Loyola University Chicago

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Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology

Benefits

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

Degree Requirements

Total Hours: 63
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 63 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
    • CPSY 610 - Doctoral Study (maximum enrollment two semesters)
    • CPSY 600 - Dissertation Supervision
  • A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the Graduate School's Associate Dean.

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 421 Professional and Ethical Issues in Counseling
  • 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 454 Human Development
  • CSPY 528 Diagnostic Appraisal and Treatment Planning
  • RMTD 421 Education Research II: Quantitative Methods

Psychological Foundations (12 semester hours)

  • One course on the biological basis of behavior
  • One course on the cognitive-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 Opression and Liberation 
  • CPSY 435 Selected Topics in Counseling: Prevention and Outreach 
  • CPSY 530 Research Seminar in Counseling Psychology
  • CPSY 531 Ethical and Professional Issues in Counseling Psychology

Research and Statistics Core (12 semester hours)

  • RMTD 420 Educational Research I
  • 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 435 Selected Topics in Counseling: Practicum in Supervision
  • One advanced assessment course (e.g., personality assessment, intelligence testing)

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

Comprehensive
Comprehensive take home exam is required. Refer to handbook for more information.
Comprehensive examination application deadlines:

  • Summer Exam - April 1

Comprehensive due dates: email notification

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 or August conferral

Please note, if you do not graduate when anticipated you will need to submit a new application.