Online Degrees in Mental Health
An online degree in mental health can help individuals achieve careers in psychology or counseling. An online degree may enhance opportunities for advancement.
- Online Mental Health Bachelor Degree enables students to achieve entry level positions in psychology and counseling careers. Entry level positions may include being an assistant for a licensed psychologist or counselor. Another option for students with a Bachelor degree may be assisting in psychological research. However, it is noted that it is impossible for students with only a Bachelor degree to enter the field of psychology as an independent professional.
- Online Mental Health Masters Degree may prepare students with the education and training that they need to work on psychological research (i.e. psychology studies, experiments, etc.), get employed in a psychologist's therapy practice, or enter other mental health related professions.
- Online Mental Health Doctorate Degree may provide individuals with the credentials they need to become licensed as a psychologist or mental health practitioner. People with this degree may decide to open their own psychology practices, seek employment in accredited institutions for mental health areas, research psychology issues and topics, or teach in a college setting.
Online Mental Health Courses
Coursework in programs for online mental health degrees may vary depending on the college and degree level. However, some common courses to expect include information on biology, social sciences, statistics, research methods, cognition and behavioral psychology, clinical science, developmental psychology, social psychology, mental health counseling, ethnic and cultural awareness, principles of psychopathology, professional and scientific ethics, clinical internship, health advocacy, marriage and family systems, life planning, addictive and compulsive behavior, human sexuality, child and adolescent counseling, health in the workplace, family therapy, abnormal psychology, drug and alcohol abuse, legal and ethical concerns, psychology history and systems, memory, and many more courses related to psychology and counseling. Areas of specialization in the mental health field may include clinical, school, sport, child, and organizational psychology.
Mental Health Degree Careers and Salary Information
An online degree in mental health enables people to enter a career as a type of counselor or psychologist (there are many different types, each working with a different group of people or within specified settings). The median entry level salary for people with a degree in mental health is $29,082. However, this may vary significantly depending on the person's employment setting, level of education, position, expertise in the field, and on-the-job experience. Employment settings may include offices of mental health practitioners, hospitals, physicians’ offices, outpatient mental health centers, substance abuse centers, correctional facilities, law enforcement, private practices, educational settings (i.e. schools, colleges, etc.), and others. The number of mental health careers is projected to grow by 15% by 2016, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Increased demand for psychological services in various employment settings will create a need for more mental health counselors and psychologists.