Guides
Guides to Choosing a Counseling Degree
Plain explanations of counseling degrees, accreditation, fieldwork, licensure, admissions and costs. Factual claims cite official sources with an access date; guides never promise admission, licensure, earnings or employment, and state licensing rules must always be checked with the state board.
Degrees & career paths
Bachelor's vs. Master's vs. Doctoral Counseling Degrees
How bachelor's, master's and doctoral counseling degrees differ in purpose, credits, fieldwork and admission, and why the master's is the usual entry point to counselor licensure.
Christian Counseling vs. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Degrees
How faith-integrated, licensure-track counseling master's degrees differ from nonclinical pastoral and Christian counseling degrees, and how to tell which one a program is.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling vs. School Counseling: Which Master's Fits?
How the two most common counseling master's specialties differ in coursework, internship setting, workplace and credential, from a state counseling license to school certification.
Counseling vs. Marriage and Family Therapy: Two Accreditors, Two License Tracks
How a CACREP marriage, couple and family counseling specialty differs from a COAMFTE-accredited MFT degree, and why the license you want should decide between them.
Counseling vs. Psychology Degrees: Master's-Level Counselor or Doctoral Psychologist?
How a counseling master's differs from a psychology doctorate in accreditation, licensure, exams and length, and why counseling psychology is a related field rather than counselor preparation.
Counseling vs. Social Work: CACREP Counseling Degrees and the MSW Compared
How a counseling master's and an MSW differ in accreditation, training focus, licensing exams and license titles, with a state example showing why the two paths do not convert into each other.
PhD vs. EdD in Counselor Education and Supervision
What PhD and EdD programs in counselor education and supervision share under CACREP, how institutions label the two degrees, and how to compare format, licensure and funding.
Accreditation, fieldwork & licensure
How Practicum and Internship Placements Work in Counseling Programs
The CACREP minimum hours for counseling practicum and internship, what counts as direct service, who supervises you, and who is responsible for finding the site.
LPC vs. LMHC: Counselor License Titles Explained
Why counselor licenses go by LPC, LMHC, LPCC, LCPC and other titles, how associate licenses and the NCE and NCMHCE exams fit in, and what the Counseling Compact changes.
Online Counseling Degrees and Fieldwork: Residencies, Local Placements and Licensure Disclosures
What 'online' really means in a counseling master's: campus residencies, an in-person practicum and internship near home, and state licensure disclosures to read before you apply.
School Counselor Certification and Credentials Explained
Who issues school counselor certification, what states commonly require, how programs and exams fit in, and where national credentials such as the NCSC and ACSC come in.
What Is CACREP Accreditation? How It Works and How to Check a Program
What CACREP accreditation covers, why it belongs to a specific program rather than a university, how to check the directory, and what in-process status means.
Choosing a program
Admissions
Master's in Counseling Admission Requirements: What Programs Actually Ask For
What counseling master's programs ask applicants for: degree, GPA rules, prerequisite courses, interviews, background checks and GRE policies, with examples from official pages.
Can You Study Counseling Without a Psychology Degree?
Most counseling master's programs accept bachelor's degrees in any field. Learn which prerequisite courses some require, how to close gaps, and where a psychology background matters.