultural impacts of disability.

Learn about vocational placement, community partnerships, and the application of case management skills to rehabilitation services.

School Counseling

Develop an in-depth understanding of work with minor clients.

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Engage with systems-based approaches to work with families and couples.

View course syllabus

Connect current understandings of physiology, biochemistry, and medications to counseling work with clients.

View course syllabus

Delve into the nuances of counseling in school settings.

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Acquire a basic readiness for teaching and classroom management with this introduction on what to teach and how to teach.

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Meet the Faculty

Slide 1 - Karl Witt

Dr. Karl Witt, Chair, Counseling Department
 
A native of rural Texas, Dr. Witt has a Ph.D. in counselor education and also holds an M.S. in counseling from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and a B.A. in physics with a mathematics minor from Texas A&M University. He is a national board-certified counselor and a dually-licensed counselor and counselor supervisor with current research interests in rural mental health and counselor training.

Dr. Karl Witt
Daniel Bates

Dr. Daniel Bates, Assistant Professor of Counseling
 
Dr. Bates earned his Ph.D. in counselor education from the University of Cincinnati and holds professional licenses in several states. He is also a nationally board-certified counselor. His research, advocacy, and published work explore the intersection between men’s mental health, access to services, and masculine norms.

Dr. Bates
Elsa Soto Leggett

Dr. Elsa Soto Leggett, Associate Professor of Counseling
 
Dr. Leggett earned her Ph.D. in counselor education from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (CACREP Accredited) and has worked in higher education as a counselor educator since 2004. A licensed professional counselor and supervisor in Texas, she also holds certifications as a registered play therapist supervisor and professional school counselor (TX). Her clinical experience, research, and publications focus on children and adolescent counseling, counseling in schools, solution-focused counseling, play therapy, and clinical supervision.

Dr. Elsa Soto Leggett
Cameron Ortega

Dr. Cameron Ortega, Assistant Professor of Counseling
 
Dr. Ortega has a Ph.D. in counselor education from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (CACREP Accredited) and holds an M.S. in rehabilitation counseling and a B.F.A. in fine arts. She is a licensed professional counselor board-approved supervisor and a licensed chemical dependency counselor in Texas. Her current research interest is in addictions, trauma, and the implementation of AI in teaching and counselor education.

Dr. Ortega
Caitlyn Ybarra

Dr. Caitlyn Ybarra, Assistant Professor of Counseling
 
Dr. Ybarra earned her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from Liberty University (CACREP Accredited), an M.A. in community counseling from Norfolk State University, and a B.S. in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia. She has work experience in various community agency-based settings, including providing in-home services, working in transitional-living facilities, and inpatient treatment facilities; she has also done work through a few non-profit organizations including her own. Her research and advocacy interests focus on racial and gender issues, policy implementation, inclusivity of racial and gender disparities, and the career development of women.

Dr. Ybarra
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Admission

AUGUST START:

Apply by April 1

JANUARY START:

Apply by November 1

Rolling Admission

Admission is made on a rolling basis but is limited to 24 students per cohort (across both Mental Health and School Counseling programs). Apply early for priority consideration.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the online application ($40 fee), you’ll need to submit the following:

Transcripts
Personal Statement
3 Professional References
Background Check

Please send official transcripts from every undergraduate and graduate school attended, even if that content is reflected on another school’s transcript.

The GRE® is also required for applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.000. Applicants with an earned master’s degree from a college or university accredited by one of the six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the US Department of Education and reflecting a graduate GPA of 3.000 or above are exempt from the GRE requirement.

Once all materials are submitted, qualified applicants will be invited to participate in a Zoom interview.

Regrettably, we are unable to consider applications for fully-online programs by individuals who reside outside of the United States and its territories at this time.  International applicants are still encouraged to consider our face-to-face programs located on campus in Kirksville, Missouri.

Tuition

60
credit hours
$562
per credit hour
$33,720
total estimated tuition*

Excludes textbooks and HIPPA-compliant Zoom account during internships and practica.

*Total estimated tuition based on 2024-25 academic year. Tuition subject to change.

Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester are eligible for federal financial aid programs. For more information, see Financial Aid Resources for Graduate Studies or contact the Financial Aid Office at (660) 785-4130 or finaid@truman.edu.

Limited scholarships now available, and we hope to continue introducing institutional scholarships and graduate assistantships.

Schedule a Virtual Visit

Student

Virtual Visit

Get an inside look at the online learning environment, meet your professors, and get all your questions answered during a virtual visit.