Guide to getting a bachelor’s degree in counseling

Counselors help clients to resolve physical, social, emotional, school- and work-related issues. They use multiple strategies to teach people how to cope with stress, reduce anxiety, and manage mental health issues.

Many counselors take a holistic approach, choosing to concentrate on ‘wellness’ rather than ‘illnesses. This means they encourage clients to focus on their strengths to improve mental health and overall wellbeing.

Counselors can work in a number of different locations, such as family services, mental health units, addiction centers, school, government, and private practice. A counselor’s place of work is mainly influenced by their area of interest and the clients they wish to work with.

The basics of a bachelor’s degree in counseling

An undergraduate degree is the first step to becoming a counselor. Some colleges offer bachelor level programs in counseling, many do not. This should not deter you though, because while a bachelor’s is a requirement to become a counselor, it does not necessarily need to be in counseling. Undergraduate students often major in psychology, sociology, or related fields.

Note: some schools offer bachelor’s degrees in psychology with courses and even concentrations in counseling. It is important to be aware of this as, when researching courses, you may think you are reading about a bachelor’s in counseling when it is actually a degree in psychology.

For would-be counselors, an undergraduate degree is a route into a graduate program, where it is possible to specialize in a specific area of counseling to get your license. Therefore, your choice of program at undergraduate level may be mostly influenced the school you wish to attend.

The data used in this page is the same data used in the bachelor’s degree in psychology degree page. The reason for this is that both degrees are either bachelor of arts (B.A.) or bachelor of science (B.S.) degrees with majors in either counseling, psychology, or even coursework in both disciplines. Differentiation in education and career pathways starts at the graduate level.

Should you get a bachelor’s in counseling?

Before signing up for a bachelor’s in counseling, it pays to check whether counseling is the right profession for you—and whether you are right for counseling. A desire to help others is an excellent starting point. Other important attributes include:

• logic – the ability to analyze information and draw appropriate conclusions
• communication – speaking, listening, and writing skills
• integrity – good counselors are discrete and trustworthy
• patience – it often takes time to see results
• interpersonal relationships – counselors need to work well with other people
• observation – it is crucial to be able to interpret people’s expressions and actions
• problem-solving – the job involves collecting and evaluating information to find treatments or solutions

If you have the above attributes, then a counseling program may be for you.

The next consideration is often whether you can afford to choose this degree program based on how much you can anticipate earning in the 2 years following your graduation. The news is not obviously encouraging with holders of bachelor’s in counseling earning less than $30,000 post graduation. This average salary is $20,000 less than a graduate from a 4-year generic degree. And even though 94% of counseling graduates are employed in the 2 years after completing their bachelor degree, it is going to take them 27.2 years to pay off their education, compared to 3.8 years for their generic degree holding peers. These figures indicate that salaries anticipated by licensed counselors are based their investment in masters and doctoral programs and attaining correct licensure.

How to pick a bachelor’s degree in counseling

Before we discuss undergraduate degree options, we should mention that counseling is different from counseling psychology. While it is true that both professions aim to improve a client’s life, there are clear differences.

A counseling psychologist usually works with serious mental health conditions, for example in medical clinics, or other clinical settings. They are often involved in academia and research, either as a sideline, or full time.

Meanwhile, counselors tend to focus on a client’s emotional or relationship issues. Their sessions typically involve discussing a client’s problems and using various methods to improve their skills in these areas. Licensed clinical or professional counselors do diagnose and treat mental health problems, utilizing the DSM-5, the diagnostic bible in mental health. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) provides accreditation for counseling programs that ensure students are trained and competent in this role.

Another important difference is that a counseling psychologist typically requires a doctorate degree. For counselors, a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, or therapy is usually adequate for licensure and to start working with clients.

Choose an accredited university

Studying at an accredited college is essential to be sure of the quality of course offerings. Accreditation typically influences credit transferability. It can also determine whether you are

eligible for financial aid from the federal government. In the counseling sector, not choosing an accredited program may mean that you are not eligible for state licensure and certifications.

Before you apply check that your program is accredited by one of the major accrediting organizations:

• Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP)
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)

Online study opportunities

Most online counseling programs are offered in a hybrid format. This format combines online classes with in-person course requirements. Counseling programs incorporate internships to provide students with practical experience. This may be the reason that only 11% of counseling undergraduate programs are offered online.

How much does a bachelor degree in counseling cost?

As explained earlier, data for this counseling undergraduate program is the same data available for psychology undergraduate programs. The most economical program costs $14,336 and is available in public universities, followed by for profit institutions on $17,484, making programs from private universities the most expensive at $26,397. The best earnings correlate to degrees earned at for profit colleges. Payback periods for the degree costs are 11.6 years for graduates from for profit colleges. This payback period doubles for graduates from public universities and is 4 times more for private colleges. The extra $3,000 is program cost to attend at a for profit college seems to be very worthwhile investment.

Financial aid and scholarships for counseling majors

Many public and private organizations offer funding to help counseling students pay for their degrees. The Federal Student Aid website is an excellent starting point for your financial aid research. You can find out about scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, and more. Filling out the online free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) enables you to discover which opportunities you qualify for.

There are numerous scholarships specifically available to counseling undergraduate students. Begin you search using our scholarship database – or begin by reading about the following applicable scholarships.

• Ab Irvine Scholarship Program
• Pride Foundation Scholarships
• AITCOY scholarships
• Grungo Calarulo Giving Back to the Community Scholarship

What to expect from a bachelor’s in counseling program

Entry requirements

Admission requirements to a 4-year bachelor’s in counseling program involves submitting several documents to a university’s admissions office. They include:

• application, including any required processing fee
• ACT or SAT scores
• transcripts from high school and any colleges you have attended
• letters of recommendation

Most programs prefer a high school GPA of at least 3.0. In some cases, high SAT or ACT scores can compensate for lower grades.

Community colleges typically charge less, and some students decide to take this option to complete general education courses before applying to transfer to a 4-year college and program. For those wanting to take this option, it is recommended that you check with the university that the courses you take at community college can be transferred as credit to for your desired degree program.

Licensure and certification

In general, counseling licenses can only be issued to individuals with a master’s degree or higher. There are some certifications that can be obtained with a bachelor’s degree, which may help advance your career. These include:

• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) – This certification may be necessary to work as a health education specialist.
• National Certified Adolescent Addictions Counselor (NCAAC) – An optional certification that demonstrate your expertise in working with teens who struggle with addictions.
• National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level I – This is a voluntary national certification for those interested in substance abuse counseling.
• National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level II – Similar to the previous program, this certification indicates a higher level of expertise and experience.
• AASECT Certified Sexuality Counselor – This certification requires a bachelor’s degree plus 3 years of experience in sexuality counseling.

Program of study

There are 2 main options when it comes to studying counseling as a major: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) – in counseling. Some schools also offer a combination of psychology and counseling as one major.

Both the B.A. and B.S. in counseling programs are designed to introduce the essential skills required in professional practice. Students learn about counseling theories, social issues, and how to treat a range of people with diverse backgrounds.

Coursework typically includes topics like:

• diversity issues, including cultural sensitivity
• introductory counseling skills, including individual and group settings
• human development
• abnormal psychology
• addictive behavior
• family relationships
• couple counseling
• crisis intervention
• professionalism and ethics

One of the main aims of a bachelor’s in counseling is to provide students with a solid foundation for their graduate studies. Therefore, the curriculum tends to be rather broad. Some schools offer concentrations that allow students to focus on a topic of interest.

Specialty areas often include:

• mental health – explores topics like clinical interventions and assessment of mental disorders
• substance abuse – prepares students to help those struggling with addictions
• art therapy – teaches how to use creativity and art in a therapy setting
• school counseling – introduction to working with children and teens in a school setting
• marriage and family counseling – prepares students to help families with relationship issues

The main difference between a B.A and B.S is that a B.A. commonly consists of more humanities courses with elective options from various liberal arts field, while a B.S. is more science based. The option you choose often depends on the school and available coursework options.

Fine print warning: B.A. in school counseling and B.A. in mental health counseling

While researching program options online you may find programs advertised as ‘bachelor’s in school counseling,’ or ‘bachelor’s in mental health counseling.’ This can be exciting if you wish to work in either of these areas but look closer and these degrees are usually either a bachelor’s in psychology or bachelor’s in counseling — with an element of school or mental health counseling included. These courses may foster skills in your chosen field, but they are often not as specialized as the title implies. The real specialization comes later, at master’s degree level.

What jobs can I apply for with a bachelor’s of counseling?

A bachelor’s degree in counseling does not qualify graduates to become counselors or psychologists—for this you need to complete further study—but it does provide many other opportunities in the job market. Some of the possibilities include:

What further education opportunities in counseling are available?

After your bachelor’s degree, you may wish to enroll in a master’s in counseling right away— this is the quickest way to become licensed.

If you are still unsure whether this is the career for you, or just want to take a break before making such a large commitment, a post-baccalaureate certificate may be an appealing option.

Such programs help to increase your expertise and strengthen your resume. Several universities offer these certificates. Available topics often include:

• alcohol and drug counseling
• marriage and family therapy
• college and career counseling
• patient counseling

Some of these programs provide master’s level credits that can be applied to a future graduate degree. Some courses also qualify you to sit for specific certification exams.