Master's Degree in Behavior Health
A master's degree in behavioral health can be found on its own or as a concentration in a public health program. This degree is suitable for those interested in pursuing areas of therapy or counseling, focusing on substance abuse and behavior disorders. Individuals who already have a degree in social work or psychology may find a master's degree in behavioral health to be useful in integrating their professional studies in a public health capacity. Your program will help you identify the relationships and similarities between the various areas of behavioral health - psychology, environment, mental health -- to create comprehensive solutions. In addition to earning a degree, you will also need to pursue licensure in the state where you practice.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors with graduate degrees are able to offer multiple services to their clients and may be preferred by employers.
- Employment is expected to increase as more people seek treatment for addictions and disorders.
- Additional growth may be due to sentencing of drug offenders to treatment instead of incarceration.
Cons
- Each state has licensing requirements for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors.
- Counselors often have to manage large workloads with limited resources, which can lead to a stressful work environment.
- The curriculum includes research and data, which should be a consideration for those who are more interested than the outreach or planning responsibilities within the field.
Courses and Requirements
To prepare for research in human and community behavior, you can expect to take courses in statistics, research and epidemiology. You will also receive instruction in counseling techniques for various ages and demographic groups. If your program is part of a larger public health program, you can expect to take courses in health assessment and program planning. Your coursework may prepare you for counseling certification, such as the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor or Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Most states require licensing for professionals. You may also have to complete an internship and/or thesis.
Online
Most master's degree programs in behavioral health are traditional on-campus programs. However, you will find several hybrid programs that offer some coursework online or during evenings and weekends. It is more likely that you will find online programs in public health, although those programs may not offer a concentration in behavioral health.
Get Ahead With This Degree
Complement your degree by gaining relative experience, finding healthy stress relievers and learning about technology that can improve your work and community impact.
- Find ways to cope with stress. In the highly stressful field of social work and public health, you become an asset to your employer when you have found a way to manage work stress in healthy ways including a hobby or exercise.
- Licensing and certification boards generally require a certain number of clinical hours to qualify. Review the licensing requirements in your state to ensure that if your practicum does not offer what you need, you find work or an internship that will count toward your licensing requirements.
- Stay abreast of software and online tools used for counseling that could expand the ways in which you reach clients.
Alternative Degree
With a master's degree in social work, you will learn to assess individuals and prepare plans to help clients cope with challenges in their everyday lives. All clinical social workers must have a master's degree in social work. Your coursework will include courses similar to those in behavioral health including assessment and counseling techniques. Based on projections from the BLS, there will be a 25% employment growth for social workers from 2010-2020, which is faster than average.
