Program Overview
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Chair: Heather Helm, Ph.D.
Location: McKee 248
Telephone: 970-351-2731
Website: www.unco.edu/cebs/applied-psychology-counselor-education/
The doctoral program in counselor education and supervision prepares individuals for employment as counselor educators and supervisors in graduate programs offering training in school counseling, clinical counseling, couples and family counseling/therapy, and counseling with children and adolescents. Graduates are also qualified for licensure as professional counselors, couples and family counselors, or school counselors. The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
The Department of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education, along with the Department of School Psychology, offers services to the University and the local community through the Psychological Services Clinic, a research and training facility.
Prerequisites: Required of All Counselor Education and Supervision Ph.D. Students
Entering doctoral students should have completed graduate courses in the following areas:
- Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
- Career Counseling and Theory
- Counseling Theories
- Lifespan Development
- Family Systems
- Group Counseling/Guidance
- Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling
- Substance Abuse
- Appraisal and Assessment
- Introduction to Graduate Research
Students who have not completed coursework in these areas must complete these courses as deficiency coursework not to be counted toward the hours required for the degree.
Admission
Location: Greeley
Start Term: Fall
General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements
Counselor Education and Supervision Ph.D.
Admission Deadline
Fall Admissions: Dec. 1
- Decisions are announced by the first week of April.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must apply to the Graduate School at the University of Northern Colorado before the program area reviews the applicant’s request for admission. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.
Each applicant must:
Take the following steps to be considered for admission:
Step 1: Complete the Application
Complete the online application.
- Answer the application questions.
- Send your requests for letters of recommendation.
- Request three (3) academic or professional letters of recommendation from those who can attest to your academic potential and abilities. You will be asked to supply information for your recommenders in the application.
- Submit the application and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Domestic Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- International Students: $50 non-refundable application fee
- The Graduate School is waiving application fees for all current UNC students and alumni! (The waiver applies only to the UNC Graduate School application.) Click for details.
Once you submit your application you will be assigned an Admissions Portal, allowing you to upload supplemental items, as listed below, and track your application through the admissions process.
Step 2: Request Transcripts
Request one official transcript from any Institutionally Accredited college or university where a bachelor’s degree or higher was earned or is in progress (if you have earned multiple degrees, bachelor’s level or higher, an official transcript is required from each college or university where a degree was conferred). If you received a degree from UNC, you do not need to request a transcript from UNC. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request that applicants provide official transcripts from other colleges or universities as needed. Applicants who have earned or are directly pursuing a higher degree from a regionally accredited institution without receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., PharmD) may be eligible to apply to the Graduate School without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree.
Exceptions: If an applicant intends to use Veteran’s Education Benefits, an official transcript from all colleges or universities attended will be required in order to maintain compliance with Veteran’s Affairs policies.
Official transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent via mail directly from the educational institution in an unopened, sealed envelope or through an electronically secure digital program from the issuing institution.
Mailed transcripts should be sent to:
University of Northern Colorado
Office of Admissions
Campus Box 10
501 20th St
Greeley, CO 80639
Electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions should be sent directly from the educational institution to: grad.admissions@unco.edu.
The Office of Admissions does not accept email, scanned or PDF transcripts directly from applicants. All official transcripts, submitted as part of the application process, are retained by UNC and not returned to applicants or admitted students.
UNC retains submitted transcripts, from institutions other than UNC, for admitted students for up to five years after graduation or date of last attendance at UNC. Transcripts provided by applicants who were not admitted, denied admissions or did not complete their application are destroyed after one (1) year. The Office of Admissions will make every attempt to use previously submitted transcripts if they are within these timeframes. However, if the Office of Admissions cannot locate previously submitted transcripts, the transcripts fall outside the timeframes listed above or they are considered illegible, applicants must provide new transcripts.
Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow therequirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.
Step 3: Note About the GRE
This program does not require GRE scores.
Step 4: Supplemental Items
Log back into the Admissions Portal to submit the following:
- Current Vita/Resume
- Written Statement: A written statement must be completed regarding the relationship of the doctoral program to the future career goals of the applicant. Please check the following guidelines.
Additional Information
- A master's degree in counseling or a related area is required.
- An online interview is required for the admission process to be completed. Admission decisions are based on the professional judgment of the Counselor Education faculty, considering the above data, including personal characteristics and interpersonal communications style as assessed in the online interview.
- Applications are prescreened and selected applicants will be invited to an online interview on March 6.
- Applications are evaluated on a competitive basis for a limited number of positions. Refer to the program's catalog for further admissions requirements.
Once you apply to the UNC Graduate School and your application packet is complete, your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and then sent to the faculty/program for an admission recommendation. The timing of the admission decision depends on each individual program’s deadline and review process.
International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.
For More Information
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.
Degree Requirements — 83-92 Credits
Required Major Credits — 37-43 credits
Counseling Core — 12 credits
| APCE 702 | Practicum in Counseling | 4 |
| APCE 712 | Advanced Practicum in Individual Counseling | 4 |
| APCE 762 | Practicum in Group Facilitation | 4 |
Supervision Core — 8 credits
| APCE 714 | Practicum in Supervision of Counseling | 3- 6 |
| APCE 715 | Seminar in Counselor Supervision and Theory | 2 |
Theory and Instruction Core — 17-23 credits
| APCE 703 | Professional Development Seminar in Counselor Education | 1 |
| APCE 710 | Seminar in Instruction, Pedagogy, and Evaluation in Counseling and Psychology | 3 |
| APCE 746 | Advanced Seminar in Counselor Education and Supervision | 3 |
| APCE 792 | Internship in Counselor Education and Supervision | 1- 6 |
| APCE 723 | Seminar in Advanced Multicultural Perspectives in Counselor Education and Supervision | 3 |
Interest Areas (Select One) — 12-15 credits minimum
Couples and Families — 13 credits
| APCE 668 | Sexuality Counseling | 3 |
| APCE 669 | Advanced Methods: Couples and Family Therapy | 3 |
| APCE 694 | Practicum in Couples and Family Therapy | 4 |
| APCE 774 | Practicum in Supervision of Family Therapy | 3 |
Play Therapy — 12 credits
| APCE 609 | Foundations of Play Therapy | 3 |
| APCE 617 | Play Therapy: Theory and Practicum | 3 |
| APCE 713 | Practicum in Supervision of Play Therapy | 3 |
Students will complete three additional credits of an elective to be selected in consultation with their advisor.
School Counseling —15 credits - if no previous School Counseling background
| APCE 602 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| APCE 608 | Organization, Administration and Evaluation of School Counseling Programs | 3 |
| APCE 614 | Internship in School Counseling and Guidance | 1- 9 |
| | |
| APCE 748 | Instruction, Supervision and Leadership in School Counseling | 3 |
| or | |
| ELPS 660 | Law and the Administrator | 3 |
APCE 614: Take 6 hours
NOTE: Students with a School Counseling background will work with advisor to select 9 credits in addition to APCE 748 to comprise interest area.
Research Core — 3 credits
(Additional 6 credits under Research Tool 2.)
Research Proposal/Dissertation — 16 credits
Research Tools — 15 credits
Research Tool 1: Applied Statistics
Research Tool 2: Applied Research
| APCE 716 | Research Seminar in Counselor Education | 3 |
| SRM 680 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
Electives
Suggested Electives for Students Completing Quantitative Dissertations:
| SRM 607 | Non-Parametric Statistics | 3 |
| or | |
| SRM 609 | Sampling Methods | 3 |
| or | |
| SRM 625 | Applied Multiple Regression Analysis | 3 |
| or | |
| SRM 627 | Survey Research Methods | 3 |
Suggested Electives for Students Completing Qualitative Dissertations:
| SRM 685 | Educational Ethnography | 3 |
| or | |
| SRM 686 | Qualitative Case Study Research | 3 |
| or | |
| SRM 687 | Narrative Inquiry | 3 |
| or | |
| SRM 688 | Writing Qualitative Research | 3 |
Doctoral Minor
Students have the option to complete the Doctoral Minor in Applied Statistics and Research Methods; this is part of the plan of study and is done in consultation with the academic advisor.
Other Recommended Electives:
| APCE 609 | Foundations of Play Therapy | 3 |
| APCE 617 | Play Therapy: Theory and Practicum | 3 |
| APCE 713 | Practicum in Supervision of Play Therapy | 3 |
| APCE 774 | Practicum in Supervision of Family Therapy | 3 |
| APCE 785 | Advanced Practicum in Community Engagement: Campus Connections | 1 |
| APCE 793 | Practicum in Clinic Services and Consultation | 3 |
| APCE 794 | Advanced Practicum in Clinic Services and Consultation | 2 |
Program Notes
Students will submit a proposal to present at least one time at a juried state, regional, national or international conference. This presentation can be done alone, with faculty, or with peers. Students must submit a copy of the presentation proposal for their files. Accepted presentations: students must submit a copy of the letter of proposal acceptance and copies of presentation handouts. It is highly recommended that students have manuscripts published, in press, and/or in submission prior to graduation, and that students have been involved in grant writing as a part of their education.
Students may complete a doctoral minor in one of the following areas in lieu of an interest area:
- Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership
- Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Special Education
- Educational Psychology
- Cultural Studies and Equity Graduate Certificate Program
This program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.