Online Counseling Degrees
Get Paid To Dole Out That Advice
Are your friends always coming to you with their problems? Maybe it's time you thought of a career in counseling. Counselors work in a variety of places including independent practices, hospitals, schools, and treatment centers. They help patients by assessing, diagnosing, and administering the correct therapy. Counselors possess the skills of compassion, a strong desire to help others, and the ability to inspire trust and confidence. Counselors can undergo training from counseling programs for many different specialties. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports counselors held about 601,000 jobs in 2004.
Employment was distributed among the counseling specialties as follows:
Educational, vocational, and school counselors 248,000
Rehabilitation counselors 131,000
Mental health counselors 96,000
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors 76,000
Marriage and family therapists 24,000
Counselors, all other 25,000
But a counselor must meet all training and degree requirements before being able to practice. According to American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), a licensed counselor has met or exceeded the following professional qualifications:
• Earned a master's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health program
• Completed a minimum of two years post master's clinical training under the supervision of a licensed or certified mental health professional
• Passed a state-developed or national licensure or certification examination.
BLS reports overall employment of counselors is expected to grow faster than the average through 2014 because many counselors retire or leave the profession. The annual median income for counselors in May 2005 was $39,540. See which program is right for you and earn your degree in counseling today.
Online Degrees in Counseling
University of Phoenix
With more than 8,000 faculty and staff, University of Phoenix is the largest accredited private university. In its online incarnation, University of Phoenix has distilled its programs into accelerated course programs to help you get the most degree in the least amount of time without breaking your wallet. more
Counseling Degrees Offered:
Send me info about these online counseling degrees
Penn Foster Schools
Penn Foster Schools, the largest accredited school of independent home study, offers more than 80 distance education career diploma programs. Students enrolled in these programs have the option of studying online, in print, or through a combination of the two. In addition, Penn Foster Schools offers high school diplomas and 22 different associate degrees. more
Counseling Degrees Offered:
- Counselling Skills
This program provides a basic understanding of the principles of counseling and a more specific understanding of the psychological makeup of children and adolescents. You will learn about the theories of growth and development in children from infancy to 12 months, the relationship between biology and behavior, and theoretical viewpoints that provide students with a well-balanced view of a child’s developmental process.
Send me info about these online counseling degrees
UMassOnline
The University of Massachusetts has been providing high quality educational opportunities for Massachusetts residents and for students and faculty from all over the world for more than 140 years. The University of Massachusetts President and Board of Trustees created UMassOnline in 2001 to meet the online educational needs of people locally, nationally, and internationally by offering accredited educational programs via interactive, Internet-based learning systems. more
Counseling Degrees Offered:
- Master of Education in School Counseling
This program is designed to meet the needs of a local, national and international audience of adults wishing to enter the School Counseling field. It is a 60-credit master's which meets the academic requirements for certification in the state of Massachusetts as a School Counselor. The program operates on a cohort model whereby all participants complete the same program of study. Two weeks of on campus study is required to complete two clinical courses. These courses will be taught the first summer of the program, generally during the month of July. The remaining coursework is online. The sessions are held on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts and housing is available at a reasonable rate (Housing information will be provided by the program upon request).
- Master of Science in Family Therapy
The MS program prepares its graduates to a vision of strengthening healthy families. The courses lead students to view families as entities within larger social systems and promote collaborative, inclusive, and integrative systems approaches. The aspirations of the family therapy program are consistent with the university and college mission and goals that reflect a commitment to serve urban communities. The program also prepares students to meet the academic requirements for licensure in family therapy (LMFT) by the Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in other states. The program operates on a cohort model whereby all participants complete the same program of study over a three-year period. The clinical courses are residency based. Students must attend a two week session in the second summer, generally mid July, to take two clinical courses. The sessions are held on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts and housing is available at a reasonable rate (Housing information will be provided by the program upon request). Prepares students for the LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) licensure through the MA Board of Allied Health Professions.
- Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling
The MS program prepares its graduates to be professional practitioners in a variety of community settings and institutions: hospitals, schools, rehabilitation agencies, career planning centers, employee assistance programs, clinics, residential treatment facilities, and other mental health agencies. It is a 60 credit master's which prepares students to meet the academic requirements for licensure in the state of Massachusetts and achieve national certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). The rehabilitation counseling curriculum is fully accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). In addition, there are scholarships available through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) that funds tuition and fees and provides a small stipend. The program operates on a cohort model whereby all participants complete the same program of study. Two weeks of on campus study is required during the first summer of the program to complete two required clinical courses. They are generally taught in the middle of July. The remaining coursework is online. The sessions are held on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts and housing is available at a reasonable rate (Housing information will be provided by the program upon request).
Send me info about these online counseling degrees
Most Requested Programs for Liberal Arts
A degree in liberal arts can provide the basis for career advancement as it trains students to write effectively and think analytically while also allowing them to explore the nature of the various liberal arts fields of study. For more information on online liberal arts degrees, review our program listing and decide which path is right for you.
