Important Doctoral Admission Criteria
Students seeking admission to the program must meet the following criteria:
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Have earned a 48- or 60-credit-hour master’s degree in counseling from a CACREP-accredited institution.
or
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Have earned a 48- or 60-credit-hour master’s degree in counseling not from a CACREP-accredited program.
Students whose master’s degree is not from a CACREP-accredited program, but hold a 48- or 60-credit counseling degree, must complete the additional coursework necessary to meet CACREP 2016 Standards. A transcript audit will be completed to identify
any additional coursework. No applicant will be admitted who needs more than 12 credit hours including practicum.
The Need for Counselor Educators Is Growing
Recent changes in
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards, implemented as of 2013, now require
accredited counselor-training programs to hire faculty who have earned a doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision or have experience teaching in a CACREP-accredited program. Applicants from related fields are no longer qualified for
hire.
At the same time, demand for school and clinical mental health counselors has increased and is projected to keep growing. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act has given access to mental health services to millions of Americans who were previously
uninsured. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for mental health counselors will increase by 20 percent by 2024 (O*NET OnLine). Enrollment in mental health counseling
master’s programs is already increasing.
By earning a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, you’ll help meet the demand for mental health services by educating the next generation of school and clinical mental health counselors.
Convenient Locations
Odd-Year Cohorts: Complete Your Studies at the Indiana Campus
Students in the Counselor Education and Supervision PhD Program at IUP will be able to take advantage of a location that fits their needs. Cohorts that start in the fall of odd years complete their studies at IUP’s main campus in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Here, we have renovated a space in our Counseling Department dedicated specifically to PhD students to ensure a collaborative and productive environment.
Even-Year Cohorts: All Classes at Penn Center, Near Pittsburgh and Greensburg
Students who begin their doctoral studies during an even year will take all classes at IUP Pittsburgh East. Situated at Penn Center, just 20 minutes east of downtown Pittsburgh, this location is ideal for counseling professionals in both the Pittsburgh
and Greensburg areas. Free parking and communal spaces are available for all students.
The IUP Difference
Standards-based curriculum. The curriculum has been designed to meet the 2016 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) doctoral standards.
IUP’s doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision is currently under review for CACREP Accreditation.
Prepare for teaching, research, scholarship, and service. To prepare students for a faculty position, the PhD curriculum emphasizes teaching, research/scholarship, and service—the three areas in which faculty members are expected
to excel. Students will gain experience in college teaching and mentoring. All coursework—outside of practicum and field experiences—includes research and scholarship. Additionally, the curriculum includes a course in leadership and advocacy in the
profession with a high emphasis on service.
A tradition of excellence. Founded in 1965, the Department of Counseling at IUP has been the recipient of the PCA Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award in 2003, 2010, and 2019 from the Pennsylvania Counseling Association. Two faculty members have served as president of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, another was awarded Counselor Educator of the Year from the
Pennsylvania School Counselors Association, and two faculty members are certified team leaders for the CACREP self-study evaluation and site review.
Course Sequence
48-Credit PhD, Counselor Education and Supervision
In their first year, students will take three courses in fall and spring and two over the summer. During the second year, students will take two courses in the fall and spring.
Students register for dissertation credits in the second summer and third fall of the program. Starting in the third spring, students will continue with their dissertation and will take a one-credit continuous registration and thereafter until the dissertation
is complete.
Specific Course Requirements
Professor Holly Branthoover, EdD, is the doctoral program coordinator. Contact her at holly.branthoover@iup.edu.