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 If you are interested in exploring the counseling field, a 2-year training school for a counseling career may sound appealing. Depending on where you are in your academic path, there may be 2-year programs available to help you become a practicing counselor. Today, a master's degree is the minimum qualification to become a counselor. You can start out with a 2-year associate's degree to see if you are seriously interested in pursuing the career before obtaining your bachelor's or master's degrees. Optimally, you should earn a PhD if you want the most career flexibility. Here are some things to consider when evaluating counseling programs.  Areas of Study and Training Levels for Counseling Careers Whether you want to attend a 2-year training school for a counseling career or wish to obtain a PhD, programs for this field can usually be found at universities in the departments of psychology or education. You can choose from a vast array of counseling-related study fields: - Elementary or secondary school counseling
- Career counseling
- College student affairs
- Substance abuse counseling
- Clinical mental health counseling
- Marriage and family therapy
- Gerontological counseling
- Agency or community counseling
Master's degree: A master's degree is usually the entry-level requirement for you to begin practicing as a counselor and should enable you to begin applying your skills assessment and intervention in a variety of settings. Regulations can vary among states as to whether you are qualified to work with or without supervision. Earning a master's degree usually takes two years. Doctoral degree: You'll focus equally on both research and practice when working toward your PhD, which can take between three and five years. Once you've mastered the knowledge, skills and research of your specific field, you can become a scholar, educator, supervisor or skilled practitioner who works independently. Counseling Licensing After receiving your academic degree, the next step is licensing. Since licensing requirements vary widely among states and specialty areas, be sure to research the qualifications that apply specifically to you. In most cases, you can expect the following to be required in order to obtain licensure: School counselors: - Master's degree (most states)
- State school counseling certificate
- Continuing education requirements
- Teaching certificate plus some teaching experience (some states)
Counselors, non-school: - Master's degree
- Accumulation of two years or 3000 hours of post-master's supervised clinical experience
- Successful passage of a state-recognized exam
- Compliance with ethical standards and codes
- Completion of annual continuing education requirements
Licensing exceptions: Counselors working in some settings or specialties may have different licensure requirements. For example: - A career counselor may need a license in private practice, but may not if working in a college career center
- Usually a separate state agency governs substance abuse or behavior disorder counselors and the licensing criteria can differ greatly (e.g., in some cases you may only need a high school diploma and certification)
Certification Once you have your degree and license, you may want to consider certification since—although usually voluntary—it may help your job prospects. The available certifications for a mental health counselor, though, may be different than for a career counselor, so keep this in mind when researching how to get certified in your specific field. Out of several counseling organizations, here are the certification requirements from two major groups: National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc: - Master's degree with focus in counseling from an accredited college or university
- At least two years of supervised field experience in a counseling setting
- Two professional endorsements, one from a recent manager
- Passing score on the board's exam
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification: - Graduation from accredited educational program
- Completed internship
- Passing score on a written exam
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