Counseling program ranked in Top 20

Malone University’s online master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling has been ranked 20th in the nation by Counseling Degree Guide. The program, which stands alone or can be completed as part of Malone’s psychology-to-counseling program (students gain a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling), seeks to provide practical experience to students on their path to licensure. 

Malone’s program, the only Ohio program ranked in the top 20, emphasizes online flexibility without compromising academic integrity. 

“With the rising costs of education across the board, more students are looking for programs that allow them the flexibility to work while pursuing graduate education. We see online and hybrid online programs like those on our ranking as rising to meet the challenge, allowing students to more easily pursue graduate work while still accommodating personal and professional commitments,” said Laura McPherson, Associate Editor for Counseling Degree Guide.

According to the ranking list, Malone stands out among schools that take seriously both accreditation and student support. 

“One of the biggest differentiators setting our ranking apart from others is that we only include regionally accredited, not-for-profit schools,”  said McPherson in regard to Counseling Degree Guide’s ranking system. “For programs that meet this bar, our ranking metrics give weight to the support given to students, extrapolated from factors like the overall percentage of students studying online at a given school and the overall graduation rate, as well as markers of post-graduation success, such as the student loan default rate.”

These metrics align with Malone’s program as seen by Malone faculty as well. 

“This program aligns well with our mission and educational goals,” said Kara Kaelber, chair of Malone’s Department of Psychology and Counseling and professor of counseling and human development. “We are preparing students to serve others in a manner which reflects our values as a Christian institution. Our graduates will be prepared for meaningful work in a growing, in-demand field.”

While this ranking concerns online programs, Malone’s master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling also offers a  hybrid option. To read more about the ranking, visit www.counselingdegreeguide.org/degrees/online-mental-health-counseling/. To learn more about Malone’s program, visit www.malone.edu/counseling.