A growing number of people are interested in alternate higher education opportunities including an online counseling degree. A notable number of people are unaware that this type of degree can be earned in an online setting. There is some basic information a prospective student needs to be aware of when it comes to obtaining a counseling degree via the internet.
See our ranking of the 20 Best Online Schools for Counseling.
State of Online Degree Programs
The University of London developed the first distance learning program 125 years ago, according to Forbes magazine. The program developed in the middle of the 19th century was based on correspondence learning. This type of educational alternative crossed the pond and reached the United States in the 1890s.
100 years later, the internet proved to be a game changer when it comes to distance learning programs. Initially, for-profit schools were among the first to dive into providing online degree programs. In today’s world, even Ivy League schools have established online learning and degree programs. The trend towards an expansion of online degree programs in different areas is expected to increase apace, according to Forbes.
One trend among some online degree programs is to add an on-campus component at some point during the course of working towards a degree. This on-campus component can take a number of forms, including some type of seminar course compressed into a relatively short period of time. In some instances, an on-campus component is recommended but not required.
Online Bachelor’s in Counseling Degree Program
The list of colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees in counseling grows with each passing year. As of 2018, there were over 500 schools that offer online counseling degree programs, according to College Navigator. The list includes some of the better known and highly regarded universities and colleges in the United States, a list that is expected to grow each year. Some of these institutions of higher education are:
- Arizona State University
- Auburn University
- Clemson University
- George Washington University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Northwestern University
- Pepperdine University
- Purdue University
- Seton Hall University
- Texas A & M University
- UCLA
- University of Denver
- USC
Online Master’s in Counseling Degree Programs
Not only can a person obtain a bachelor’s in counseling degree via the internet it is also possible to get a master’s in counseling online. Although this list changes a bit with each passing year, a compilation of the best online master’s degree in counseling includes these schools in the top 10:
- Northwestern University
- Texas Tech University
- Touro University
- George Washington University
- Palo Alto University
- California Institute of Integral Studies
- New York University
- Pepperdine University
- Saybrook University
- Brandman University
Online degree programs have gleaned respectability. In this day and age, there is no distinction between a brick and mortar world versus an online counseling degree offered by a particular college or university.
