Doctorate for LPC credential with flexibility?

Discussion in 'Nursing and medical-related degrees' started by armywife, Jul 3, 2011.

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  1. armywife

    armywife New Member

    I have a BA in Psychology and an M.Ed in Education. I want to get a doctoral degree that will allow me to take the required courses here in Texas to get my LPC credential. I don't care if it's APA or CACREP accredited since that does not appear to be a requirement in Texas for the LPC credential. I do need it to include a practicum class. My key factor is price. This is why I so far have steered away from Capella. I'm wondering about NCU. Any suggestions?
     
  2. Psydoc

    Psydoc New Member

    I wish you success in obtaining your objective; however, most PhD programs are built upon either a masters in counseling or pyschology. There are certain courses that must be taken to sit for the LPC exam and I am not aware of a PhD program that offers all the courses. Also, any online PhD in Counseling or Psychology will cost well over $30,000. Sorry, I don't mean to be a pessimist but these are pretty much the facts, at least the facts with which I am familiar.
     
  3. Hadashi no Gen

    Hadashi no Gen New Member

    LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) is a Masters-Level clinical counseling license. In most cases you will need to complete a Masters in Counseling and gain 2,000-3,000 post-graduate supervised hours before sitting for the NCE or NMHCE exams to qualify in your state. In many states (there are a few exceptions), getting a PhD in Counseling without a Masters will not allow you to get your professional counseling license, since most PhDs in Counseling are meant for practicing counselors to become either supervisors or counselor educators.

    If you'd like to get your doctorate and practice as a therapist without going back for another Masters (I see that you are currently in a Masters of Education program), you may want to check into PsyD programs, leading to a license to practice clinical psychology.

    It's confusing, as there are so many different licenses and acronyms for therapists... who at first glance seem do the same jobs!! There are a lot of people on this board who can help you find the program and educational path that you might be looking for, though, so please continue to ask questions!!
     
  4. Hadashi no Gen

    Hadashi no Gen New Member

    In Texas it seems as though you can practice as a counselor with only a PhD (according to the state's website). It also doesn't state that the degree needs to be CACREP (as of now). If this is correct and up-to-date (and not subject to change), you may want to talk to some people here who have done degrees at Liberty. Liberty is not CACREP, and I am not endorsing the program by any means (I have had no experience with it), but they have a PhD in Counseling that I believe is online. Walden, Capella, and Adams State College (in CO) all have CACREP-accredited online Masters in Counseling, and Walden and Capella have PhDs in Counseling. As far as I know there are no online CACREP-accredited Doctoral-level Counseling programs.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 4, 2011
  5. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    I am afraid that once you mentioned price you effectively cut out doctoral programs that might qualify for LPC (that I am aware of anyway). As I recall, Argosy used to have a PhD in counseling that was geared to LPC licensure. Very expensive. Your cheapest route to LPC licenure would be another Masters. Liberty U has an online program and I think Vets and spouses pay less tuition.

    If price is the issue and you do not mind moving to California to practice, there are a couple of fairly inexpensive doctoral programs in Psychology (DETC accredited) that would actually qualify you to take the Psychology exam in CA.Cost is between 15 and 17 grand. Program is completely on line http://www.calsouthern.edu/online-psychology-degrees/doctor-psychology-degree/

    Not sure about reciprocity since most states require a Regionally Accredited PhD in Psych and even then many positions prefer APA accredited programs. But if you were willing to relocate to CA when you completed the program you could be an actual Licensed Psychologist with an accredited PsyD. Or you would have an accredited PsyD but not be able to practice.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 4, 2011
  6. graymatter

    graymatter Member

    I know that there are students in the LU PhD Counseling program who are not licensed. In addition to the PhD coursework, they are required to take additional courses toward licensure. They are required to pay PhD-level tuition for MA-level courses.
     
  7. Hadashi no Gen

    Hadashi no Gen New Member

    Correction... Regent Univ. has an online PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision that is CACREP. However, it requires a Masters in Counseling to enter... which I think is the case with most PhDs in Counseling. The only program that I know of which does not require a Masters in Counseling (or something similar) to enter is Liberty.

    Realistically though, it might serve you better and give you more reciprocity (especially if you're military and prone to move around) if you go the Masters route again. Most degrees can be completed in 2-3 years full time... whereas doctorates will take 4-5 full time. If your goal is to work as a clinician and not a supervisor or counselor educator, save yourself the time and money! :)
     
  8. Psydoc

    Psydoc New Member

    The DETC Masters is good in CA but not in most other states. As has been mentioned, if you are looking for the least expensive approach consider obtaining a RA Masters degree, between 3,000 and 6,000 hours of internship and then take the NBCC LPC exam. Several schools have been listed, Liberty U is good, a couple of others are: Peru and Chadron State. I would suggest that you only consider RA schools for the purpose of mobility. The argument that DETC is all I need is only good if you are always going to be/do what you are now doing. If anything changes you have a DETC Masters that will not allow you to transfer your liscensure to another state. Oh, and the University of West Alabama also has a good program; but they require machine proctored exams - you have a spy connected to your computer. Good Luck!
     
  9. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    Fascinating about the computer proctored exam. Does it detect you opening up other web sites or a second browser connection? Curious how that works.
     
  10. JWC

    JWC New Member

    Your best bet is to go to those who can actually help you. Get in touch with these folks. They will put you on the right path.
     
  11. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    You said budget constraints were a concern and this eliminates most doctorates from the for profit RA programs that would qualify for LPC.

    That leaves either Masters programs and get your doctorate later or going through a DETC doctoral program for the PsyD that will qualify for California but have very limited utility outside of it. Most states that I know of want an RA Masters to qualify for the LPC (will not take DETC degrees). Now, here is something you could do. If you can find a state that will accept Nationally Accredited degrees for LPC licensure, you could do the DETC PsyD listed above (since as I recall it has the LPC structure but you would need to make sure) and then move to that state and become an LPC. Then some states may have reciprocity. Kind of a complicated work around.

    Your options are limited if you want a PhD program that qualifies for LPC licensure and is cheap (cheap being the main problem).

    Something else to think about is what is a more important goal for you considering budget issues. Do you want the LPC or the doctorate. If the LPC, then enroll in a Masters. If the doctorate, then considering getting one. You have an MEd and Liberty has a reasonably affordable EdD program that is RA (always the best way to go). Aspen has an EdD program (DETC accredited) that until mid July is only $8,000 (cheap). And then there is South Africa. You could earn a PhD there for 3 -5000 US dollars and have the equivalent of an RA degree.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 4, 2011
  12. Hadashi no Gen

    Hadashi no Gen New Member

    A South African PhD alone will not allow anyone to practice counseling, clinical psychology, or anything similar in the US... mainly because they are dissertation only (no coursework or clinical training involved). They are cheap, yes, but a SA doctorate would not allow the OP to work toward an LPC credential, which she stated as her reason for seeking out a doctorate.
     
  13. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    My suggestion of SA was if her goal was more towards simply earning a doctorate. The least expensive route to the LPC for her is another Masters period. Unless she finds a state that will take the DETC PsyD as meeting the LPC requirements which it should EXCEPT for the issue of national accreditation.
     
  14. Psydoc

    Psydoc New Member

    I am not really sure, it seems that it is connected to your computer and sees everything in the room, picks up sounds, and records connects made from your computer. A real spy.
     
  15. aptmusic

    aptmusic New Member

    Have a look at Adams State University in Colorado. In the fall of 2(013you they will offer a CACREP approved fully accredited WASC/HLC PhD i. Counseling in an online program (summer intensives in colorado). You must have an MA in counseling, which they also offer. It is a state school so it is relatively inexpensive. Sorry for typos but it is hard to edit this on a phone.
     
  16. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    First of all, Adams State University is accredited by NCA/HLC, NOT WASC. Second of all, where on their site did you see anything about their doctorate in counseling? I could only find their master's in counseling.
     
  17. Jonathan Whatley

    Jonathan Whatley Well-Known Member

  18. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

  19. mattiberry85

    mattiberry85 New Member

    Most if not all doctoral programs in counseling will require a masters in counseling and a clinical license. Most programs are going away from counseling doctorate and going towards counselor education and supervision/ces doctorate, in which all of these programs will require a masters in counseling and a license. If you do not want to complete a secondary masters, I would look into finding a doctorate in counseling psychology. Typically, they admit from the post-ba level and you can either take the lpc or the psychology preparation route. In reality, unless you want to teach at the graduate level, obtaining a doctorate in counseling is useless.
     

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