Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education & Supervision (Ph.D.)
Format
Courses in the Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision program are delivered in a blended format each consisting of online participation and a week of on-campus instruction. Practicum, Internship, and Dissertation courses do not include an on-campus component.
Purpose
Liberty University’s mission to develop Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact the world is achieved, in significant measure, through offering rigorous academic programs. The mission of the Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision is to train highly competent counselor educators, supervisors, clinical practitioners, researchers, scholars, and leader-advocates. Faculty in the Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies are committed to collaborative inquiry wherein doctoral students are supported through mentoring in leadership competencies and roles in the counseling field. To facilitate these outcomes, students engage in learning experiences that support them in developing:
- Collaborative relationships with faculty and other professionals in the field of counseling
- Leadership skills in counselor education, supervision, advanced clinical practice, research and scholarship, and counseling leadership/advocacy
- Expertise in an area or areas of professional identity and functioning
- Knowledge and skills in developing and disseminating research and scholarship that makes a significant impact on the field and the lives of others
- Competency and comfort in participating in professional counseling organizations (i.e., American Counseling Association and its Divisions)
Program Learning Outcomes
The student will be able to:
- Apply supervision theory and skills to clinical supervision.
- Demonstrate course design, delivery, and evaluation methods appropriate to counselor education learning outcomes.
- Critically analyze and evaluate scholarly research, develop and implement research designs, and produce scholarly reports that disseminate findings to the profession of counseling.
- Critically analyze, evaluate, and synthesize a broad range of counseling theories, with an advanced understanding of psychopathology, to inform case conceptualization and deliver and evaluate evidence-based interventions across diverse populations and settings.
- Provide leadership and advocacy within the profession and on behalf of its clientele.
- Integrate faith and spirituality into counselor education and supervision in an ethical manner.
Program Specific Admission Procedures
In addition to the General Admission Procedures outlined in this catalog, applicants to the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program must have:
- Official college transcripts (sealed, unopened copies of Undergrad and Grad degrees).
- A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree that reveals evidence of fulfilling CACREP entry level standards (our current pre-requisite courses) with a minimum of 3.25 GPA. Applicants who have a regionally accredited masters in a related field (i.e., counseling, psychology, human services) are welcome to apply but, if admitted, will be required to complete all M.A. level pre-requisite courses listed on the Degree Completion Plan before taking any Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision courses.
- A cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 or above (on a 4.00 scale) in all previous graduate course work.
- Applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and earn a score of 80 on the Internet-based exam for graduate program admission, or 80 on the Internet-based exam for admission. An official TOEFL score report must be submitted to the University before an admission decision can be made.
TOEFL Services
The Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541
or online at http://www.toefl.org. - Two recommendations from professionals familiar with applicant’s work and character.
- A 300-word Letter of Intent specifying the applicant’s purpose and goals for entering the Ph.D. Program.
- Professional vita, indicating counseling licensure, or, a minimum of at least one year of clinical experience in the counseling field.
- An APA formatted research paper of 3-5 pages length (not including title page, abstract, and references) on a topic related to clinical mental health counseling.
- A Graduate Status Record (available online).
- Selected applicants may be required to participate in a Personal Interview with Core Ph.D. Faculty.
- Counseling Practicum and Counseling Internship: Applicants are required to have a 100-hour (40 direct) supervised practicum and 600-hour (240 direct) supervised internship at the master’s level or equivalent. All exceptions must be approved by the Director of Clinical Training. Applicants who have already obtained LPC licensure in their state may be exempt from this policy.
The above are minimum academic requirements for admission to the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program. The applicant’s character, integrity, and general fitness to practice a particular profession will also be considered in the admission process.
Transfer of Credit
Students may transfer up to 15 semester hours of Ph.D. coursework. For a transferred course to replace a Liberty University Ph.D. course, the following requirements must be met:
- The school at which the course was taken must be appropriately accredited.
- The course credit must be at least three semester hours or five quarter hours.
- The student must have earned a grade of B- or better in the course.
- The course must overlap with one of Liberty’s courses by at least 80%.
- Transfer credits must have been completed as post-master’s course work (700-900 level) within the previous seven (7) years to be accepted.
- Courses with a recorded grade of C+ or below will not be accepted.
- COUC 715 Advanced Theory Application (3 c.h.), COUC 740 Advanced Research Design (3 c.h.), COUC 870 Advanced Research Seminar (3 c.h.), COUC 969 Qualifying Exam (0 c.h.), COUC 970 Teaching Internship (3 c.h.), COUC 980 Supervision Internship (3 c.h.), COUC 989 Dissertation Proposal and Research (3 c.h.), COUC 990 Dissertation Defense (3 c.h.), COUC 998 Practicum (3 c.h.), AND COUC 999 Internship (3-6 c.h.) cannot be transferred.
- Correspondence studies or life experiences will not be accepted for transfer credit.
Course Requirements
The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision requires completion of a minimum of 60 hours of post-master’s Ph.D. level coursework including program orientation, core courses, Qualifying Examination, electives, Practicum, Internship, Candidacy Examination, and Dissertation coursework, research, and defense.
Administrative Dismissal
No grades lower than a "B" may be applied to the degree. Any coursework taken toward fulfilling the requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy degree or required by the student's advisor or committee with a recorded grade below "B" (includes B+ & B-) will not count toward the degree and may result in dismissal from the program.
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies
Students will be awarded a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies if they choose not to complete their dissertation. Students awarded a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Counseling must have:
- been admitted to the Ph.D. program;
- completed all required coursework, practicum and internship and
- earned a GPA of 3.00 or better.
The awarding of a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies will result in an appropriate notation on the student’s academic record.
- College and University Teaching Faculty
- College and University Administrative Positions
- Advanced Professional Counselor
- Administrator in Community, Public, Private, Government, Health-Care, and Educational Settings
- Advanced Researcher and Scholar
This is a study of evangelical, theological and ethical perspectives and their impact on pastoral and professional counseling. Particular emphasis is placed on biblical themes related to human nature, its ideal vs. its present condition, and the divine design for its restoration, health, and destiny.
Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, probability distributions, estimation, tests of hypotheses, and visual displays of data with applications in counseling research and practice.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course examines several issues that are commonly addressed in both philosophy of religion and counseling, like the problem of evil, the nature of persons, and the issue of religious doubt.
Students review counseling leadership styles in task-oriented and personal growth groups. Current research on group counseling models and application is critiqued. Emphasis is placed upon leadership behaviors that are most facilitative to the group process.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course is a study of neurology, brain-behavioral relationships, diseases, injuries, and psycho-pharmacology. The effects of psychotropic drugs on individuals are examined and Pastoral Care and Counseling treatments are developed.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Prerequisite: COUN 699 or CMHC 699 or COUC 699
Theory, practice, and experience of supervision for counselors in training are reviewed. Students apply principles and theory while supervising other students, as well as being supervised themselves.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
A review and critique of counseling theories. Research regarding counseling theory constructs, along with their application in different settings and populations, is reviewed.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
A review of family therapy models, with special emphasis placed upon family change issues over the life span. Specifically, research is reviewed on family assessment, the family life cycle, and family pathology in the developmental context.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Counseling issues and special needs of religious clients are discussed, including philosophical and value differences and ethical issues. Students are encouraged to review techniques and therapy styles for different religious groups.
Current trends and themes in integration literature are reviewed. Special emphasis is given to current philosophical, theological, and psychological bases of integration, models of integration, and future themes.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
A review of the process and method of developing and conducting research. Emphasis will be placed upon the application of methods for development and preparation of the doctoral proposal.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
An examination of both quantitative and qualitative designs for research to assist the student in preparing a research proposal for discussion and critique in class. Each student will submit a formal written proposal.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
Online Prerequisite: COUC 969
This course explores contemporary andragogy, course design, adult learning theory, course delivery, and evaluation methods in the field of counselor education. This exploration is both applied in focus and grounded in the empirical research on these subjects. Students synthesize their own philosophy of teaching and incorporate it practically in residential and online instructional contexts. Cultural, ethical, historical, and legal aspects of counseling instruction are examined. Teaching Christian spirituality as a subspecialty area in a counseling program is also considered. (Formerly COUN 747)
Registration Restrictions: By instructor permission only
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Online Prerequisite: COUC 740
Qualitative research helps advance our understanding of effective solutions to the complex problems addressed in counseling. Therefore, counseling doctoral students need to understand the main qualitative methods of inquiry and when/how to appropriately use them. This course promotes understanding of the main qualitative research methods and their application to the counseling field. Selected qualitative research methods are explored, appropriate problems for qualitative inquiry delineated, and rigorous, ethical, and effective qualitative research strategies are applied to problems addressed in the field of counseling.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
An intensive study in a specific subject of Professional Counseling. This course allows variation in the approach and content of the regular curriculum and often will be used by visiting professors.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Use and application of personality assessment instruments are discussed, including projective tests with individuals. Students learn testing procedures as well as application of results and use in diagnosis and treatment planning.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
This course presents a comprehensive examination of the major psychiatric disorders contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, including Personality Disorders and Character Flaws. Students will learn multi-axial diagnosis and develop treatments for these disorders.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
An overview of theoretical foundations of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Students learn the assessment, conceptual framework, strategic focus, and technical details of how cognitive-behavioral therapy is conducted.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Resident and Online
Course Description: This course offers an orientation to writing and disseminating presentations and publications to the field of counseling in a variety of venues. Principles of research and scholarly writing are reviewed and skills are emphasized that provide readiness for manuscript preparation, submission, review, editorial, and presentation processes. The skills developed in this course will equip budding scholars to make a difference for Christ as expert writers and presenters in their chosen areas of counseling specialization.
Offered: Resident and Online
Evidence-based or empirically supported practice involves "the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences" (APA, 2005). In this course, students will explore and understand how science informs clinical practice in the field of counseling with the goal of translating learning into ethical, effective, and biblically grounded clinical practice.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Evidence-based or empirically supported practice involves "the integration of the best available research with the clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences" (APA, 2005). In this course, students will explore and understand how science informs clinical practice in the field of counseling with the goal of translating learning into ethical, effective, and biblically grounded clinical practice with children and adolescents.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
A thorough grounding in current career development theories and application is provided. Special attention is given to career development, career counseling with special populations, and decision-making models.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Course description: This doctoral level seminar course is designed to foster professional identity as a counselor educator and leadership/service to the counseling profession. There is a focus on leadership principles and theories, including their application to counselor education. Students will work for a self-reflective model in order to discover and assess their own leadership skills and potential and to consider how that potential can be applied to their field of counselor education. Professional, ethical, social, spiritual, and religious advocacy issues are also addressed throughout this course.
Offered: Resident and Online
This course is designed to assist doctoral students in clarifying, developing, and completing their dissertations by examining both the methodological and practical issues involved in research designs and advanced data analysis procedures. Under the supervision of the instructor, students will present their own dissertation research ideas to the seminar participants for discussion, critique, and advice. Specific attention will be given to insuring that students craft research questions that build upon previous research and select an appropriate research design and analytic strategy. Concerns about research quality and rigor will be addressed in detail. Additionally, institutional guidelines regarding thesis and dissertation policies and procedures, the Human Research Review Committee application, publication options, timelines, committee membership, etc., will be reviewed.
Offered: Resident and Online
The course is designed to assist dissertators in clarifying, developing, and completing their thesis by examining both the philosophical and methodological issues of qualitative research. Under the supervision of the instructor, students will present their own work to the seminar participants for discussion, critique, and advice. Additionally, institutional guidelines regarding thesis and dissertation policies and procedures, the Human Research Review Committee application, publication options, timelines, committee membership, etc., requirements will be reviewed.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Description: The doctoral internship is designed to provide students with supervised experiences that reflect the activities of a regularly employed professional in the field of counselor education. All doctoral interns must have internship experiences in teaching, supervision and one additional doctoral competency (counseling, research, or leadership/advocacy). Under the guidance of faculty, the primary focus of the teaching internship is to help doctoral students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for ethical and competent practice in their role of educating counselor trainees in the field of counselor education.
Registration Restrictions: 3.0 GPA or above
Offered: Online
Description: Course Description: The doctoral internship is designed to provide students with supervised experiences that reflect the activities of a regularly employed professional in the field of counselor education. All doctoral interns must have internship experiences in supervision, teaching, and one additional doctoral competency (counseling, research, or leadership/advocacy). Under the guidance of faculty and supervisors, the primary focus of the supervision internship is to help doctoral students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for ethical and competent practice as supervisors in the field of counseling and counselor education.
Registration Restrictions: 3.0 GPA or above
Offered: Online
Preparation for research and writing of the Dissertation.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Offered: Online
An intensive study in a specific subject of Professional Counseling. This course allows variation in the approach and content of the regular curriculum, and often will be used by visiting professors.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Online Prerequisite: COUC 969
Supervised practice of counseling. Focus is on the skills and development of the counselor under the supervision and guidance of staff in that setting. Students will actively participate in counseling situations with individuals and groups.
Note: Must be enrolled in the following program: Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.
Offered: Online
Course Description: The doctoral internship is designed to provide students with supervised experiences that reflect the activities of a regularly employed professional in the field of counselor education. All doctoral interns must have internship experiences in supervision, teaching, and one additional doctoral competency (counseling, research or leadership/advocacy). Under the guidance of faculty and supervisors, the primary focus of this internship is to help doctoral students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for ethical and competent practice as a counselor educator in counseling, research, or leadership and advocacy.
Offered: Online