Education Career Articles

Connect Facebook Connect Twitter Connect Google+ Connect Pinterest Connect Stumbleupon

Top Colleges and Universities Offering Degrees in Counseling

Higher Education Articles August 12, 2013

What are the top colleges and universities offering degrees in counseling? That’s not an easy question to answer considering that there are hundreds of schools offering online programs on a wide variety of subjects, including counseling, which is a rising career field. In considering the top list of anything, you must start by considering the criteria for searching.

Top Colleges by Category

After deciding where you are willing to go, and what might be the best school to suit your location. For example, UMD College Park is a school that is close to the home base and conveniently located for high-profile research projects. The next factor to consider is what school could best help you get your license?

An accredited school is not only an accolade you can use on a resume, but you can also be sure that they create a curriculum that is developed with the intent of passing licensure and certification. Accredited schools with good reviews are likely to design a program that covers a wide range of topics, while focusing attention on all-important problem solving ability, evaluative ability, and other business-friendly skills employers will want. Schools with high reputations tend to have higher quality staff and exams, and this is an indicator of overall quality and clout in the market.

When sorting through the best schools listed by location, notice the ranking system and who determines the rank, with preferably some explanation of how it is determined. Even if you can’t find the accredited listing, there are national agencies that can help you with listing all the schools worth pursuing and not worth pursuing; such include the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools and Distance Education and Training Council. Along with accreditation and reputation, don’t forget to review the history of the school and its stability, since continued success is what you’re banking on for a good reference.

Cost and Flexibility

Cost is a factor that can’t be ignored, it’s not only total cost, but also additional factors added up and subtracted, including funding options, scholarships, financial aid, grants and tuition costs. Besides money, there are also issues of admissions, academics and student body groups. Pay attention to the notable alumni or faculty, as this can always be used to your advantage when landing the cushy job later on.

The online option is of great importance to students who are already working or who have limited time. Online schools can literally be attended any time of any day. However, this doesn’t mean that the program has to be entirely online. Some schools have online courses and resources, as well as in-classroom training. Furthermore, most schools offer flexible scheduling without an online component. Remember, not all employers will look kindly on online programs, unless there’s accreditation, notable faculty and alumni, and work experience options. Finally, don’t forget the specialty training, since many schools may differ in what specialty course is offered and how in depth the material actually is.

List of Leading Colleges and Universities offering Counseling Programs

Name of Schools Location Phone Number
College of William and Mary Williamsburg, Virginia (757) 221-4000
George Washington University Washington D.C. (202) 994-1000
Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio (614) 292-6446
Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania (814) 865-4700
University of Florida Gainesville, Florida (352) 392-3261
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois (217) 333-1000
University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa (319) 335-3500
University of Maryland College Park, Maryland (301) 405-1000
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina (919) 962-2211
University of Wisconsin – Madison Madison, Wisconsin (608) 263-2400

No schools found or there was a problem, please try again later. (error: 6, http code: 0)No schools found or there was a problem, please try again later. (error: 6, http code: 0)

Login to your account

Can't remember your Password ?

Register for this site!