Counselor Education (Ph.D.)

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
PETERSON HALL
206-281-2214
GRADADMISSIONS@SPU.EDU
SPU.EDU/DEPTS/SOE

The primary aim of the Ph.D. option is to educate and prepare doctoral students to serve as college and university-level school counseling educators, who can effectively teach and supervise graduate-level students and conduct publishable research and other scholarly work.

Some graduates may seek positions as supervisors/directors of counseling services. Opportunities for co-authoring professional publications are available.

Foci 

The program's key emphases are multicultural approaches to school counseling, collaboration with families, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive school counseling programs, and the intersection of counseling and spirituality. As such, the Ph.D. program emphasizes both cutting edge counselor education theory and research. Best practice and supervisorial skills are included as well.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Application and fee.
• Official transcripts documenting excellent undergraduate and graduate-level GPA.
• Preferable: Master’s degree in school counseling or psychology, mental health counseling, counseling psychology, MFT, or related counseling discipline. ESA certification in school counseling. Highly qualified bachelor’s (B.A./B.S.) level students in psychology or related discipline may also apply.
• Master’s level applicants should have a minimum of two-years experience counseling in schools. B.A./B.S. to Ph.D. applicants should have experience serving (paid and/or volunteer) students in a educationally related settings.
• Minimum GRE score of 1200 (verbal + quantitative) taken within five years
  of application. (Exceptional applicants with lower scores will be considered.)
• Three letters of recommendation (two must be academic recommendations).
• A writing sample demonstrating competency in academic writing.
• Personal Statement that includes professional academic goals and focus of study (no more than 500 words).
• Personal interview with two graduate-level faculty

Requirements for Applicants With a Bachelor's Degree

The program requires 72 quarter credits for a M.Ed. in school counseling and the ESA certification (needed to practice school counseling in WA). An additional 66 credits of doctoral level courses (total 138 credits [quarter]) are completed. Students earn a M.Ed. in school counseling, K-12 Washington state school counseling certification, and a Ph.D. in school counselor education.

Foundations and Instructional Leadership (15 credits)

• EDU 7910 (3 credits [quarter]) Seminar in Educational Values
• EDU 7101 (3) Instructional Theory
• EDU 7102 (3) Curriculum Design
• EDU 7990 (3) Leadership Colloquium
• EDU 7106 (3) Trends and Research in Global Education

Research and Dissertation (36 credits):

• EDU 7107 (3) Program Evaluation
• EDU 7972 (3) Doctoral Research Design and Analysis I
• EDU 7973 (3) Doctoral Research Design and Analysis II
• EDU 7974 (3) Doctoral Research Design and Analysis III
• EDU 7970 (3) Advanced Quantitative Research 
• EDU 7991 (1) Dissertation Orientation Seminar
• EDU 7995 (20) Dissertation

Specialization and Electives (15 credits)

• EDU 7110 (3) Advances in Educational Assessment (new)
• EDU 7115 (3) Advances in Educational Psychology (new)
• EDCO 6882 (3) Positive Psychology and Spirituality in the Schools
• EDU 7930 (3) University Teaching Practicum Seminar (new)
• EDCO 7910 (1-6) School Counseling Supervision Seminar (new)

Requirements for Applicants With a Master's Degree

Depending upon the applicant’s academic background, the Ph.D. in counselor education requires a minimum of 90 quarter credits, including the following courses:

Foundations and Instructional Leadership (15 credits)

• EDU 7910 (3 credits [quarter]) Seminar in Educational Values
• EDU 7101 (3) Instructional Theory
• EDU 7102 (3) Curriculum Design
• EDU 7990 (3) Leadership Colloquium
• EDU 7106 (3) Trends and Research in Global Education
   

Research and Dissertation (36 credits):

• EDU 7107 (3) Program Evaluation
• EDU 7972 (3) Doctoral Research Design and Analysis I
• EDU 7973 (3) Doctoral Research Design and Analysis II
• EDU 7974 (3) Doctoral Research Design and Analysis III
• EDU 7970 (3) Advanced Quantitative Research 
• EDU 7991 (1) Dissertation Orientation Seminar
• EDU 7995 (20) Dissertation

Specialization and Electives (15 credits) 

• EDU 7110 (3) Advances in Educational Assessment (new)
• EDU 7115 (3) Advances in Educational Psychology (new)
• EDCO 6882 (3) Positive Psychology and Spirituality in the Schools
• EDU 7930 (3) University Teaching Practicum Seminar (new)
• EDU 7910 (3) School Counseling Supervision Seminar (new)

• Min. 24 elective credits (for master’s students)

More Information 

For more information, contact Dr. Christopher Sink, Ph.D. program advisor, at csink@spu.edu or 206-281-2453, or Dr. Andrew Lumpe, director of doctoral studies, at lumpea@spu.edu or 206-281-2369.

LEADERSHIP COLLOQUIUM AND COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS

After approximately one year of coursework (24 credits), students may register for the leadership colloquium (EDU 7990). This requires the student to write a scholarly paper and present that paper in a formal setting to the educational community. Graduate faculty of the School of Education conduct an evaluation of the scholarship and colloquium. The leadership colloquium must be taken before the student can take the comprehensive exams.

Upon completion of all courses, the student must pass written comprehensive examinations. These examinations will cover the foundations, professional and research components of the core, and the student's area of specialization. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination advances the student to the doctoral candidacy.

The Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation is the culminating experience in the Ph.D. in education degree. It is a scholarly inquiry into an area of professional and intellectual interest, and it is a highly individualized experience.

Working with faculty throughout the coursework and with a dissertation advisor, the student develops a research question and proposal. Using the expertise and knowledge developed in the research courses and under the direction of a faculty dissertation advisor and committee, the student conducts the research and produces a quality report of the findings. As a final demonstration of scholarly competence, the student conducts an oral presentation and defense of the research.

While it is expected that the dissertation will follow standard accepted research methodologies and format, the topic of the research may vary depending on the professional goals and area of specialization of the student and the expertise of the faculty.

Program and Enrollment Policies
At the time of admission, a student may transfer up to 15 post-master's degree credits into the Doctoral Program with the approval of the director of doctoral studies. Courses transferred must be graduate level, from a regionally accredited institution and relevant to the student's course of doctoral study.

They must have been taken within the three years prior to admission and must have been part of a planned program leading to a graduate degree or a professional certificate. Courses with grades below a 3.0 ("B"), or those receiving "pass" or "satisfactory" grades cannot transfer into the program.

Finally, transferred classes may be substituted for degree requirements if the student can document in writing that they are comparable to required courses offered through SPU. Modifications to these transfer policies may be made at the discretion of the director of doctoral studies in consultation with the Doctoral Admissions Committee.

Residency Requirement
Students are expected to complete the required cohort courses (7000-level) in sequence during the first two years of the program. Once students begin their classes, continuous enrollment must be maintained throughout the program. Students who interrupt the residency requirement may be dropped from the program.

Grade Point Average
A 3.2 overall GPA is required for graduation.

DEGREE COMPLETION

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within five years from the quarter the first post-admission course was taken. Students needing more than five years to complete the degree must file a time-extension petition with the director of doctoral studies.

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