The doctoral program in counseling offers advanced professional preparation for those intending to become university professors of counseling and advanced-level clinical counselors and/or supervisors. This program is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Admission
An applicant for admission must have
a master’s degree in counseling or the equivalent.
a GPA of at least 3.20 in previous graduate work; 3.50 or higher preferred.
GRE General Test scores with a minimum of 500 verbal and 500 quantitative preferred.
three letters of recommendation from individuals holding a doctoral degree which provide supportive evidence of an applicant’s academic and professional qualifications. All letters must be dated no more than one year prior to the application deadline.
satisfactory academic and professional progress as indicated by data included in the application for admission to the Graduate School.
a minimum of one year of work experience as a counselor preferred.
demonstration of writing competencies as prescribed by the department and submission of a scholarly paper or professional report of which the applicant is sole author.
evidence of potential for professional leadership.
following screening based on the above criteria, a preadmission interview.
Prospective students who fail to satisfy either the GPA or the GRE criterion may request special consideration of their applications. Such a request must be in writing, must include compensatory evidence related to the deficiencies, and should accompany the application for admission to the Graduate School. Final decisions regarding admissions are made by program committees of the department on the basis of a total profile of an individual’s qualifications. Where deficiencies exist, the department’s Doctoral Admissions Committee may prescribe additional courses and recommend admission with stipulation.
Admission to the doctoral program in counseling is competitive and takes place twice a year. To be considered for admission in the summer session or fall semester, all materials must be received by the Graduate School by February 15; to be considered for spring semester admission, all materials must be received by October 1.
Advisement
As soon as possible after admission, the graduate student should make an appointment with the interim faculty adviser in counseling, who assists the student in selecting a program advisory committee. This committee consists of a chair and two other graduate faculty members, who advise the student in program planning. Advisement is given regarding courses in the major area of study, additional courses, prerequisites, and the comprehensive examinations. The student’s departmentally approved program of courses is forwarded to the Graduate School for approval.
Course Requirements
The Ed.D. in counseling requires a minimum of 105 semester hours including a maximum of 30 semester hours from the master’s degree plus a minimum of 75 additional semester hours normally distributed as follows.
In addition, prior to approval of the dissertation proposal, the student must present evidence and/or documentation of computer technology competence, professional association involvement, submission of an article for publication, a presentation at a professional conference, and research-team involvement. Details regarding this requirement are available from the student’s adviser.
One research course with the consent of the student’s program committee (3)
Course work selected in consultation with the student’s program committee.
Internship
An approved internship is a required part of the doctoral program. Opportunities exist for internships in a wide variety of settings. The internship is planned in consultation with the chair of the student’s program advisory committee and approved by the internship coordinator. It consists of a minimum 1200 clock hours, including one semester full time (600 hours) or two semesters half time (300 hours each); and an additional 600 hours.
Examinations
All doctoral students in counseling are required to pass two examinations prior to admission to candidacy.
The general examination includes the basic competencies in counseling theories; human development, learning, and behavior; research; cultural diversity; group counseling; consultation; supervision; assessment; and professional issues, including ethics. A student may apply to the program director to take this examination as soon as course work in the basic competencies is completed. This examination must be successfully completed prior to the candidacy examination.
The candidacy examination includes the student’s selected area of study and, where applicable, the cognate area. A student may apply to the program advisory committee chair to take this examination on the completion of most or all of the course work in the area of study. A student has eight weeks to provide a 25- page typewritten response to student- and faculty-generated questions prior to an oral examination related to the contents of the paper.
Satisfactory completion of the candidacy examination admits the student to candidacy for the doctoral degree. A student who fails the candidacy examination may be granted the opportunity to retake it. Failure on the second attempt denies the student admission to candidacy.
A final oral examination related to the dissertation is required and is conducted in accordance with the general requirements of the Graduate School.
Dissertation
The dissertation represents a substantial contribution to knowledge in the candidate’s major field of study. Candidates are expected to conduct original scholarship and independent research appropriate to their major and communicate the results of their research effectively.
The student’s dissertation committee is selected by the student in consultation with the faculty chair. The committee represents graduate faculty of the university with knowledge in the area of the candidate’s topic. The number of committee members, including the chair, is normally three to five. At least two members of the committee must be senior members of the graduate faculty; no more than one member may be without graduate faculty status.
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