Counseling Degree

[Dr. Who]

I am a forever reader on this forum over the years.  I am a first time poster.  I have an Ed. D. in Education!  After having been in Marriage Counseling for the last year I am interested in a new career helping the family unit.  I am in Oklahoma and would be looking to complete this new Masters online.  You guys are amazing when it comes to suggestions..  I thought I would see if I could get feedback.

[rachel83az]

Secular or religious? For religious, there is Kairos: https://kairos.edu/academics/programs/

Their MA in Marriage and Family Therapy meets licensure requirements for Oklahoma. Their MA in Counseling does NOT meet licensure requirements for Oklahoma, but it does meet requirements for Texas. https://kairos.edu/about/disclosures/ If you are close enough to Texas to have a practice there, that might be an option?

[Dr. Who]

Secular.  Hopefully it would be from a 4 year state accredited university

[sanantone]

A mod should move this to the graduate sub-forum.

Start your search here. Most MFT programs that meet licensing requirements will be accredited by this organization. You can select "blended/hybrid" for program type.

https://coamfte.org/COAMFTE/Directory_of...grams.aspx

[Alpha]

If you use the search wiget provided by sanantone then you'll find that OSU is the only one in Oklahoma but you could just as easily do an MSW program  as it will also get you to that same destination.  Once you're out of Oklahoma it hardly matters as long as it will get you licensed in your state..  You're going to have a lot of choices.  Too many to list.  You'll need to define some more search criteria such as cost, completion time, instruction methodology, full-time/part-time, etc.
https://www.cswe.org/accreditation/directory/

[sanantone]

The MFT program doesn't have to be in Oklahoma. Many therapy and counseling programs these days have out-of-state students who will complete clinicals, internships, practicums, etc. in their local area.

An alternative would be to look for CACREP programs with a specialty in marriage, couple, and family counseling.

https://www.cacrep.org/directory/?p=%257...%2522%257D

[DeanLewis]

Do yourself a favor and go the MSW route and wind up with an LCSW. It's waaaaaaay more flexible than an LPC or LMFT (as an LPC with experience in private practice, academia, and the hospital systems).

[sanantone]

Do yourself a favor and go the MSW route and wind up with an LCSW. It's waaaaaaay more flexible than an LPC or LMFT (as an LPC with experience in private practice, academia, and the hospital systems).

Agree. The LCSW provides more opportunities for the provider. From a patient standpoint, I see them as a last resort when everyone else is booked.

[studyingfortests]

I concur about the MSW over an LPC or LMFT.

Wider scope of practice, more flexibility in career path, and MSWs tend to command higher wages.

There are many good programs; checkout CSWE's website, it has an up-to-date list of all online MSW programs.

I personally recommend Western New Mexico U's MSW. Very flexible, you can go full or part-time, they have about 6 start times per year, and the program is completely asynchronous. Cost is one of the lowest in the country at about32k for the entire 2 year program.