Career Opportunities for Masters in Counseling Degree Holders
By getting a master’s degree in counseling, you’re opening a number of career doors within multiple industries. The great thing about this type of degree is that it is generalized enough to allow you to qualify for a wide range of jobs, while also giving you the opportunity to specialize to learn more about a specific type of counseling. Let’s look at all of the career opportunities available for masters in counseling degree holders.
Types of Counseling Careers
Counselors can work in any number of facilities to help patients work through their problems. For example, some counselors work in prisons or rehab facilities, helping patients overcome addictions, while other counselors work with students to help them make career decisions and still others work with families to help couples work through their problems. Counselors can also work with mental health patients, help people with the grieving process, or give families financial advice. Your master’s degree program will give you the chance to take some specialized classes to you can become the type of counselor that most interests you.
Daily Tasks as a Counselor
With as masters in counseling, you’ll be prepared to take on a number of daily tasks, depending on your job title, but most counselors spend much of their time working directly with patients. You could work with patients in a group or on a one-on-one basis. Most counselors do both, helping patients help one another and providing solo care. Depending on the state where you live, you could also be responsible for referring patients to medical treatment facilities or approving doctor recommendations for medications or treatment plans.
Your Counseling Education
To work as a counselor, you need at least a bachelor’s degree, though many states require that you hold an advanced degree if you want to be licensed to work independently. Your master’s degree program will cover advanced counseling skills, as well as give you the opportunity to specialize in one area of counseling if you so choose. You’ll also get the chance to work in real-world situations with patients, learning about counseling in a hands-on way under the supervision of those who are already counselors.