mom sectionmom sectionStudents pursuing a graduate program in substance abuse take courses that cover a variety of areas. Opportunities are available for students to learn about treatment and prevention, addiction, effects on family members and counseling methods. In addtion to academic coursework, students also must complete an internship in a professional setting and under the supervision of a licensed counselor.
College counselors provide guidance for students' academic, career and personal lives. They assess student interests and suggest educational options that meet their interests and offer guidance on other academic aspects, such as educational grants and loans and admission procedures. College counselors help students develop and improve career-oriented skills, including building resumes and handling interviews. Educational qualifications required for college counselors differ from state to state. Counseling career aspirants should contact their state or local government agencies to learn about specific requirements governing counselors.
Counselors are professionals who help people through personal issues and provide support services in a wide range of settings. Employment of counselors is projected to climb by 18 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Median annual wages of counselors as of 2011 ranged from $30,930 to $44,590. Colleges with counseling degrees require students to be good at working with people and strong at working independently.
In most states, to become a guidance counselor you need to obtain a master's degree in the field of counseling. Most students will get an undergraduate degree in psychology, social work or sociology. Often times, graduate programs will offer master's degrees in school counseling, which is the equivalent to a guidance counseling program. There are many accredited programs throughout the U.S. including online programs.
School guidance counselors are an important part of the educational leadership team and have a variety of job duties. A school guidance counselor's main role is to guide students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development. Guidance counselors not only counsel students individually and in small groups, but will also teach in classrooms. Guidance counseling activities are in abundance and depend on the school districts' requirements, student demographic and stage of development.
A degree in counseling is a necessary step for individuals wishing to pursue a career in the counseling field. Many states and employers require a graduate degree in a specific type of counseling to be a licensed and practicing counselor. Colleges in all areas of the nation offering master's and doctoral degrees in counseling are available for prospective students.
The Ed.S., or Specialist in Education, is equivalent to the doctorate or Ph.D. degree offered in other fields. It is earned after a master's degree in a counseling-related field and allows students who earn this degree to focus their graduate work on more specific topics. Many schools, some located in the South, offer Ed.S. programs.
Naturopathic medicine combines natural therapies with modern technologies to treat patients, and the goal of this type of medicine is to focus on the well-being of the entire person. Naturopathic physician schools prepare students for careers in this field. Students interested in pursuing this field must take all the normal courses required of a health-care professional, including anatomy, biochemistry and physiology. They must, however, also take classes directly related to the naturopathic field, including mind-body medicine, counseling and homeopathy. Several U.S. schools offer accredited programs.
Substance abuse counselors have many routes to becoming eligible to practice. Many states require a certification program at the very least or a higher degree in a related field such as psychology or counseling. While the level of education may differ, all substance abuse counselors need to have a base knowledge of specific concepts unique to drug dependence. Generally this knowledge is taught through college courses.
A degree in counseling can be applied to becoming a school counselor, marriage and family therapist, rehabilitation therapist, or private practice counselor. The demand for professionals in the industry is supposed to increase steadily, as of 2010, as people seek more help and preventative care, according to U.S. College Search. Topics covered in a counseling psychology degree include ethics, psychotherapy theory, child therapy, and technology. These topics and more prepare students at some of the top counseling colleges for careers in the industry.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for school and career counselors like guidance counselors in the United States will increase by 14 percent from 2008 through 2018. To gain a license to work in the field, prospective counselors must first graduate from a post-secondary education program, typically with a minimum of a master's degree. A number of public and private colleges in the U.S. offer programs specifically in guidance education, designed to prepare students for the challenges related directly to providing counseling services to students in public and private school settings.
A counseling degree is an important step in starting your career in the counseling field. If you live in the Denver area of Colorado, you may be wondering what colleges in Denver offer degrees in counseling. There are three colleges that offer counseling degree programs and the choice is yours. Each school offers something different than the others, making them each very diverse.
