Click here if you prefer frames.
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology - School Counselor Education Strand
Mission Statement:
The Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with specialization in School Counselor Education prepares students to work as counselor educators, supervisors, and advanced practitioners with particular attention to school-based practice. Consistent with standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) for doctoral studies, this program has as a primary obligation extending the knowledge base of the counseling profession in a climate of scholarly inquiry. Students are prepared to generate new knowledge for the counseling profession and to be leaders and advocates for change.
Students begin with the knowledge base of entry-level standards for professional school counselors. Doctoral students are then prepared for faculty and supervisory positions, guiding the development of educational professionals who are committed to addressing the academic, career, personal, and social needs of culturally and linguistically diverse K-12 student populations, and for positions as advanced practitioners committed to these same ideals.
Housed in a nationally ranked department of educational psychology, our mission recognizes that a Ph.D. degree reflects more than specialized training in a narrow area. Students receive a solid foundation in the educational sciences that support the practice of school counseling. And, through extensive research training, graduates are prepared for leadership roles in gathering and interpreting empirical data to promote student achievement and academic success.
Doctoral study in the school counselor education program is based on a mentoring model with expectation that much of the learning will occur in activities outside the classroom. Early in the program, students link with one or more faculty members on research teams for studies with particular emphasis on practice implications in the broad context of diversity. Students are expected to produce publishable work by the end of the second year of their programs and to prepare dissertations that extend the knowledge base in school counselor education and practice.
Admission:
Students admitted for this specialization are assumed to enter with a master's degree in a school counseling program accredited by CACREP or to have completed the substantial equivalent of such program. Students with degrees in other counseling specialties will be considered for admission with understanding that additional coursework will be required as a part of their doctoral programs. Click here for general Ph.D. admission requirements
Residence Requirement:
Students in the doctoral program in Educational Psychology must be enrolled full-time at the University Nevada, Las Vegas for a minimum of two consecutive semesters, not including summer sessions, after admission to the doctoral program. Each student's advisor or committee chair and the Department's Graduate Coordinator must approve proposed residency periods and courses in advance. Once admitted, the student is expected to enroll continuously, excluding summer sessions. If a program of study must be interrupted, the student may apply for leave status not to exceed one calendar year.
Program Requirements:
During the first semester of enrollment, students in all Ph.D. tracks complete a one-credit proseminar that includes orientation to doctoral studies in the department. The remaining doctoral coursework, minimum of a total of 67 credits beyond the master's degree, is listed below. Click on the content for a listing of specific courses.
Program of Study:
Your specific program of study will be determined by a number of factors, including the area of emphasis chosen by you and your doctoral committee. Individual programs of study frequently exceed the minimum requirement. Click here for an illustrative course sequence.
Program Completion Requirements:
All specialization tracks within the Ph.D. in Educational Psychology share some common program completion requirements. Click here for program completion information.
For more information about the Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with specialization in School Psychology, including comments from current students, click here.
For information about other doctoral programs offered in the Department of Educational Psychology, please contact the department graduate coordinator:
Dr. LeAnn Putney
Graduate Coordinator
Phone: (702) 895-4879
epy.grad.coord@unlv.edu