Earn a Bachelor Degree in Counseling Online

Counseling as a profession covers an extremely wide area. Depending upon their area of expertise, counselors work with children, teens, adults or the elderly, with families and couples, with disabled people, substance abusers and those suffering from mental health problems. Some counselors work in schools or colleges, others in hospitals, rehab centers or private mental health practices. Most states require a licensed counselor to have a Masters Degree, but a Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling can help to set you on the right path towards your continued education in this field.

Because a Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling is not a prerequisite for a Masters in the same topic, many counselors have first degrees in a different but related field. Of the few existing Bachelor’s Degrees in Counseling, some will allow you to specialize in addiction counseling or in a faith based practice. Whichever course you choose, you can expect to make an in-depth study of the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual affects of counseling and to gain a great deal of insight into human psychology. You will learn assessment methods and case management techniques and you will develop your own empathetic style, all while developing and refining the communication skills which are so fundamental to this profession.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of counselors is expected to increase by 18% between 2008 and 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors is expected to grow much faster than average as more people seek treatment and more offenders are sent to treatment programs rather than to jail. Opportunities in vocational and career counseling are also set to rise sharply, as career changes become more common.

More Online Counseling degrees:

Resources to help you evaluate a Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling and a counseling career: