Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision

The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Adams State University prepares graduates to:

  • Work as counselor educators and supervisors, researchers and practitioners in academic and clinical settings.
  • Extend the knowledge base of the counseling profession in a climate of scholarly inquiry.
  • Publish and/or present the results of scholarly inquiry.
  • Inform professional practice by generating new knowledge for the profession through dissertation or comparable research projects focused on areas relevant to counseling practice, counselor education, and/or supervision.
  • Assume positions of leadership in the counseling profession and/or their area(s) of specialization.

Counselor Education and Supervision students at Adams State University will be:

  • Prepared to teach select courses in counseling skill, theory, ethics, research, assessment, group, supervision, instructional theory, and career.
  • Knowledgeable and skilled in the practice of advanced clinical counseling.
  • Knowledgeable and competent in cultural diversity.
  • Experienced in online course development, delivery, and counseling supervision.
  • Prepared to teach courses in the CACREP core.
  • Prepared to supervise counselors and counseling students who provide individual and group counseling.
  • Experienced in developing and conducting research.
  • Experienced in presenting research results at state, regional, and national conferences.
  • Experienced in writing for professional publications.
  • Prepared to evaluate counselor education programs and clinical counseling sites.
  • Experienced as professional counseling leaders, mentors, practitioners, and consultants.
  • Experienced as active change advocates.

Admission Requirements

  • Admission to the Counselor Education doctoral program is competitive but does not guarantee graduation or state specific licensure. Specifically, applicants and admitted students are required to attend in person: (1) all scheduled selection interviews; (2) new student orientation; (3) and summer residencies. Failure to attend will result in program dismissal.
  • Applications must be email verified as complete no later than December 3. The processing of applications can take several weeks depending on receipt of official transcripts and other required application materials.

Application Timeline:

  • December 3: Deadline for Application Materials to be verified
  • December 14: Interview invitations distributed
  • January 31: On-campus interviews (in person)
  • February 18: Admission decision notifications distributed
  • May 29 and 30: On-campus new Ph.D. student orientation (in person)
  • August 19: Fall semester courses begin

Required Admission Documents:

A candidate who is interested in enrolling at Adams State University to pursue a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counselor Education and Supervision must:

  1. Complete the online application for admission (application type #10)
  2. Pay the $45 non-refundable application fee during the online application process.
  3. Submit ALL supplemental admission documents online: Online submission of supplemental admission documents

These documents include

A letter of intent answering:

    1. Why are you pursuing a doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision?
    2. What professional experience do you have?
    3. What leadership experience do you have?
    4. What are your plans for applying your education following graduation?

Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae

Three (3) Reference Request Forms from individuals who can attest to your abilities for successful doctoral study. References can choose to send their form directly to you OR they can submit them directly to the Adams State Office of Graduate Studies to the email or mailing address below OR contact information from associates who can speak to the applicant’s academic strengths and potential.

4. Official Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test score report from ETS with an earned score in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, AND a 3.5 or higher on Analytical Writing section. GRE scores need to be no more than 5 years old from the date of application to program.

5. Send ALL (undergraduate and graduate) official transcripts from previously attended institutions. Transcripts from Adams State need not be requested. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted. International transcripts must be evaluated by an approved international credential evaluator. Please have all official transcripts sent directly from the institutions to:

graduatestudies@adams.edu (for electronic official transcripts)OR Adams State University Office of Graduate Studies, Suite 2300, 208 Edgemont Blvd., Alamosa, CO 81101

6. Download and read the latest Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision Student Handbook.

Selection Criteria for Doctoral Study

In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School, persons applying for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in Counselor Education and Supervision must meet the following criteria for selection. Applicants must have:

  • A master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program and be license eligible in their state of residence or a master’s degree in counseling, one year of full-time post-master’s degree counseling experience, graduate course work curriculum requirements in all of the CACREP common core areas. Doctoral students who have earned their master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program will be assumed to have entry level knowledge in core and major course areas. Those not graduating from a CACREP accredited program will have their transcripts evaluated by a faculty advisor to determine CACREP core knowledge base deficiencies. A remediation plan of study will be developed and approved by the faculty as necessary.
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher from completed master’s degree.
  • Submitted official transcripts for ALL undergraduate and graduate coursework.
  • Submitted Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (including an earned score in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and a 3.5 or higher on the Analytical Writing section).
  • Submitted three Reference Request forms.
  • Completed an on-campus interview with the Adams State Counselor Education admission committee.

The admission committee will make the final decision regarding admission. This decision will include at a minimum: (1) academic aptitude for doctoral-level study; (2) previous professional experience; (3) fitness for the profession, including self-awareness and emotional stability; (4) oral and written communication skills, and (5) potential for scholarship, professional leadership, and advocacy.

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy program in Counselor Education and Supervision requires a minimum of 66 semester hours as described below. However, the order of the course offering is subject to change. Students must enter the doctoral program with a master’s degree in counseling from a CACREP accredited program. If the student’s degree is from a non-CACREP program, additional hours will be assessed.

  • COUN 705: Advanced Theories and Career (3 hours)
  • COUN 708: Quantitative Research Methods (3 hours)
  • COUN 710: Supervision and Consultation (3 hours)
  • COUN 712: Qualitative Research Methodology (3 hours)
  • COUN 715: Advanced Multicultural & Ethical Issues (3 hours)
  • COUN 717: Instructional Theory in Coun Ed (3 hours)
  • COUN 720: Advanced Group Counseling (3 hours)
  • COUN 722: Data Analysis (3 hours)
  • COUN 725: Seminar in Counselor Education (3 hours)
  • COUN 727: Advanced Practicum Counseling (3 hours)
  • COUN 729: Seminar: Leadership & Advocacy (3 hours)
  • COUN 731: Advanced Assessment (3 hours)
  • COUN 733: Seminar: Program Eval & Grant Writing (3 hours)
  • COUN 736: Dissertation Seminar (3 hours)
  • COUN 737: Doctoral Intern I-Supervision (1 hours)
  • COUN 738: Doctoral Intrnshp II Teaching (1 hours)
  • COUN 739: Doctoral Internship III Supv (1 hours)
  • COUN 740: Doctoral Internship IV – Core (3 hours)
  • COUN 741: Doctoral Internship V Teaching (1 hours)
  • COUN 742: Doctoral Intern VI-Supervision (1 hours)
  • COUN 744: Dissertation I (3 hours)
  • COUN 746: Dissertation II (3 hours)
  • COUN 751: Dissertation III (3 hours)
  • COUN 755: Dissertation IV (3 hours)

PROGRAM TOTAL (62 hours)

  • COUN 756: Dissertation Continuation (1 hours)