What will I study?

The doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision will prepare you to become a counselor educator, supervisor, or researcher in an academic setting.  In accordance with the most recent standards set by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs, the program’s goals emphasize preparing graduate counselor educators and supervisors to have advanced knowledge and skills in counseling, supervision, teaching, research and scholarship, and a commitment to professional and social leadership and advocacy.

Our faculty believe that counselor educators and supervisors have the responsibility to promote awareness, cultivate knowledge, and continually build skills in their interactions with economically, socially, and culturally diverse members of the communities they serve.

For information on types of classes, see Typical Coursework, below.

 

What kinds of research will I be able to do?

As part of your graduate-level training in qualitative and quantitative research design, implementation, and data analysis, you will have the opportunity to choose your own research topics; these could be based on your prior clinical experiences or life events. We will work with you to help you further develop your own identity as a scholar.           

 

What kinds of work will I be able to do?

Graduates of the program are often sought after for faculty positions in higher education. You might teach in counselor education programs, combining your clinical specializations such as school counseling or family counseling, to prepare the next generations of professional clinicians.  Wherever their careers may take them, our graduates contribute to the body of professional knowledge in the field through their scholarship, publications, presentations and leadership activities.

 

Typical Coursework

Counselor Education Courses (30 semester hours)
Through 18 hours of core coursework, you will develop advanced-level knowledge and skill in counseling theory and practice, university teaching, issues of multiculturalism and theory and practice of clinical supervision. The remaining 12 semester hours are composed of clinical courses.  The clinical course work builds on the work you have done in your master’s-level training, stressing critical analysis and integration in each content area.

Assessment Courses (9 semester hours)
You will complete 3 courses to develop skills relevant to counseling, research, clinical instruction, and supervision. These include two courses in psycho-diagnostics plus one course in the principles and practices of standardized assessment specific to the profession of counseling.

Research and Scholarship (15 semester hours)
You and your program chairperson will decide together on the areas of research design, data collection and analysis (in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies) that you will study. This advanced training will prepare you to  make strides in the field of counseling and prepare you for your role as a scholar  or a member of university faculty.

Cognate Courses (9 semester hours)
These courses will help you identify and become immersed in an area of professional relevance. These three courses usually focus on an area of counseling specialization, such as school counseling or mental health counseling.

Counseling Electives (21 semester hours)
You will choose seven courses that create the foundation for your doctoral study. Relevant graduate counseling courses, most often those that you have completed as part of your previous graduate degree, fall into this area.

Dissertation (12 semester hours)
The doctoral dissertation serves as the academic capstone project for your Ph.D. degree. In your dissertation, you will work with your dissertation chair and committee to conduct independent research on a topic that will make a significant contribution to the professional literature. Because of the quality of research in our program, your dissertation can be a springboard for your career as a researcher, giving you opportunities to participate in national presentations and publications.