I am going to be bald......

For months now I have been trying to decide what Masters degree I want to seek once I am done with my BA in Human Service. Well I am 4 classes away from being done (granted I have a little over 4 months) but I need to make the decision and I cant. I go back and forth over and over and over and over....

So I would like your opinion and suggestions here..

My two choices are getting an Masters Interdisciplinary Studies and teach community college part time while finding a job doing something in human service or getting my Masters Professional Counseling with the intention in 8 years or so I would open my own practice. I am drawn more to the counseling degree but could be just as happy doing human service work with part time teaching. The thing that really scares me about the Counseling degree is the 40k price tag!

See my dilemma?

 

Could you graduate, then work in a counseling setting for some time to see if it is what you want to do? Getting that kind of work experience would also look good on your application for grad school.

The two options you laid out are quite divergent. It means you're not quite sure what you want to do with your life. All the better to hold off on grad school and test the waters out.

Just my two cents.

 

Sadly no. We travel with my husband for work reasons so my option for getting a counseling degree are limited to online programs. That price tag is because it is Walden's CACREP program ( and I want accredited) . The only other option is Masters in Social Work which for some reason I do not want to do and there any not many offered online anyway.

As for the payoff I believe there would be financial and value from the counseling degree. But I struggle with knowing I could ( I am speculating here) be happy with another degree. What puts me off really is the 40k price tag and finding an alternative was deciding on the MAIS degree. That is my alternative.

 

As I replied to Manic the MAIS came about after trying to find alternative to the counseling degree. In my case I look at teaching as a helping profession as well and something that I could thoroughly enjoy!

Your suggestion about finding a job working in a counseling setting is a great one though and something I might consider. What I might do is begin the MAIS (since it will cost 8K or less) while working in that setting and then I could just have both degrees but it will take me longer.

 

Nope not to me.. But (I hope I dont offend anyone....) My only other concern is having the drive in 5 years to go back and get another degree if I get the MAIS and go to work and decide that the counseling is still calling my name.... I guess if you want something bad enough you will do it but I just have a hard time thinking I would want to go back. Unfornatly I do not have a need or want really to have multiple degrees

See the dilemma here! Its so freaking hard to decide unless you just know for certain. What really puts me off on the counseling degree is the price tag... that is a lot of money!

P.s I really just need somewhere to put these thoughts down and someone to make me think about my decisions

 

There's got to be a better option than Walden...

 

lol Why do you say that?

 

Already did that my choices are Capella or Walden as I want mental health.

 

I keep leaning at the MAIS and going to work part time in some type of counseling setting before taking the plunge. Its not like the MAIS would be useless as I have quite a few options with it.

 

I did my MSEd through Walden. While it's a different program, I'll tell you I was more than satisfied with the program and the school. They are nowhere near as pushy as UoP and others. In fact, they're not pushy at all. Every staff member I ever interacted with was extremely pleasant.

The program I did was great. I enjoyed that books were included in tuition, and we also recieved DVDs of the leaders in the field. The classes were fairly intense, though I doubled up (and it kicked my ass) so that I could finish before my first child was born.

I'd highly recommend Walden in general. I don't know about counseling or specific accreditation, but if that program is anything like mine, you'll love it.

-Matt

 

Thanks! Its nice to hear from someone with first hand experience. I dont recall reading that the books are part of the tuition for the counseling program...hmmm ill have to check that out!

 

What about the University of Massachusetts?

MS Mental Health Counseling - UMassOnline.net

 

Hi,

I just took a quick look at the MO Committee for Professional Counselors website. According to page #6 of a CPC presentation regarding LPC educational requirements: "non-interactive electronic communication will not be acceptable unless
the transmission via satellite is simultaneously interactive visually and verbally with the course instructor during the transmission of the course."

What this says to me is live, interactive video streams are required for all LPC courses. Not sure if Walden, Capella, UMass or another online program would offer this. You may want to contact the MO CPC to see if they have a list of acceptable DL counseling programs.

Best of luck!

 

You are correct. Missouri as well as a hand full of other states do not allow external degrees or degrees attained via distance education. I have checked about 30 states and there are a few where this is correct.

However I am only in Missouri because my husband job is here. We have lived in 8 states in 9 years. As of right now we have no clue where we are going to land (make a permanent home) but if I choose to go the LPC route it would be somewhere were my degree would be accepted.

 

Don't count on the MAIS opening doors to teach. A lot of fields are quite crowded with individuals with full degrees, including terminal degrees, who are seeking to teach on an adjunct basis.