Program Overview

Counselor Education, PhD

The Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education. The Ph.D. in Counselor Education is accredited by The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Mission Statement

The Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, devoted to excellence in instruction, research, and service, prepares graduate-level counselors and counselor educators to facilitate impactful societal changes at the local, state, national, and international levels.

Program Description

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), through the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD), offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Counselor Education designed to prepare students for careers as counselor educators and supervisors. The Counselor Education program is a 69-semester hour program CACREP-accredited program.

Student Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Graduates of the Counselor Education doctoral program will be able to:

• Knowledgeably integrate fundamental principles of counseling service delivery into a contemporary counselor educator identity
• Knowledgeably integrate fundamental principles of clinical supervision into a contemporary counselor educator identity
• Knowledgeably integrate fundamental principles of curriculum development and classroom instruction into a contemporary counselor educator identity
• Knowledgeably integrate fundamental principles of scholarly inquiry and professional writing into a contemporary counselor educator identity
• Knowledgeably integrate fundamental principles of leadership and advocacy into a contemporary counselor educator identity

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the doctoral program must submit:

• An application data sheet
• A two-page professional goals statement
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work indicating the completion of requirements that are equal or equivalent to a master's degree accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• A valid score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) that is no more than five years old
• Three letters of recommendation using forms provided by the Department
• A resume documenting work experience
• An interview by the admissions committee focusing on communication skills, self-awareness, and potential for scholarship, leadership, and advocacy

Program Requirements

The degree requirements enhance the leadership capabilities of professional counselors who serve or plan to serve in the role of counselor educators, directors of counseling and guidance programs, research specialists in counseling and the behavioral sciences, supervisors in counseling and mental health, and direct service providers. The Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Counselor Education is awarded in recognition of the attainment of independent and comprehensive scholarship in the field.

• Residence: Students in the Counselor Education doctoral program participate as members of a cohort group
• Recency of Credit: Courses completed for a prerequisite master's degree do not need to meet the 10-year recency of credit rule for the doctoral program
• Entry-Level Courses: Entry level coursework, equal/equivalent to master's degree requirements specified in the most recent Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards is required
• Doctoral Counseling Core Courses: A minimum of 36 semester hours of doctoral-level core courses, including 6 semester hours of internship and 3 semester hours of practicum, are required
• Research Courses: An extensive sequence of research courses is required, including a minimum of 33 hours of research methodology and statistics
• Doctoral Practicum and Internship: All doctoral students are required to successfully complete a clinical component of the program
• Comprehensive Examination: Doctoral students are required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination administered in two parts (written and oral) after completing the first two years of doctoral coursework
• Dissertation and Final Examination: Doctoral students are required to successfully complete a dissertation under the direction and supervision of their dissertation chair and committee members

Course List

• Core Courses
  • CNEP 6305: Advanced Theories in Individual and Group Counseling
  • CNEP 6310: Advanced Counseling Strategies
  • CNEP 6315: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues
  • CNEP 6320: Advanced Appraisal Techniques and Psychometrics
  • CNEP 6335: Consultation Theory and Professional Advocacy
  • CNEP 6340: Diversity in Counselor Education
  • CNEP 6350: Advanced Clinical Supervision
  • CNEP 6354: Counselor Education Pedagogy
  • CNEP 6355: Leadership and Advocacy in Counselor Education
  • CNEP 6395: Doctoral Practicum
  • CNEP 6396: Doctoral Internship
• Research Courses
  • CNEP 6360: Research Design and Statistics
  • CNEP 6316: Research, Writing and Publishing in a Multicultural Society
  • CNEP 6365: Advanced Research & Design in Wellness and Stress Management Practices
  • CNEP 6370: Quantitative Research Methods I
  • CNEP 6372: Quantitative Research Methods II
  • CNEP 6384: Qualitative Research Methods I
  • CNEP 6385: Qualitative Research Methods II
  • CNEP 6397: Research Seminar
• Dissertation
  • CNEP 6398: Dissertation in Progress

Additional Courses

• CNEP 5304: Introduction to Counseling
• CNEP 5306: Career Counseling
• CNEP 5308: Counseling Theories
• CNEP 5309: Grief and Loss Counseling
• CNEP 5312: Addictions Counseling
• CNEP 5313: Theories and Techniques in Substance Abuse Counseling
• CNEP 5314: Theory and Practice of Multicultural Counseling
• CNEP 5315: Consultation and Responsive Services in Schools
• CNEP 5316: Developmental School Counseling
• CNEP 5317: Play Therapy: a Counseling intervention
• CNEP 5318: Consultation in School Settings
• CNEP 5319: Introduction to Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• CNEP 5320: Introduction to Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling
• CNEP 5321: Behavioral and Process Addictions
• CNEP 5322: Strategies in Family Counseling
• CNEP 5323: Counseling for Holistic Wellness
• CNEP 5324: Counseling Couples
• CNEP 5326: Family Counseling for Child and Adolescent-Focused Issues
• CNEP 5327: Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling
• CNEP 5328: Abnormal Human Behavior
• CNEP 5329: Culture and Customs in Hispanic Communities
• CNEP 5330: Professional and Technical Spanish
• CNEP 5331: Strategies and Interventions for Spanish-Speaking Clients
• CNEP 5332: Spanish-Speaking Internship I
• CNEP 5333: Spanish-Speaking Internship II
• CNEP 5345: Integrated Care Strategies in Behavioral Health Settings
• CNEP 5354: Developmental Issues in Human Personality and Behavior
• CNEP 5361: Group Counseling
• CNEP 5365: Stress Management and Integrated Wellness
• CNEP 5371: Psychometrics
• CNEP 5374: Individual Intelligence Testing
• CNEP 5375: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Strategies
• CNEP 5381: Psychodiagnosis and Treatment Strategies
• CNEP 5384: The Counseling Process
• CNEP 5385: Bridge Supervision
• CNEP 5390: Professional Seminar
• CNEP 5397: Practicum
• CNEP 5399: Specialized Internship Experience
• CNEP 5696: Directed Individual Study
• CNEP 5698: Internship
• CNEP 6305: Advanced Theories in Individual and Group Counseling
• CNEP 6310: Advanced Counseling Strategies
• CNEP 6315: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues
• CNEP 6316: Research, Writing and Publishing in a Multicultural Society
• CNEP 6320: Advanced Appraisal Techniques and Psychometrics
• CNEP 6335: Consultation Theory and Professional Advocacy
• CNEP 6340: Diversity in Counselor Education
• CNEP 6350: Advanced Clinical Supervision
• CNEP 6354: Counselor Education Pedagogy
• CNEP 6355: Leadership and Advocacy in Counselor Education
• CNEP 6360: Research Design and Statistics
• CNEP 6365: Advanced Research & Design in Wellness and Stress Management Practices
• CNEP 6370: Quantitative Research Methods I
• CNEP 6372: Quantitative Research Methods II
• CNEP 6384: Qualitative Research Methods I
• CNEP 6385: Qualitative Research Methods II
• CNEP 6390: Special Topics
• CNEP 6395: Doctoral Practicum
• CNEP 6396: Doctoral Internship
• CNEP 6397: Research Seminar
• CNEP 6398: Dissertation in Progress
• CNEP 6696: Directed Individual Study