Counseling Psychology

Overview

Counseling psychology programs teach people how to counsel clients experiencing psychological problems or distress.

Students learn to work with groups, families, and individuals.

Counseling psychology programs include topics such as:

Counseling theory
Behavioral theories
Therapeutic intervention strategies
Testing and assessment methods
Ethical standards

Internships

Internships allow students to develop skills. Most counseling psychology programs require students to complete an internship.

Schools

Several colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in counseling psychology. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in counseling psychology. A master’s degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor’s degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master’s degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Biology
English Composition
Pre-Calculus
Probability and Statistics
Psychology
Public Speaking

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is highly competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores. Your bachelor's degree may not need to be in psychology if you have taken some courses in the subject.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Psychology (less often)
Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
Letters of recommendation

You may also need to complete an interview. Experience working as a volunteer in a helping role (e.g., at a crisis hot line) is a plus.

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

A bachelor's degree program in psychology typically requires the following core courses:

Counseling Psychology Practicum
English Composition
Experimental Psychology
Introduction to Statistical Methods
Introductory Psychology
Pre-Calculus

In addition, you usually must choose several (but certainly not all) of the following subjects:

Abnormal Psychology
Adolescent Psychology
Child Psychology
Experimental Design
History and Systems of Psychology
Internship in Mental Health
Memory and Cognition
Organizational Psychology
Physiological Psychology
Psychological Tests and Measurement.
Psychology of Adulthood and Aging
Psychology of Learning
Psychology of Sex and Gender
Social Psychology
Theories of Personality

Graduate Program Courses

A master's degree program in counseling psychology typically includes courses such as the following:

Counseling Theory and Process
Psychological Testing
Intermediate Statistics
Group Counseling and Group Theory
Psychopathology
Family and Parent Counseling
Career Counseling Strategies
Psychological Counseling Strategies
Cross-Cultural Counseling
Ethical and Professional Issues
Research Methods

A doctoral degree program in counseling psychology typically includes courses such as the following:

Research Design
Multivariate Data Analysis
Evaluation and Research in Counseling
History and Theories of Psychology
Biological Bases of Behavior
Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior

In addition, graduate programs typically require the following:

Thesis (master's degree)
Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)

Graduate programs usually include several practicums, which are supervised experiences of real work in this field. At first, you may merely follow a professional around and observe what that person does. Later, you take on more real tasks, including research.

A one-year internship is a standard part of the doctoral degree program.

Things to Know

To offer patient care as a counseling psychologist, you need to be licensed by your state. Requirements vary. Usually you need a doctorate from a approved program, plus at least two years of supervised professional experience. You also need to pass an exam.