What Will I Learn in a Counseling Degree Program?

If you enjoy helping others, listening to their problems and providing sound advice, a career in counseling could be a great choice for you. Through a counseling degree program, students will learn how to be better listeners and communicators, and how to help patients work through problems and seek treatment for mental health issues that could be troubling them. Courses include social and cultural diversity, relationships, human growth and development, counseling techniques, career counseling, group counseling and life span development. This series of classes should ensure that students have the knowledge they need to become licensed, competent counseling professionals.

MS in Clinical Counseling	MA in Professional Counseling	MS in Counseling Studies

What Can I Do With a Counseling Degree?

After completing a counseling degree and the certification process, graduates will find a wide range of career options open to them. Most choose to specialize in one particular area of counseling, with some working only with children, others with corporate employees, and still others with those in drug treatment facilities. Counselors will find work in schools, colleges, treatment centers, hospitals, businesses and health care agencies but many will instead choose to start their own private or group practices. Depending on their level of education, counseling grads may also be qualified to teach at schools, community colleges and universities.

What Is the Career Outlook for Counseling Degree Students?

The counseling field is expected to grow faster than average through 2014. Those who choose to work in schools and as career counselors will find themselves in particularly high demand in the coming years. Those in the field of rehabilitation, whether it be from addiction or physical injuries, will also see an increased need for their expertise. The income for counseling professionals differs depending on the type of work they choose to do. School counselors earn $51,000 a year on average, while those who own their own practice can expect to make considerably more.