Benefits

• Students completing the Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology degree program are eligible to take the clinical psychologist licensure examination.

Degree Requirements

Total Hours: 66
Practicum: Required
Comprehensive: Take Home Examination
Dissertation: Required

Length of the Program: The program typically takes four to five years of study, including a full-time pre-doctoral internship. Time for degree completion, including the dissertation is six years. (See GA&S Policy: Time Limit for Completion of Degree Requirements)

Curriculum Plan: A master's degree in counseling, psychology or a related field is required for admission. Completion of the Ph.D. degree in Counseling Psychology requires 66 semester hours of additional coursework beyond the master's degree (some of which can be transferred), written and oral comprehensive examinations, and a dissertation (with oral defense). Students are also required to develop an area of research expertise by engaging in research with faculty throughout their doctoral study. A 2,000 hour pre-doctoral internship is also required.

Technology Expectation
All students are provided Internet access to link electronically to classmates, faculty and student services. In order to use these technological resources, all students must have the computer skills necessary to support academic work (i.e., word processing, PowerPoint) and to access e-mail and the Internet.

Continuous Enrollments
Doctoral students in counseling psychology are required to maintain the status of continuous enrollment during their program of studies. (See GA&S Policy: Academic Standing - Continuous Registration) This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must do one of the following:

• Enroll in one of the following:
  • At least one course OR
  • CPSY 610 - Doctoral Study (maximum enrollment two semesters) OR
  • CPSY 600 - Dissertation Supervision
• A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the Graduate School's Associate Dean.

Please see the current Doctoral Handbook for more information.

Prerequisites (33 semester hours)
Ideally students will have completed these courses (or their equivalents) prior to the start of the program.

• CPSY 420 Counseling Skills
• CPSY 423 Counseling Theories
• CPSY 425 Assessment in Counseling
• CPSY 426 Group Counseling
• CPSY 433 Multicultural Counseling
• CPSY 440 Practicum in Counseling
• CPSY 444 Family Therapy
• CPSY 450 Research Methods in Counseling OR
  RMTD 400 Introduction to Research Methodology
• CPSY 454 Human Development
• CSPY 528 Diagnostic Appraisal and Treatment Planning
• RMTD 421 Education Research II: Quantitative Methods

Psychology Core (12 semester hours) can be transferred

• One course on the biological basis of behavior
• One course on the cognitive basis of behavior
• one course on the affective basis of behavior
• One course on the social basis of behavior
• One course on history and systems of psychology

Counseling Psychology Core (15 semester hours)

• CPSY 424 Career Development and Counseling
• CPSY 435 Selected Topics in Counseling: Psychology of Social Identities 
• CPSY 435 Selected Topics in Counseling: Prevention, Outreach, and Advocacy 
• CPSY 530 Research Seminar in Counseling Psychology
• CPSY 531 Ethical and Professional Issues in Counseling Psychology

Measurement and Statistics Core (12 semester hours) can be transferred

• CPSY 450  Research Methods in Counseling
• RMTD 430 Psychological Measurement
• 2 additional advanced research methods or statistics courses

Professional Practice Core (15 semester hours)

• CPSY 441 Practicum II
• CPSY 442 Practicum III
• CPSY 535 Seminar in Supervision
• CPSY 536 Supervision Practicum
• PSYC 518 Selected Topic: Empirically Supported Intervention

Advanced Assessment (3 semester hours) can be transfered

Advanced Electives (9 semester hours)
Three additional advanced courses in research methods/statistics, assessment, and/or college-level teaching

Comprehensive Assessment
Comprehensive take home exam is required. Refer to handbook for more information.
Comprehensive exam application deadline:

• Summer Exam - April 1

Comprehensive due dates: email notification

Dissertation

• Dissertation - Ph.D. Dissertation Forms
• Oral defense of the dissertation

Degree Conferral
While the commencement ceremony is every May, degrees can be conferred May, August, and December. Students must apply for graduation/degree conferral. Students should apply for graduation in the semester they anticipate completing all degree requirements. Failure to meet application deadlines may result in a delay of the conferral of the degree to the following semester. Applications for Degree Conferral are due:

• August 1 for December conferral
• December 1 for May conferral
• February 1 for August conferral