Pre-Counseling Program
Explore the scientific side of human behavior before training for a counseling career in Drake University’s accelerated 3+2 program.
College of Arts & Sciences | On-Campus
Program Options
Find out more about the requirements for the 3+2 program, along with all available specialization areas for the M.S. in Counseling.
3+2 Psychology to Counseling
Complete the B.S. or B.A. in Psychology curriculum in an accelerated format before progressing into the M.S. in Counseling program. While requirements are similar, B.S. students must allocate 12 undergraduate credits to science courses outside the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
M.S. in Counseling—Clinical Mental Health Counseling
In this CACREP-accredited program, you’ll learn to help individuals, families, and groups manage a host of emotional and behavioral concerns as you prepare to become a licensed Mental Health Counselor in Iowa.
M.S. in Counseling—Rehabilitation Counseling
Empower individuals with disabilities as they learn to lead more independent lives. Through coursework and extensive fieldwork, you’ll understand how to assess clients, help them overcome obstacles, and provide vocational counseling.
M.S. in Counseling—School Counseling
Help K-12 students fully realize their potential as you provide academic, social, emotional, and career guidance. This specialization has options for both elementary and secondary licensure and qualifies you to pursue an Initial Professional Service License, convertible to the Professional Service License after two years.
Meet the Faculty
As instructors and advisors, professors who have a wealth of clinical and research experience guide your introduction to the discipline and prepare you to excel in the counseling field.
Outside the Classroom
Understand how people think and function before you serve them through the counseling profession. As a prelude, research, internships, and student organizations amplify all the concepts you encounter in the classroom.
Research
Access opportunities to work alongside faculty in projects investigating cognitive processes, human behavior, and the brain. You’ll boost your résumé and contribute to progress in the field.
Advising
Expert career guidance is an integral part of the Pre-Counseling program. You’ll be assigned an advisor from the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, who will help you select courses, gain professional experience, and identify the right steps to reach your goals.
Drake University Conference on Undergraduate Research in the Sciences (DUCURS)
Practice your oral and visual presentation skills as you share the results of your research with the community, both inside and outside the university, at this annual conference.
Facilities
The department’s research facilities, like the electro-encephalography lab or the human observation suite, present extensive opportunities for active learning and gaining hands-on experience.
Internships
Evaluate your career options as you acquire relevant experience. Des Moines is a thriving city where you’ll find internship opportunities that match your interests, including in clinical, educational, business, legal, and non-profit settings.
Student Organizations
Dive deeper into career preparation and professional growth. You’ll have the chance to join counseling-related student organizations, like the American Counseling Association, at both the undergrad and master’s levels.
Careers & Skills
Your coursework and experiences as a Pre-Counseling student at Drake create a unique foundation for your future career. Build on your psychology training to develop advanced clinical counseling skills that equip you for licensure and to develop treatment plans for various populations.
Outside of hospitals, schools, treatment centers, and assistance programs, your deep understanding of human behavior, coupled with heightened analytical skills, also paves the way to job opportunities in business, education, or research, as well as to advanced studies in disciplines like law or healthcare.
Opportunities
- Case manager
- College and career counselor
- Disability services counselor
- Mental health counselor
- Rehabilitation counselor
- School counselor
- Student support specialist
Skills
- Fundamental knowledge and comprehension of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, historical trends, and empirical findings in psychology
- Scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills, including effective research methods
- Written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
- Ethically and socially responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a landscape that involves increasing diversity
- Effective self-reflection and teamwork skills
- Verbal, quantitative, and critical reasoning
Salary & Growth Outlook
Median salary for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Take the Next Step
Take an accelerated route to a career in counseling through Drake’s 3+2 Psychology to Counseling pathway.
