When entering a career in counseling, the prerequisites for high-level employment can be challenging. After attaining a counseling degree, you can work as a psychologist and use various techniques to help solve people's personal problems. These include interviewing and testing to advise people on how to deal with the stress and uncertainty of everyday living. Your counseling degree will qualify you to work in settings, such as university psychology centers, hospitals, and individual or group practices.
For employment utilizing a psychology degree, most states require completion of a special program for an individual to practice. People with Master's degrees from psychology colleges may work in private practices or as industrial-organizational psychologists. They also may assist doctoral-level psychologists or conduct research or psychological evaluations. Attaining a bachelor-level counseling degree qualifies you to assist psychologists and other professionals. You may work in community mental health centers, vocational rehabilitation offices or correctional programs.
Generally, counselors and psychologists meet patients in:
In addition to helping people with overpowering emotional problems, guidance counselors help people with:
Today, a career in counseling differs from what it was 50 years ago - where counselors acted more like organizational coaches. Today, counselors help people in a much broader way.
Salary Range:
$16,460 — $74,390
Education Level (minimum):
Associate degree
Growth Outlook (2002 – 2012):
21 – 35%