Student Affairs VS Community Counseling?

Question

I am torn between getting my Master's in either Student Affairs or Community Counseling. I know there are a couple of colleges such as CSU Northridge that has a MS in College Counseling affairs (but I feel that is limiting myself). My main goals are to counsel and advise college students/help them with career information/classes/etc. I have spoken to endless advisers and it seems community counseling is the better route as it opens more doors ( where I can work at both colleges and in the public) and once I get my license I can work for myself if I wish.

Student affairs seem more admin based.

I was wondering if anyone here went in any of these fields and what they thought about them/ wish they had done differently and where you went.

Answer 1

I have my Masters in College Student Personnel, which is similar to a Master's in Student Affairs. Although my degree was counseling-based, in retrospect I wish I had gone a route that would have allowed me to pursue licensure later on. If you are positive that you want a career in higher education, then a counseling-based College Personnel degree would be the way to go, as you will have a greater focus on higher education theory and practice. However, if you want to remain open, then it sounds like the Community Counseling route is the way for you. Just try to have some exposure to college students (maybe by getting an assistantship in an academic advisement office or or doing your practicum in the college counseling department).