What Degree Does A Marriage Counselor Need

Earning an undergraduate degree is the first step in your education toward becoming a marriage and family therapist.

What degree does a marriage counselor need. Marriage and family therapists treat mental disorders and psychological issues within the context of families and relationships. Most marriage and family therapy programs require two years of graduate study focused on a variety of topics including marriage counseling family therapy child psychotherapy and. Education requirements for christian marriage counselors. In 2017 the median salary for a marriage counselor was 48 790 a year or 23 45 per hour.

Becoming a marriage counselor overview. Earning a degree in psychology psychiatry or sociology is recommended above other general degrees. Advanced coursework a dissertation research study and clinical hours in your chosen field supervised internship. The first step toward becoming a marriage counselor is to earn a bachelor s degree with coursework in behavioral sciences.

Next a master s degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy is required in most states in order to begin practicing. In some states a counselor with a ncc license can take advantage of an abbreviated licensing process and may even be able to forgo the licensing exam. The national board for certified counselors nbcc awards a national certified counselor ncc license that has a number of professional benefits but does not eliminate the need for a state license. Master s degree programs fully educate students in social science related areas of marriage counseling often.

As marriage counselors gain more experience they can start to shift their career into niche fields. According to the american association for marriage and family therapists or aamft students can earn their degrees in one of many fields including psychology psychiatry. Earning a doctorate is not required to practice marriage and family therapy. Bachelor degree students must complete three to four years of post graduate clinical training in the marriage counseling field before they can become a marriage counselor.

Most of the time the therapist will meet with the couple or family together. Before you can enroll in a family psychology doctoral program you will need to obtain a master s degree in family counseling marriage and family therapy or clinical counseling. Your doctoral program will consist of. A master s degree is the minimum education needed to become a marriage counselor.

This however is often one of the first duties of a marriage and family therapist. You do not need to be ordained to be a christian marriage counselor. Marriage and family therapist. Many have been part of their church for most of their lives and felt the calling to become a counselor early on.