Guide to Earning a Master's Degree in Counseling Online

Degrees in psychology and sociology are relatively easy to obtain, but the problem with a psychology degree is that there's not much use for it without going on to further your education in a higher degree, such as a master's degree or a doctorate.

Years ago when I attended college seeking a degree in psychology, in the first psych class I took the professor told us, "If you're planning to major in psychology, you'd better either get a teaching certificate or plan to stay in school for a long, long time. A bachelor's degree in psychology simply means you can ask, 'Would you like fries with that?' and get paid .50 cents more than a non-degreed employee."

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Overview

So, all right, he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder perhaps, or a negative view of psychology degrees. However, it's true that many career paths in psychology do require advanced degrees. At the same time, people seeking education in psychology fields need to have jobs and make money too, while they are earning those degrees. That's one of the main reasons an online master's degree in counseling is an excellent alternative to the traditional ground campus master's programs in psychology.

Enrolling for an Online Master's Degree in Counseling

It's important to pick the proper online college or university for your online master's degree in counseling. Some online schools will require a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as psychology or sociology, before enrolling for the online master's degree program. Other online colleges or online universities offer an online master's degree in counseling from the ground up. If you already have a degree, you'll want the first one and if you don't, you'll need to look for online campuses that offer the second one.

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Basic Courses

First, an online master's degree in counseling gives the basic needs of the psychology and sociology classes, but goes further in depth with the counseling aspect of the degree, making an online master's degree very marketable. When you register for an online master's degree in counseling, you will have to take the basic courses and refresher courses first.

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Advanced Courses

With the increase in diagnoses and better testing for psychiatric disorders, counseling professionals will be in demand in the coming years. When you begin your advanced courses, depending on the program, you might want to choose specific specialty classes, if your online master's degree in counseling program allows for it.

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Specialties

If the online master's degree you have chosen is for generic counseling, you will get an overview of the counseling degree. However, some online degree plans offer online master's degrees in counseling specialties, such as addiction counseling, family and marriage counseling, juvenile counseling, and even school counseling. It's important to choose a specialty before getting too far into your online master's degree in counseling so you are not taking classes you don't need and don't miss any classes you do.

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Internships

Some online master's degrees in counseling will require you to complete an internship with a professional licensed counselor or mental health provider in order to complete your degree. It's important to know ahead of time if the online university will assist you with setting up the internship or if you must find it on your own. You will have to complete the internship hours and have the supervisor of your counseling internship sign off on the hours and forward that information to the online university in order to receive credit and complete your degree.

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Certifications

If you plan to be a licensed professional counselor or to get a certification in social work with your online master's degree in counseling, you will have to sit for licensing or certification testing after completing your degree, or prior to graduating. It's important to determine if these licenses or certifications are necessary for the type of work you plan to do upon graduating.

Also, be sure to check whether the online university is charging you a fee for these license or certification exams as part of your degree program. If you don't need the exams, you should have the school remove the charges.

Online Master's Degree in Counseling Summary

Counseling and other mental health professional positions are increasing in need, but the enrollment for professionals seeking degrees in this field is dwindling, making this a lucrative and secure field to enter and obtain education in. Be sure to check out the online universities for accreditation and reputation before enrolling in an online master's degree program in the counseling field.