There are four steps required to obtain an online school counseling degree: locate an accredited school, gain admission, pay the tuition fees, and complete the course requirements. An online school provides courses over the Internet, as distance learning programs. A counseling degree is required for all professional counseling positions.
Upon completion of a counseling degree, candidates can apply for positions as a counselor in the education, hospitality and support services industries. Other skills required by a professional counselor include communication skills, empathy, listening skills, and interpersonal relationship skills. It is important to note that a counselor is not the same as a psychologist or psychiatrist. Both these roles require graduate level post-secondary education.
When selecting an online school for a counseling degree, it is important to ensure that the school is accredited. Once the government has reviewed the educational institute and confirmed that it has met all the requirements, it provides an accreditation. There are many non-accredited schools that offer counseling degrees, however, they will not be able to issue the degree required to work in this field.
Look for an accredited university that is also providing online school counseling degree programs. Explore the course details, method of program delivery and program structure. Talk with other students and explore the student support services that are available to online students.
To obtain admission to this type of program, candidates must have high marks in English, science, math and related high school courses. Many programs also require the completion of a psychological evaluation of potential students to ensure that this is the appropriate program for you. Some programs have an interview component and review personal references before granting admission.
The tuition fees for an online school counseling degree are often less than a traditional degree program, due to the cost savings available from online programs. Explore the student aid requirements to determine if an online program qualifies for financial aid and scholarships. Many online programs offer a payment plan, based on the course load and not a fixed cost for the year.
The course requirements for online school counseling degree are comprised of courses in psychology, communication, sociology, biology, and counseling. The workload in this program is quite heavy and all the subjects require essays and research projects. Many people switch between full-time and part-time course loads in order to successful complete the program requirements. Invest the time necessary to review the requirements before registering.