Capella, Licensure and Supervised Residency

Hi! I am looking to do a Masters program in Mental Health Counseling. My goal is to become a LPC (I live in the state of Virginia). I was wondering if anyone has gotten licensed after graduating the Masters program at Capella? (I am comparing it to ODU) I am skeptical of online degrees (even though I work at an online branch of a college). It seems they have the accreditation, but I was wondering how much was needed in addition to the degree for licensure. That being said, I KNOW there are other requirements, but I am asking about the program as a whole filling the academic requirements. Are a lot of additional classes needed after completing the degree to meet the requirements etc.
Also, I am not sure how this works in a land campus, but I know there is a 4,000 hour supervised residency requirement ( for the state of VA). How do you go about this? Can you start it while you are in school? Or do you have to wait until you are done? How do you find someone who will supervise you?
Any info on these things as well as opinions about Capella itself are greatly appreciated!

 

Hi egolding,

Welcome to Degree Info. I hope you enjoy your time on the board and find all of the information you are looking for. If you are wondering why your posts don't show up right away: http://www.degreeinfo.com/distance-learning-discussions/35100-new-users-ask-where-did-my-posts-go.html

You will probably get some info from the members here, but I would advise that you also contact the entity that grants licensure in your state to be certain of the specifics. Also, Capella is a great school but you might be able to find some other, less expensive options.

 

Is there a reason you decided to go with them over Liberty University? They are in VA and I bet would have a much better job outlook simply because of that. They will also probably be very good about finding you a place to do your residency. The 4,000 hours would be post graduation.

 

I believe Capella is CACREP-accredited. LU is not.

 

I highly doubt you need 4,000 hours for a LPC.

I was right:

"6. A supervised internship of 600 hours to include 240 hours of face-to-face client contact. "

http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/guidelines/115-6%20Courses%20required%20to%20begin%20supervision.doc

 

Virginia does have some additional LPC requirements over most schools so you'll want to be sure that tailor your program (even LU in Virginia) to be sure that you meet all of the requirements. Check with the Virginia Board of Counseling website for a list of required courses, internships, and post-graduate requirements.

 

It wouldn't matter in VA, which is where she wants to get her licensure. LU will have better recognition and will be easier for her to work with altogether. In addition, she won't have any stigma associated with DL due to the school being in her home state.

 

Yes, Capella is CACREP but in most states that is not a requirement; the program must address certain courses to allow the student to sit for the LPC exam. Liberty meets the requirments. For the difference in $'s I would choose Liberty. The school is admittedly a Christian school but their Counseling program is at the top of the list. You might also look at Chadron State College and the University of West Alabama. Full disclosure: I have degrees from Liberty (Masters in Counseling), UWA (Masters in Psychology), and Capella (PhD in Counseling). Good luck in your search.

 

@Msioni: that's the graduate internship requirement to meet LPC requirements; the larger number is the clinical hours required post-masters before getting the full LPC license. VA is higher than most states.

 

It's 4,000 hrs in the state of VA for licensure, not while in school.

 

Thank you to everyone who replied. I know that certain credit hours are required in certain topics, so that I have been looking into. Capella is CACREP accredited and I know it is not required but I thought it might help as far as it looking better for being an online school.

I avoided LU (and I don't want to offend anyone) because of the religious aspect of it. I was afraid it would focus too much on approaching counseling with a religion base. Am I wrong? I mean I would much rather do a land campus and I wouldn't mind if the religious part was simply a class or two. I just don't want it to be weaved into every class.

 

@Msioni:4,000 hours is required for VA state licensure (sorry if I have posted twice, I'm new to this thing)... this is copy pasted directly from the application for licensure:
"I. 4,000 hour supervised residency in counseling practice with various populations, clinical problems and theoretical approaches in the following areas:
O Counseling and psychotherapy techniques
O Appraisal, evaluation, and diagnostic procedures
O Treatment planning and implementation
O Case management and record keeping
O Professional identity and function
O Professional ethics and standard of practice

** 2,000 hours of direct client contact must be documented within this 4,000 hour residency."

 

Liberty requires, or used to, 6 hours of Religion in the Counseling program. AT the time, religious principles were not the basis of the Counseling courses - my degree was in 1990, so that may have changed. At one time, Liberty had a higher percentage of students passing the LPC exam than any other school. I passed the LPC in my state with a minimum of after degree study. Having graduated from Liberty I tend to favor the school.

 

That's good to know. Do you think your patients expect you to take a more religious approach? Or do you feel that they don't really take notice of where your degree is from?
Also, did they (and I realize it was a while ago) help you set up with someone to do your Residency with?
Did you do the Distance Program?

 

That is a valid reason not to attend Liberty if that is the way you feel. I will say that with such a large portion of the population identifying with the ideals of Christianity (outside of the issues they may have with organized religion) I wouldn't think it would be an issue to those you would be helping. I think the pros of it being within VA, being well known (even as a religious affliated school), and in my experience a pleasure to attend (distance) would be better in the long run. There are many religious schools such as Notre Dame & Duquesne (I attend there now, distance) that people would never think twice about the religious factor of it.

 

I taught for LU and specific religion courses are no longer required. However, most of the courses do have some sort of "integration" component. I know of religious, non-Christian students who said that most of that perspective benefited them regardless of their religious affiliation.

 

Having taken two LU graduate courses I share that opinion.