Individuals interested in becoming marriage counselors can complete graduate school online, as most counseling careers require at least a master's degree. Most online programs actually are aimed at people who already have a bachelor's degree or some professional experience. Completing an online master's degree in this field typically takes at least three years.
To get into an online marriage counseling program at the master's degree level, students should have a four-year bachelor's degree, with degrees in areas such as psychology or social work being suitable preparatory areas of study, according to Education-Portal.com. At Liberty University Online, which offers a virtual master's degree program in marriage and family therapy, interested students must complete prerequisite courses such as psychology and statistics. Certificate programs that last a year or less also are available at online schools for marriage counseling.
Classes at online schools for marriage counseling cover topics such as marriage counseling ethics, couples therapy and family systems sociology. Other courses include counseling techniques, human sexuality, human growth/development and treatment planning. However, most states also require aspiring marriage counselors who have completed master's degrees to additionally complete a certain number of hours of supervised marriage counseling work experience and pass a written exam before they can be licensed in the field.
As a result, even online schools for marriage counseling usually require students to complete a hands-on internship/practicum at a counseling center or agency in their area, which might last up to one year. Because many online marriage counseling students already have an undergraduate degree and counseling-related field experience, they often can practice what they learn in an actual workplace setting.
To complete training at an online school for marriage counseling, students must have access to a computer with high-speed Internet. They should make sure they have an updated operating system, Web camera, microphone and DVD/CD player. Students can use electronic textbooks or textbooks on DVDs, or they can order physical textbooks to complete their homework. They additionally learn through online audio/video lectures. Students also can communicate with fellow classmates and instructors using e-mail, chat forums and online discussion boards and access their coursework 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits online schools for marriage counseling such as Capella University, which offers a distance-learning master's degree program in marriage and family therapy. In addition, some schools are accredited by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Accreditation shows that a program of study meets an established standard of educational quality. Graduates of online marriage counseling schools also can seek to be certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) by completing more than 3,000 hours of field experience and passing an exam. Certification can improve individuals' employment opportunities in the marriage counseling field.