Counseling and Supervision, Ph.D.

Phone: (540) 568-4564                                                                   Website: http://psyc.jmu.edu/counseling/supervision/index.html

Graduate Program Coordinator
Dr. Debbie Sturm

Application Date

The application date is January 15. The program will give preference to applications received by that date. The committee conducts screening interviews in late February and early March.

Admission Requirements

Minimum admissions requirements for the Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision Program include the following:

• Completion of an advanced degree (M.A., M.S. or Ed.S) from an entry-level graduate counseling program.  Applicants must have graduated from a counselor education program of at least 48 credit hours. Preference will be given to applicants who have graduated from a CACREP accredited program.
• Completion of 60 credit hours of graduate counseling coursework necessary for licensure as a professional counselor or professional school counselor.  Candidates must submit official transcripts documenting the completion of both undergraduate and graduate degrees, including courses that meet requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed School Counselor.
• A history of academic success. Candidates must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, and a minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Resume.  Candidates should submit a resume detailing their counseling-related training, work experiences and scholarship.
• Supportive references.  Three individuals must complete and submit reference forms.  At least one individual should be well acquainted with the candidate’s academic potential.  At least one person should be a supervisor or trainer who can discuss in detail the applicant’s counseling skills.
• Professional writing sample.  Application materials must include a published article, conference paper or academic paper in the field of counselor education and supervision.  The sample should be between 10 and 25 pages and written in APA format.
• Personal statement. Candidates must offer a personal statement of at least 2,000 words describing themselves and their specific interests in counselor education and supervision. They are encouraged to go beyond the grades, honors, and work record that they have already provided on the application form. Instead, they are invited to share the personal qualities and life experiences that have contributed to their potential to become successful doctoral students in counselor education and supervision. Finally, they should describe the professional goals and scholarly interests they plan to pursue by completing doctoral training.
• TOEFL or MELAB scores, if an international applicant. International candidates for whom English is not their primary language must submit official test scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of at least 550 on the written tests and 220 on the computer-based test. Applicants must have taken these tests within the past two years.

Mission

The Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision is a program committed to training counselor educators, supervisors and advanced practitioners with expertise in the theory, research and practice of counseling. Our mission is to create dynamic and innovative leaders who will serve as catalysts for progress in addressing the tremendous counseling needs of individuals, families, institutions and communities.

The students, faculty and staff members of this program vary in age, class, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation and physical abilities. Putting our principles into practice, these diverse individuals create a learning community in which students thrive personally, grow professionally and share a common commitment to counseling. We challenge our students to continue their life-long journeys of exploring possibilities, refining skills and maintaining their professional vitality throughout their careers as counselors.  We encourage them to support one another in the formidable task of becoming leaders who advance the counseling profession through service, research, innovation, advocacy and training.

Dissertation

All students must complete a scholarly dissertation.