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Why Should I Earn a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision?

A doctoral degree from a CACREP-accredited program can prepare you for new and rewarding career opportunities as a counselor educator or advanced-level practitioner.

Why should I earn a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision? If you’re a counseling professional looking for a new challenge in your career, then you’ve likely asked yourself this question. To help answer it, let’s first take a look at the state of mental health in America.

Almost 1 in 5 American adults—about 48 million people—experience a mental health condition in any given year.1 Mental illness is prevalent across the United States, and experts warn that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely worsen the widespread mental health crisis.

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As the number of Americans with mental health conditions increases, so will the demand for professional counselors who have the specialized education and training to care for them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 25% from 2019 to 20292—much faster than many other career fields.

If you want to make a difference by leading and educating the counselor workforce needed to tackle America’s growing mental health crisis, you should think about earning a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision.

Become a Counselor Educator

Most PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision programs are designed to prepare graduates for careers in higher education as a counselor educator. With this doctoral degree, you could teach in a college graduate counseling program as a full-time university faculty member.

In fact, if teaching future counselors at the college and university level is your career goal, having your PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision is a must. The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) requires all counselor training programs to hire only doctoral graduates from CACREP-accredited counselor education and supervision programs.

Expand Your Career Opportunities

Becoming a counseling educator is just one of many career paths you can pursue with a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. The PhD program is also a great choice if you see yourself as a clinical leader or researcher in the counseling field. Through a counseling education and supervision PhD program, you can gain the skills and knowledge for career advancement in a variety of professional settings, such as:

  • Hospitals and clinics
  • Government agencies
  • Higher education
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Mental health facilities
  • Rehabilitation centers

Whether you want to become a counseling educator, a clinic director, or a supervisor in a mental health clinic or school; conduct research; or open a private counseling practice, a doctoral degree program can help position you for a range of rewarding career opportunities. Walden’s PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision offers a General Program and a specialization in Trauma and Crisis.

Earn a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Degree Online

Walden University is among the few universities that offer a CACREP-accredited PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision degree program online. The school’s flexible online learning format makes it possible to further your college education with a doctoral degree while also balancing work and other life responsibilities.

By earning a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, you can take your career to new heights and gain the skills needed to supervise and educate the next generation of counseling professionals.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

1Source: www.nami.org/mhstats
2Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm#tab-6

Walden University’s PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Note on licensure: The PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed counseling professional.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

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