Helping People Solve Problems with a Counseling Degree
Counseling is a field that deals with the treatment and improvement of mental health. Graduates of an online counseling degree program can look forward to a challenging career that involves assisting people with personal, educational, family and career problems. Classes in a counseling program teach students to apply learned principals and strategies to effectively mentor individuals to achieve cognitive and behavioral betterment.
Counseling Degree FAQs
What Can I Do With a Counseling Degree?
Individuals who earn an online counseling degree have a variety of career paths available to them. Many graduates go on to work as elementary school or high school counselors. Some may even choose to ply their trade over the web providing online school counseling.
Others may prefer a career in the corporate sector, serving as career counselor or in a human resources department. Counselors also work as private practice personal, family or marriage counselors. Social work is another major career path, with graduates finding positions in drug rehab programs, mental hospitals and nursing homes.
What Skills Are Needed to Excel in a Counseling Degree Program?
Counseling is a career centered on helping others. As such, those considering enrolling in an online counseling degree program should be passionate about listening to and mentoring people.
Counselors deal with emotional topics, such as stress, mental health and depression. As such, a strong interest in human interaction and the science behind behaviors is also beneficial.
What Is the Job Outlook for those with a Counseling Degree?
The main employers of students who earn a counseling degree online are schools, government facilities and hospitals. Many counselors also go on to become self-employed. The expected salary of counselors varies depending on the area of specialization. Educational counselors working in elementary and secondary schools tend to earn the most, with an estimated median salary of $53,750 annually. Counselors offering personal, family and career services earn approximately $32,000 per year.
Online Counseling Degree Programs
Online counseling degrees are offered at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral level. While certification requirements vary by state, a master's degree in counseling is typically required to become a licensed counselor. As such, students seeking a career that requires licensure should enroll in an accredited program that properly prepares graduates to obtain a license.
Graduate level programs offer students the option to specialize in a particular area of study. Online counseling degrees can be earned with a focus on school counseling, college student affairs, family therapy, substance abuse, community counseling, gerontology counseling and more.
Currently, distance learning counseling degrees at the graduate level are limited. Students may consider studying a related topic to broaden academic opportunities. Counselors often earn upper level degrees in psychology, social work and education.
