Counselors begin their post high school academic career at a community college or 4-year university taking general education courses. These consist of English, math, speech, science, history and other core subjects. While taking general education courses generally requires 2 years, students can shorten the time by doubling up on classes and taking college classes during summers or when in high school.
After completing the first 2 years of general education courses, students can spend the next 2 to 3 years completing their bachelor's degree in counseling or a related field such as psychology or social work. These core courses will relate directly to your chosen profession as you learn how the mind works as well as counseling skills.
Another 2 to 3 years will be spent pursuing your master's degree once you've completed your undergraduate degree. Classes for this advanced degree will cover specific counseling theories and methods, which you will be required to use when completing your clinical hours.
The final part of your master's degree consists of clinical hours, which allow you to put into practice what you've been learning during the course of your graduate degree. These hours are done in actual counseling settings with real people needing real help from a counselor. While you provide this help for these people, you are supervised during your clinical hours because you are still a student.
Once you graduate with your master's degree, you'll need to take the additional steps necessary to become a counselor. This includes passing a national certification exam given by the National Board for Certified Counselors and applying for your counseling license from your state professional licensing division. The only state that doesn't require licensing for counselors is California.