Admission Information: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
in Counselor Education

A limited number of students are admitted to SPU’s PhD in Counselor Education program each year. Applicants will have at least a bachelor’s degree (bachelor’s degree to doctorate requires a minimum of 135 quarter credits) or a master’s degree (master’s degree to doctorate requires a minimum of 90 quarter credits) from a regionally accredited college or university.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the items listed in the application procedure section below, admission decisions are based on the following:

For Bachelor’s Degree Applicants

• Bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, sociology, or related discipline.
• Experience (at least one year of paid positions, internships, etc.) with students in a variety of educationally related settings.
• Personal interview with two graduate-level counselor education faculty members.

For Master’s Degree Applicants

• Master’s degree in school counseling, mental health counseling, counseling psychology, marriage and family therapy, or a related counseling discipline. Preferable: ESA (School Counseling) certification.
• Experience (two years is preferable) in school-related counseling and educational service.
• Personal interview with two graduate-level counselor education faculty members.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following items to the Graduate Center.

• Application and $50 application processing fee.
• Official transcripts documenting excellent undergraduate and graduate GPAs from an accredited institution where an academic degree was conferred. Include post-master’s degree graduate coursework.
• Personal statement expressing your professional plans, goals, and focus of study, as well as a rationale for pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education. No more than 500 words.
• GRE-revised test score taken within five years of application. Preferred minimum combined score of 1200 on old GRE test. On revised GRE, preferred minimum Verbal Reasoning – 153; Quantitative Reasoning – 152.
• Four recent letters of recommendation, including two academic and two professional recommendations.
• Writing sample that demonstrates graduate-level writing skills.
• Resume.

Following the submission of all of these items, your file will be reviewed by the core graduate faculty. You will be contacted regarding the status of your application, and to schedule an interview, within approximately two weeks.

All correspondence regarding the interview process will be carried out by email using the address you provide in the application. Please set your email filters accordingly.

Application Deadlines

Autumn Quarter: August 15
Winter Quarter: November 15
Spring Quarter: February 15
Summer Session: May 15

Questions

Contact the Graduate Center at 800-601-0603 or gradadmissions@spu.edu.

Find information about this Program Overview, Program Outline, Suggested Course Sequence, and Admission Information.