Online Master of Arts in Counseling: Career Outlook
Earn a Specialized Certification and Serve Those in Need.
With an MA in Counseling from Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU), you’ll be prepared to become a leader in the field of human services and an advocate for social justice.
Representation Matters
As a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, OLLU has one of the highest percentages of Hispanic student enrollment in the nation and has been ranked as a Top 100 Producer of Graduate Degrees among minorities by Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine.
Our Master of Arts in Counseling program strives to cultivate a greater number of counselors who share the cultural identities of the diverse communities they serve.
Learn More- 42% of Americans have seen a counselor at some point in their lives1
- 23.1% growth expected for mental health counselors over the next decade2
- $63,280 median salary among school counselors in elementary and secondary schools3
Build yourself a career serving those in need. You’ll choose between three specializations — in school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, or clinical rehabilitation counseling — and prepare for a corresponding certification to focus your counseling practice.
Depending on their certification, counselors can work in a wide variety of settings, including private and public agencies, elementary and secondary schools, hospitals, private practices, long-term treatment facilities, inpatient or outpatient agencies, and community organizations.
Mental Health Counselor:
$41,264/year
As a mental health counselor, you would provide treatment and support to individuals or groups by helping them manage their mental health challenges and promote healthy changes to improve their lives.4
You can prepare for this position with the Clinical Mental Health specialization and licensure as a Professional Counselor.
Clinical Case Manager:
$56,484/year
As a clinical case manager, you would help clients maintain their path to a healthy lifestyle by supporting a holistic course of action and ensuring access to social services to improve the client’s well-being.2
You can prepare for this position with the Clinical Rehabilitation specialization and the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification.*
School Counselors:
$63,280/year
As a school counselor, you would work in the education environment, helping students manage the hurdles of education and the challenges of growing up.5
You can prepare for this position with the School Counseling specialization and school counseling certification from the state of Texas.**
Additional roles for MA in Counseling graduates:
- College counselor
- Religious counselor
- Junior college instructor
- Behavior analyst
- Correctional counselor
- Therapist
- Job coach
- Rehabilitation counselor
- Rehabilitation specialist
- Vocational placement specialist
- Vocational case manager
Request More Information
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Applicable Skills: Use Your Knowledge to Improve Lives
When you complete this program, you will be able to:
- Apply appropriate counseling theories, methods and techniques to various counseling situations
- Recognize and apply the major theories of normal human development
- Utilize culturally appropriate counseling techniques and strategies
- Understand the legal and ethical standards of the counseling profession
- Conduct effective assessments and communicate results
- Facilitate career exploration and offer career consultation
Specializations
Career Planning and Assessment
OLLU’s Center for Career Development and Testing (CCDT) is committed to supporting you in your spiritual, personal, academic and professional growth.
We offer testing, assessment, certification and professional development in accordance with the National College Testing Association’s (NCTA) professional and ethical guidelines.
Sources:
- Barna (2018 February 27). Americans Feel Good About Counseling. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from https://www.barna.com/research/americans-feel-good-counseling.
- Burning Glass Technologies: Labor Insight™. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). School and Career Counselors. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm.
- Payscale (2019 September 24). Average Mental Health Counselor Salary. Retrieved October 30, 2019, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Mental_Health_Counselor/Salary.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). School and Career Counselors. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). Social and Community Service Managers. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/social-and-community-service-managers.htm
*Additional requirements for CRC licensure may apply.
**Students who do not reside in Texas and are interested in becoming school counselors need to be familiarized with their own state requirements. Please check your individual state requirements. For students who live in Texas, see the Steps to Becoming a Texas School Counselor.
NOTE: Applicants seeking licensure are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license per the Texas occupations code HB 1508. Program is pending approval by SACSCOC.