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Counseling Degrees


The field of counseling deals helping people to understand and cope with the various problems they face in their daily lives. Counselors specialize in handling personal, social, family, educational, psychological and mental issues. Counseling professionals provide services in numerous fields, from education to medicine and psychology. Counselors need to be abstract thinkers and must have the ability to look at problems from various perspectives. They must also be good listeners, and should be able to use their talents to help other people solve their issues and resolve their problems.


Counseling Psychology Degree Course Work

The field of counseling, like medicine and psychology, is an extremely diverse field, with a number of branches including:

  • Psychological counseling
  • Education and school counseling
  • Substance abuse counseling
  • Rehabilitation counseling
  • Marriage & relationship counseling
  • Family counseling
  • Vocational or career counseling
Counselors help individuals in a variety of different ways.
Counseling Degrees

 

What sorts of degrees are available in counseling?

Counselors apply psychology and mental health principles to bring about a positive cognitive or behavioral change in patients. Most states require counselors to be educated at a graduate level. Aspiring counselors generally start off with a bachelor’s degree in a field such as psychology, education, healthcare, sociology or social work, followed by a master’s degree in counseling with a specialization of their preference. Having a bachelor’s degree in a field other than counseling allows aspiring counselors to broaden their perspectives and develop a deep understanding of the problems faced by society and the causes of these problems. By obtaining a degree in education or healthcare, they come in touch with the issues faced by students and hospital patients, which in turn helps them provide better care to their students.

Bachelor's Degree in Counseling

The number of study programs available for future counseling professionals is a bit overwhelming, however a bit of research helps students to select the best option. In addition to being available in the traditional on-campus environment, counseling degrees are also available online. Online programs are especially attractive to people who may be working full time, or single parents who do not wish to sacrifice their family lives since they allow a student to take classes from anywhere, at anytime. A high school degree or general equivalency diploma is the prerequisite for all counseling degrees. There are no specific subjects required at a high school level. The basic degree offered in counseling is the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, which follows a four year plan including courses such as psychology, biology, statistics, human development and social welfare. Other courses include legal and ethical issues in counseling and use of various methods of psychological therapy and rehabilitation.

Master's Degree in Counseling

A Master’s degree in counseling normally last two years, and focus more on research and practical work. Students carry out field work with various organizations providing counseling services, and write a research paper or thesis discussing a particular issue faced by society. Several specialization options are available at this level, and students must carefully consider their options before the sign up for a master’s degree. Specializations are available in education counseling, vocational counseling, mental health counseling, rehabilitation, family counseling and marriage & relationship counseling. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of counseling is expected to reach a record growth rate of 18% during the next five years. This growth is mainly due to the increasing older population of the country. In addition to working for a number of public or private sector organizations and educational institutions, counselors can also find work at rehabilitation clinics and insurance companies or even set up their own counseling practices.

 

 

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State

Employment

Employment per thousand jobs

Location quotient

Hourly mean wage

Annual mean wage

California 16600.111.2618.1337720
Florida 11300.141.6817.9737370
Illinois 9600.161.9217.937240
Texas 7600.070.7816.6234570
New York 6500.070.8520.1241840

Source: bls.gov

Frequently Asked Question(s)

Q:Where can I find the best Counseling degree programs?

A:The best Counseling degree programs are offered by accredited universities like, Walden University Online, Capella University and Grand Canyon University. Students can get enrolled in campus based or online programs offered by these universities.

Q:Can you name the specialization courses offered through the best counseling degree programs?

A:A bunch of counseling degrees are being offered by a number of accredited institutes listed on our website. These are offered with various areas of concentration. Famous focus areas for the best counseling degrees include social services, mental health, community counseling, school counseling, marriage and family counseling, child counseling, Christian Counseling, pastoral counseling, professional counseling, Forensic Counseling and clinical counseling.

Q:What are the different types of counseling degrees available to students?

A:Students who wish to become professional counselors can enroll in counseling degree programs that will provide them with the necessary qualifications required for this profession. The different types of counseling degree programs offered to students include an associate’s degree in counseling and coaching, a bachelor’s degree in counseling and coaching, and a masters and doctorate degree in specialized counseling.

Q:What main courses are studied in the doctoral level Online Counseling Degrees?

A:Many online schools and universities offer Online Counseling Degrees at master’s level and doctoral level. A doctorate degree in psychology is the highest level of education that can be earned in this field. A few topics studied in a doctorate degree in clinical psychology are: developmental theories, biopsychosocial stress, human diversity, and synthesis of social and behavioral approaches to human growth.

Q:What are the contents of the course on Essence of Sociology in the Counseling degree programs??

A:The Counseling Degree Programs in the United States have dedicated course on Essence of Sociology. This course is usually worth 2 credits in total. It is designed to provide students with strong understanding of the different terminologies, theories as well as the various questions that are asked by the sociologists in studying various groups of people. Hands on experience is also added in the course.

Q:What are the counseling degree requirements if I choose to pursue this as a profession?

A:If you would like to pursue the field of counseling as a profession, you need to take the required degree courses. But more than that, what's important is if you are personally capable of handling this stressful job. Professional counselors need to be able to deal with their patient's daily lives. They should be gifted in handling personal, social, family, educational, psychological and diverse mental issues.

Q:Are there any advantages to enrolling in online counseling degree programs?

A:Yes there are plenty of advantages of going for an online counseling degree program. These online are structured in such a way so that students can study according to their own schedules without having to worry about compromising their job. In addition to this online programs are cheaper as compared to traditional degree programs.

Q:What are the counseling degrees focused on?

A:Counseling degrees are basically focused on getting to the root of the problem the individual faces and then finding the solutions to help them adjust in a better manner. It therefore would include subjects such as psychology, communication, case studies, therapy techniques and counseling methods. There are different branches of counseling with specialized focus.

Q:What are some of the areas that the best counseling online certificates are offered in?

A:There are many relevant counseling related areas that are covered in the programs offered by some of the best online institutes. These include mental health and rehabilitation technician, alcohol & drug counseling studies, associates in applied science degree in substance, drug and alcohol treatment specialist, substance abuse counselor and associate of arts in psychology to name a few.

Q:What to do with a Counseling Degrees?

A:With a degree in counseling, there are a number of career opportunities available for you. The degree may open doors for you in fields like psychology, medicine, and of course, counseling. In some cases, further education will be required. What you do with a counseling degree will depend upon your own particular career goals. For instance, you may choose to work in family counseling or in school settings where you will counsel students.

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