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Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling Overview

Your clients are out there. Let’s get you ready for them.

Mental health counselors are among the most vital contributors to a healthy, thriving society. They show up for people in their darkest moments and help them find their way forward. If you feel called to do this work, the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) delivers the accreditation, credentials, experience, and cultural training so you can light the way for the clients and communities you’ll serve.

Our prepares you for the full complexity of real clinical work, so you can feel confident your degree will be recognized and respected across the field. You’ll learn to meet clients where they are—diagnosing, treating, and guiding individuals and groups through some of life’s most challenging moments—as you help them overcome difficulties, grow, and embrace change.

Valuable, hands-on experience is integrated throughout your program so you can practice counseling individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, loss, anger management, infidelity, and many other issues. When you graduate, you won’t just be ready for licensure—you’ll be ready to change lives.

Program Highlights

CACREP-Accredited Excellence

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s MACC is CACREP-accredited, one of the most respected credentials in the field and the recognized training standard by the Institute of Medicine and the Veterans Administration. As the required educational training for counseling licensure in most states, it can provide more flexibility to practice wherever your career takes you.

Professional Training and Credential Preparation

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s MACC is designed to put your California Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) credentials within reach and give you the qualifications to step confidently into this rewarding profession. As you progress through the program, you’ll prepare to successfully pass the California Law and Ethics and National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examinations necessary to earn the LPCC designation. Not based in California? Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s MACC also meets licensure requirements in 28 additional states.

A Career Built on Meaningful Impact

When you earn your MACC, you’ll be prepared to work across a wide range of community and healthcare settings —equipped with the skills to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions and to meet clients with both clinical precision and genuine compassion.

Benefit from Hands-on Experience

Real counseling skills are built in real settings. By graduation, you’ll have completed 700 hours of clinical experience across individual, family, group, and couples counseling, including a minimum of 280 hours of directly supervised clinical work, to give you the practical confidence that classrooms alone can’t teach.

Increase Your Cultural Competence

Great counselors meet every client with curiosity and without judgment. In this program, you’ll develop the cultural awareness and critical-thinking skills to help people of all cultures, communities, and backgrounds.

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Admissions and Financial Aid Info

You’ll be assigned a dedicated admissions counselor to guide you at every step. They’ll keep you on track with application deadlines and requirements, and upon acceptance, work with you and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s Student Finance Office to explore grants, scholarships, and other financial aid options. We’re your partners and your foundation of support from day one.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ is committed to making your education accessible and affordable. Financing is available in the form of scholarships, grants, part-time employment, and loans funded through federal, state, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, and private sources. Your Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ admissions counselor can provide further guidance and information of the specific costs of this program.

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Faculty

Led by Systemwide Director David Paul and Program Director Cheryl Fisher, MACC faculty are leading experts who stay invested in your success both in the classroom and long after graduation. With an average of 11.8 years of appointed experience and over 2,290 contributions to peer-reviewed publications, our diverse CSPP faculty bring deep expertise and mentorship to every stage of your journey—from coursework and research to practicums and licensure preparation.

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Marital and Family Therapy or Clinical Counseling?

Still figuring out which degree to pursue? Get help choosing by learning the difference between a career as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why an MA in Clinical Counseling?

Being a professional counselor with a master’s degree may give you an advantaged position among other certified counselors, and your credentials qualify you for high-demand jobs.

What scholarships and financial aid are available?

Private and public scholarships can help you meet the cost of your education, and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ offers institutional scholarships for many of our students. Learn more about these here. Additional financial aid is available for those who qualify in the form of loans, grants, federal work study, and military aid. Learn more on our Financial Aid Hub.

Does graduation from this program lead to licensure?

This graduate program is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Science, which means that graduates are eligible for licensure as LPCCs in the state of California upon completion of post-degree intern hours and passing of the licensure exams. Candidates are required to complete a total of 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience after the completion of the master’s degree and then pass written examinations to be a licensed professional counselor in California. Continuing education is required to maintain the license. Our and provide more information about our program completion rates.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s MACC also welcomes applicants from the 28 additional states where our curriculum meets licensure requirements.

When does the MACC program start?

Beginning Fall 2026, this clinical health counseling program is offered as a 15-week trimester program and is open for enrollment during each of these respective enrollment periods. For more details, check our .

How long does it take to complete the MACC degree program?

The program is a and takes a minimum of two years to complete.

Where can I use my MACC?

When you earn your MACC, you’ll be prepared to work across a wide range of community and healthcare settings. You can pursue a private practice or opportunities in rehabilitation counseling, family and school counseling, and other related fields. MACC graduates go on to build careers in settings such as:

• Community mental health clinics
• Couples and family services
• Outpatient and inpatient substance abuse centers
• Hospitals and health care agencies
• Government agencies and funded programs
• Public and private schools, universities and training programs
• Private and group practices

Wherever your path leads, your work will matter.

What is the modality of the program?

You can earn your MA in clinical counseling degree online. Course enrollment includes two required residencies. Residencies will be held in California and are part of the indicated trimesters. These residencies are often cited as a highlight of the program for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ MACC students and faculty alike.

Can I enroll in individual courses at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ?

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ only offers full academic programs. If you’re interested in taking individual courses, or specific courses for licensure, we recommend exploring our Lifelong Learning and Professional Development program, which may offer what you need. You can contact them directly at ce@alliant.edu for more information.

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Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ MA in Clinical Counseling faculty members Dr. Cheryl Fisher and Dr. Jason Branch, host MACC: Inside the Session. This podcast series explores the intersection of current events and the counseling profession and provides insights and guidance that can make a difference for clinical counselors and their patients.

Links and Downloads

• School Performance Fact Sheet