Course Catalogs

Counseling and Counselor Education, PhD

Contact

Caroline O’Hara, Associate Professor, 315-443-5266, clohara@syr.edu

Faculty

Dr. Sabrina Butler, Assistant Teaching Professor 
Dr. Yanhong Liu, Associate Professor
Dr. Melissa Luke, Dean’s Professor
Dr. Caroline O’Hara, Associate Professor
Dr. Derek Seward, Associate Professor
Dr. Meredith Si Snieckus, Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor 

Description

The Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling and Counselor Education and Supervision is a CACREP-accredited program designed to prepare graduates for academic positions and other careers in Counselor Education, building on the entry level competencies of the master’s degree in counseling. The doctoral program of study incorporates didactic and experiential learning and includes a cognate area of study involving at least nine semester credits, which are usually completed outside of the department.

The overall goal for the doctorate in Counseling and Counselor Education is to produce professors, administrators, and clinicians who will become leaders at the regional and national level in their area(s) of expertise. That leadership will include contributing to the professional body of knowledge through research and disciplined practice, planning and organizing systemic services to the larger community, and establishing preparation programs for counselors to serve the future needs of society.

The strengths of our doctoral program are numerous. Current and past doctoral students have offered the following comments on the quality of S.U.’s program:

  • Faculty who are nationally recognized yet student-focused
  • Multiple opportunities for clinical supervision
  • Opportunities and support for developing teaching skills through the Future Professoriate program
  • Solid financial support through graduate assistantships and excellent medical benefits
  • Flexible policies allowing doctoral students to use GA support for summer courses
  • Financial support to attend and present at national conferences
  • Opportunities to develop research skills as part of on-going research teams

The Department of Counseling and Human Services has been a pioneer in training highly skilled practitioners and leaders in a wide range of counseling settings. Syracuse’s programs are nationally accredited and can lead to national certification or State Certification in School Counseling or Licensure as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor.

Programs include extensive fieldwork opportunities in which students gain hands-on experience working with students and clients in a wide range of counseling and educational settings. Students work closely with their advisor, and the fieldwork coordinator to identify settings that meet their individual interests and career goals. The faculty is nationally recognized for their leadership in the profession and all classes are taught by skilled experts and experienced clinicians.

The faculty is deeply committed to the growth and development of their students; faculty work closely with both our master’s and doctoral students. Students are trained in the most current practices and research in counseling and provided the opportunity to develop their skills and succeed in their chosen area of specialization. Doctoral students have many opportunities to develop their teaching, research and supervision skills and are prepared to be nationally competitive in academic and practice settings.

S.U. Re-Accredited through 2024

The Department of Counseling and Human Services is focused on program quality which is exemplified through our commitment to accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP accreditation provides recognition of the quality and scope of training as well as assures students that the program is stable and committed to meeting professional benchmarks of quality. Our two master’s programs (Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling) and our Counselor Education Ph.D. program are currently accredited by CACREP.  CACREP accreditation is critical as you compare programs in that counselors must be graduates of a CACREP program as of 2022 to be credentialed as a National Certified Counselor. Accreditation also streamlines licensure and credentialing processes for professional counselors.​

Admission

In our admission process, we consider multiple facets of an applicant’s portfolio and background because we believe that successful counselor educators, supervisors, and leaders need to be interpersonally skilled, highly self-aware, professionally mature, academically prepared for graduate work, and committed to the values and philosophies of the counseling profession and the Department of Counseling and Human Services at Syracuse University. Therefore, academic, interpersonal, professional, leadership, and personal components are integrated in our admission decision process.

The Department of Counseling and Human Services faculty seeks to admit individuals who are personally and academically prepared to be successful in completing the doctoral program in Counseling and Counselor Education. Within these parameters, the faculty is committed to admitting students who represent diverse backgrounds or who have special abilities to serve a diverse population. Admission is highly competitive and conducted once a year.

Applicants for admission to the Ph.D. program in Counseling and Counselor Education will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Prior graduate work in counseling or related field. Applicants should have completed the equivalent of a master’s degree in counseling and should have a minimum graduate grade point average of 3.25;
  • The Graduate Record Examination (optional);
  • Completion of a minimum of one year of work experience in counseling settings prior to admission to the doctoral program is desirable;
  • Professional references from former professors and professional colleagues;
  • Potential for and evidence of leadership and advocacy;
  • History of and potential for tenacity, engagement, and collaboration;
  • Congruence of professional goals with doctoral program features; and,
  • A writing sample (which may be a paper written for a master’s level course).

The Process of Admission                   

The deadline for doctoral applications is November 1 for matriculation the following fall semester. This deadline is required for persons seeking funding, including fellowships or graduate assistantships. Prospective students who wish to study part-time should contact Dr. Derek X. Seward, doctoral program coordinator. All application materials, including the Department application, can be obtained through the Department website. Doctoral applications are reviewed by the entire full-time faculty. A positive review of the application will be followed by an interview.