PhD in Counseling Psychology

You'll gain discipline-specific knowledge in counseling psychology (including vocational psychology, prevention and outreach, and multicultural and international psychology), the psychological sciences, measurement, research methods, and statistics, as well as foundational knowledge in the history and philosophy of counseling psychology, current professional issues and trends, theories and research on normal human development, and major theories and research in vocational psychology, prevention and outreach, and multicultural and international psychology. Throughout all this, there will be an emphasis on how social injustice affects human functioning.

You will engage in independent scholarship on questions important to counseling psychology, and develop and evaluate interventions to promote positive human development. You'll be equipped to practice as a health service psychologist with competencies in research, ethical and legal standards, individual and cultural diversity, professional values and attitudes, communication and interpersonal skills, assessment, intervention, supervision, consultation and inter-professional/interdisciplinary knowledge and skills.

You'll be educated in the scientist-practitioner model, committed to both research and its practical applications, all with social justice and equality in mind. You will display effective communication and interpersonal skills, as well as professional behaviors, and apply the knowledge base of the discipline in a scientifically-based, theoretically-driven, ethical, and culturally-responsive manner.

Click here to access the APA Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data (2022) related to this program.

Loyola's PhD in counseling psychology has been accredited by the American Psychologist Association (APA) since 1984.

Aaron Graham, M.S. (enrolled 2022)

• Hometown: Matteson, IL
• Ethnicity: Black
• Clinical Interests: My clinical interests reside in mindfulness-based therapies and counseling practices, vocational counseling, psychoeducation, mind & body integrative therapy, and general mental health wellness.
• Research interests: My current research interests are in the stigma against mental health in underrepresented communities, community-based participatory research, workplace mental health, and counseling training.
• Contact info: agraham17@luc.edu

Jiwon Lee, M.Ed. (enrolled 2022)

• Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
• Ethnicity: Asian
• Clinical Interests: Trauma-informed therapy, cross-cultural counseling (working with racial/ethnic minorities, LGBT+ population), self-acceptance/self-compassion, social anxiety
• Research interests: Experiences of racism and microaggressions among Asians/Asian Americans, systemic interventions that target racism
• Contact info: jlee122@luc.edu

Claude Louis, M.S. (enrolled 2022)

• Hometown: Norwalk, CT
• Ethnicity: Black/Haitian American
• Clinical Interests: Community based counseling, integration of social justice in counseling for marginalized populations, LGBTQ focused counseling existential, humanistic, and person-centered counseling interventions.
• Research interests: LGBTQ, minority and urban populations; development of humanistic, social justice interventions in community counseling settings to address retention, quality of mental health treatment and other disparities among urban vulnerable populations; counselor education, with a focus on counselor competency working with multicultural, immigrant, and other underserved populations. Counselor identity development and internalized racism.
• Contact info: clouis2@luc.edu

Trayvon Truss, M.A. (enrolled 2022)

• Hometown: Chicago, IL
• Ethnicity: African American
• Clinical and Research Interests: Stigma among mental health in African American men.
• Contact info: ttruss@luc.edu

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.

Continuous Enrollments
Doctoral students in counseling psychology are required to maintain continuous enrollment during their program of studies. This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must enroll in at least one course. A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and with 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 423: Counseling Theories and Psychotherapy
• CPSY 425: Assessment in Counseling
• CPSY 426: Group Counseling
• CPSY 433: Multicultural Counseling
• CPSY 440: Practicum in Counseling
• CPSY 444: Family Therapy
• RMTD 400: Introduction to Research Methodology
• CPSY 454: Human Development
• CSPY 528: Diagnostic Appraisal and Treatment Planning
• RMTD 404: Introduction to Educational Statistics

Psychology Core (18 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
• One course on advanced integration

Counseling Psychology Core (18 semester hours)

• CPSY 424: Career Development and Counseling
• CPSY 435: Topics: Seminar in Multicultural Psychology 
  and Social Justice
• CPSY 527: Prevention, Advocacy, and Outreach: 
  Community-Based
• CPSY 529: Psychology of Immigration
• 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 (18 semester hours)

• CPSY 442: Doctoral Practicum (2 sections)
• CPSY 443: Clerkship
• CPSY 482: Intellectual and Personality Assessment
• CPSY 535: Seminar in Supervision and Consultation
• CPSY 536 Supervision Practicum
• CPSY 532 Advanced Theories in Psychotherapy

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

The Chicagoland area provides a wealth of clinical training opportunities for doctoral students in counseling psychology. Approximately half of our students seek training in university counseling centers in the city and suburbs, while the other half receives their clinical and diagnostic training in hospitals and community mental health centers. Students receive a generalist training, but through site selection can begin to acquire population-specific competencies in working with children, adolescents, families, veterans, gay/lesbian/bisexual clients, and other groups of individuals. Many of the practicum sites also contain APA-approved internship programs where trainees are provided with rigorous supervision and on-site seminars.

To discuss typical practicum settings and sites in Chicago and its suburbs, please contact Rufus Gonzales, Practicum Coordinator at 312.915.6378

Comprehensive take-home exam is required. Refer to the handbook [PDF] for more information.

Oral defense of the dissertation required.