https://eps.edu.miami.edu/graduate/doctoral/cp-phd/index.html

Overview

The Counseling Psychology Program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1989.  It has a proud tradition of preparing students as scholars and clinicians. The program is firmly committed to the foundational values of the discipline of counseling psychology, including its emphasis on prevention, optimal human development, and the promotion of individual, family, and community well-being. The program strives to prepare students who will make a difference in the world through research, scholarship, and reflective practice. The mission of the program is to nurture the development of counseling psychology graduate students and faculty as reflective researchers and scientist—practitioners committed to promoting psychological well-being in a multiculturally complex world.

Application Requirements

Admission to all graduate-degree concentrations in the School of Education and Human Development is based on the recommendation of the faculty. Admissions decisions are based on faculty review of the following general requirements that apply to all Graduate Programs in the School as well as specific documents listed under each concentration.

Applicants must:

  • provide official transcripts showing completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and an acceptable undergraduate grade point average. A minimum of 3.0 undergraduate GPA is required. Official transcripts from every institution attended by an applicant, whether or not the applicant completed a degree program at the institution, are required;
  • provide three letters of recommendation that address the issues and meet the criteria established by the program being applied to;
  • provide a personal statement that addresses the mission and purpose of the program being applied to; it needs to be a maximum length of 2 pages, single- or double-spaced.  If you have a preference for working with a particular faculty member on a certain topic, please indicate your preference in the personal statement. It is also fine to include more than one faculty member, if you are unsure who would be the best fit with your interests.
  • resume;
  • take part in an admissions interview (required by some programs); and
  • exhibit personal and professional experiences and characteristics that are relevant to the profession and/or field and/or degree program for which the application is being submitted.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

In addition to the factors listed as general requirements for all applications to the SEHD’s graduate programs, consideration for admission to the Ph.D. program will include the following:

  • letters of recommendation should address the applicant’s academic potential;
  • available student space in the program;
  • receipt of completed applications by the predetermined cut-off date. Please reference the SEHD website, as doctoral applications are reviewed once each year.

International Applications

All international applicants must provide additional information and meet additional requirements as required by the UM Graduate School and the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. For an appropriate link to these requirements, please visit the Graduate School website.

Admission Decision

Once an applicant has been admitted to graduate study, that individual should meet with the faculty advisor who was appointed to serve in that capacity and whose name appears in the admissions letter. This advisor will help the student enroll in courses that are appropriate to the program as well as to develop and refine a Program of Study that must be on file in the Office of Graduate Studies by the end of the first academic year of enrollment.

Honor Code/Handbook of Policies and Procedures

The School of Education and Human Development follows the Graduate School’s Honor Code. All students are required to review the Graduate Student Honor Code and the School of Education and Human Development’s Handbook of Policies and Procedures for Graduate Students and submit the signed Acknowledgement of Receipt located on p. 3 by the end of their first semester of enrollment.

Curriculum Requirements

Prerequisite Counseling Courses
EPS 667Professional, Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling3
EPS 675Therapeutic Group Procedures3
EPS 676Counseling Process and Practice3
EPS 679Lifespan Human Development3
EPS 700Quantitative Methods I3
EPS 682Practicum in Counseling I2
Counseling Psychology Specialty Courses
EPS 767Counseling Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice I3
EPS 768Counseling Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice II3
EPS 770Psychological Appraisal I3
EPS 771Psychological Appraisal II3
EPS 775Doctoral Practicum I 2 semesters2
EPS 776Doctoral Practicum II 2-3 semesters2-3
EPS 777Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology0-3
EPS 779Vocational Psychology and Career Development3
EPS 780Cultural Diversity and Mental Health3
EPS 782Supervision in Counseling Psychology3
EPS 785Preparing Future Faculty Seminar2
EPS 803Internship in Counseling Psychology2
Basic Content in Scientific Psychology
EPS 781The Social Bases of Human Activity and Flourishing3
PSY 604Cognition and Emotion3
PSY 605Cognitive Neuroscience3
PSY 640Adult Psychopathology3
Research Competencies
EPS 701Introduction to Research Methods3
EPS 702Quantitative Methods II3
EPS 703Applied Multivariate Statistics3
EPS 705Measurement and Psychometric Theory3
EPS-700 Level Research Elective (2 courses) 3 credits per course6
Dissertation12
Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research
Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research
Total Credit Hours88-92

Sample Plan of Study

This is a sample Plan of Study. Please note that students may be admitted with or without a Master’s degree. The sequence shown is combined for all students, regardless of graduate coursework prior to admission. Students who have taken graduate coursework prior to admission can petition for course waivers of prerequisite courses taken. There is no limit to the number of waivers we accept. Petitions for course waivers are evaluated to determine whether the courses are (a) fully equivalent, (b) partially equivalent, or (c) not equivalent. Students who are able to waive out of courses may lower their time to graduation, depending on the number of courses waived. Students should meet with their academic advisor each semester to determine the appropriate course selection.

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredit Hours
EPS 676 Counseling Process and Practice 3
EPS 700 Quantitative Methods I 3
EPS 701 Introduction to Research Methods 3
EPS 767 Counseling Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice I 3
 Credit Hours12
Spring
EPS 667 Professional, Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling 3
EPS 702 Quantitative Methods II 3
EPS 768 Counseling Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice II 3
EPS 785 Preparing Future Faculty Seminar 2
 Credit Hours11
Summer
EPS 675 Therapeutic Group Procedures 3
EPS 679 Lifespan Human Development 3
EPS 703 Applied Multivariate Statistics 3
 Credit Hours9
Year Two
Fall
PSY 640 Adult Psychopathology 3
EPS 682 Practicum in Counseling I 1
EPS 705 Measurement and Psychometric Theory 3
 Credit Hours7
Spring
EPS 682 Practicum in Counseling I 1
EPS 780 Cultural Diversity and Mental Health * 3
EPS 7XX Research Course Elective 3
 Credit Hours7
Year Three
Fall
EPS 770 Psychological Appraisal I * 3
EPS 775 Doctoral Practicum I 1
EPS 7XX Research Course Elective 3
EPS 830 Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research 1
 Credit Hours8
Spring
EPS 771 Psychological Appraisal II 3
EPS 775 Doctoral Practicum I 1
EPS 781 The Social Bases of Human Activity and Flourishing * 3
EPS 830 Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research 1
 Credit Hours8
Year Four
Fall
EPS 776 Doctoral Practicum II 1
EPS 782 Supervision in Counseling Psychology 3
EPS 830 Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research 1
PSY 605 Cognitive Neuroscience 3
 Credit Hours8
Spring
EPS 776 Doctoral Practicum II 1
EPS 779 Vocational Psychology and Career Development * 3
EPS 830 Pre-Candidacy Dissertation Research 1
PSY 604 Cognition and Emotion 3
 Credit Hours8
Summer
EPS 776 Doctoral Practicum II 1
 Credit Hours1
Year Five
Fall
EPS 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 3
 Credit Hours3
Spring
EPS 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 1
 Credit Hours1
Year Six
Fall
EPS 803 Internship in Counseling Psychology 1
 Credit Hours1
Spring
EPS 803 Internship in Counseling Psychology 1
 Credit Hours1
Summer
EPS 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 4
 Credit Hours4
 Total Credit Hours89
 

*Course taught in alternate years.

Mission

To nurture the development of counseling psychology graduate students and faculty as reflective researchers and scientist-practitioners committed to promoting psychological well-being in a multiculturally complex world.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate an understanding of scientific knowledge in psychology and will be able to critically evaluate and conduct research relevant to the practice of counseling psychology.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in competent clinical practice as scientist-practitioners.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in ethical behavior and will be responsive to issues of diversity in multiple contexts.
  • Students will demonstrate skills to engage in research and academic careers in various contexts including academia, medical centers, hospitals, and mental health centers.