Graduate Bulletin

Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: January 15

* * NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS * *

Applications received after January 15 are not reviewed.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 3

From Whom:  Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators familiar with the applicant's academic or clinical experience/competencies, particularly college/university faculty members and work supervisors.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

Not applicable.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A master's degree in a discipline related to the social sciences is required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

Not required.

Statement of Goals:

Applicants are asked to submit two essays, each 1-2 pages in length double-spaced, that indicate their goals and objectives for obtaining a doctorate. The following questions are to be addressed: 1) What are your three major life goals and how do you plan to achieve them? 2) Why do you want to become a counselor? This statement is evaluated against the program's mission.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. Scores on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE should be above 500.

The GRE Subject Exam in Psychology is required.

Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, or 100 internet-based.

Interview:

Applicants who pass the initial application screening will be invited for an individual interview with members of the faculty and doctoral students during February and March. The interviews will be used to obtain additional data related to admissions criteria (e.g., clarify questions raised by the candidate's application) and to assess communication skills associated with success in counseling psychology training.

Resume:

A resume is required.

Advanced Standing:

The student's advisor, in consultation with the Director of Doctoral Training, evaluates the student's transcript during the student's first semester of the program and awards advanced standing based on the relevance of the courses taken in relation to the Counseling Psychology program. The maximum number of advanced standing credits awarded is 30.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 60

Required Courses:

Cn Psy 698, 792, 797 (3), 795, 790, 764, 789, 668, 793, 794, 799 (2), 701, 791, 796, 798 (2), 995 (2), 999 (2)

Ed Psych 826, 827

Education 899 (2)

For a semester-by-semester and year-by-year description, visit www.temple.edu/education/counspsych.

Internship: An internship is required. Students must complete 2,000 hours of an internship at a site accredited by the American Psychological Association and approved by the program.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Culminating Events:

Preliminary Examination:

The Preliminary Examination in Counseling Psychology is designed to help students integrate the knowledge they have acquired across the diverse fields of study in the doctoral program. It will challenge students to analyze and respond to the difficult and complex problems such as they will face as counseling psychologists. The examination requires them to organize an array of knowledge, think cogently, and produce a publication-quality response. Students take the Preliminary Examination at the end of their second year of the program, assuming that all courses have been successfully completed.

The Preliminary Examination consists of two take-home questions that are to be completed within a 30-day time period. The first question is one that all students complete. The second question is a specialty question that each student works with his/her advisor to develop. In most cases, the specialty question covers an area of interest relevant to the student's area of dissertation research. Each question is to be answered within a 20-page limit.

A committee of three Counseling Psychology faculty members write the common or general question. The composition of the committee varies from year to year. The student's advisor writes the student's specialty question after consultation with the student. The Director of Doctoral Training supervises the distribution, collection, and scoring of the Preliminary Examination.

Each answer is evaluated by two faculty members who read and score each answer independently of each other. Each answer is graded on a pass-fail basis. If there is disagreement between the two raters, a third is asked to read the answer in question. The examination is passed when the answers to both questions have been passed and the results approved by the full faculty.

Dissertation Proposal:

The dissertation proposal demonstrates the student's knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research. Minimally, the proposal should contain a description of the context and background surrounding the particular research question; a survey and review of literature that shows the reader why the research is being proposed; a detailed methodological plan for conducting the investigation; and a timetable for completing the project. The Dissertation Advisory Committee must initially approve the proposal. Then the proposal must be approved by the Proposal Review Committee of the College of Education. Lastly, the College forwards the proposal to the Graduate School for elevation to candidacy.

Dissertation:

The doctoral dissertation is an original and scholarly research work that makes a significant contribution to counseling psychology. The majority of dissertations in our program are empirical, typically using statistical analysis as the means of examining the data that are gathered. Other types of scholarship, such as qualitative analysis, are acceptable also. It is expected that a dissertation will be published in a refereed journal.

The Dissertation Advisory Committee consists of a minimum of three graduate faculty members. Two of these faculty members, including the chairperson, must be from the Counseling Psychology Program. The third member must be from one of the other programs of the College or the University. The Dissertation Advisory Committee oversees all aspects of the student's dissertation, from the proposal to the oral defense. Complete details about the dissertation process are available in the College of Education Dissertation Handbook, available from the Psychological Studies in Education department office. For the most up-to-date University information, see the Graduate School's Dissertation Handbook.

The Dissertation Examining Committee consists of the three members of the Advisory Committee, plus two additional graduate faculty members. One of these must be from a program other than Counseling Psychology. The Dissertation Examining Committee evaluates the student's dissertation and the oral defense.

A student may change an advisor or a member of the Advisory Committee by petitioning the Director of Doctoral Training of the Counseling Psychology Program. If approved, the Graduate School requires notification.

The dissertation must be approved by the Dissertation Advisory Committee before the oral exam takes place. Both the Advisory Committee and the Examining Committee will determine if the research has been carried out thoroughly and accurately according to standard research practices and if the conclusions drawn are reasonable and based firmly on the research conducted for the dissertation and the research in the field. The student is expected to use the knowledge acquired throughout the program to put the research forth as a contribution to the field.

A student will arrange for a date and time that is mutually convenient for all members of the Dissertation Examining Committee. Notification of the time and date must be submitted to the Associate Dean of the College of Education no less than three weeks prior to the oral defense. The announcement of the date and time of the oral defense will be sent to the Graduate School by the Associate Dean of the College of Education no less than 10 working days prior to the oral defense.

Contacts

Program Contact Information:

www.temple.edu/education/pse/counspsych_intro.html

Department Information:

Counseling Psychology Program
2nd Floor, Weiss Hall (265-63)
1701 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA  19122-6085
TuCnPsy@temple.edu
215-204-7331

Department Contacts:

Graduate Chairperson:

Dr. Gregory M. Tucker
gregory.tucker@temple.edu
215-204-1590

Chairperson:

Dr. Joseph DuCette
joseph.ducette@temple.edu
215-204-4998

About the Program

The Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program is designed to aid the student in developing as a competent scholar, practitioner, researcher, and person. Students are trained to become professionals who are capable of entering relationships with clients using an integrated theory of counseling; able to understand the counseling psychologist's role; and knowledgeable about ethical responsibilities. Students are expected to be able to assess the client and his/her problems in the client's world; to be competent in the facilitative skills that bring about change; and to possess self-awareness as a component of a professional relationship. Students are helped to develop research skills so they can interpret and critique research findings and conduct research studies, including evaluations of their own work and the work of those psychologists whom they may train or supervise.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location:

Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are required to complete the degree program through classes offered before 4:30 p.m.

Department Information:

Counseling Psychology Program
2nd Floor, Weiss Hall (265-63)
1701 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6085
TuCnPsy@temple.edu
215-204-7331

Interdisciplinary Study:

The program encourages interdisciplinary training experiences in addition to meeting the requirements of the Counseling Psychology program.

Affiliation(s):

The program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Graduates are eligible to sit for a state licensure exam anywhere in the United States. The program has been continuously accredited since 1972 and was one of the first programs in the country to be accredited by the APA.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

The Counseling Psychology Program is a graduate program in the College of Education. The College was ranked 15th in the nation in a recent U.S. News & World Report ranking of graduate schools.

Accreditation:

The Counseling Psychology Program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Additional information about APA-approved programs and approval criteria may be obtained from the APA's Program Consultation and Accreditation Office by calling 202-336-5979, writing 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, or visiting www.apa.org/ed/accred.

Areas of Specialization:

Students are prepared to work in a wide variety of settings, including psychiatric and general hospitals; community mental health centers; academic settings, including teaching and counseling center positions; and other mental health settings. Faculty are involved in conducting applied research (and are able to mentor research in) areas that include health psychology, group, individual and family psychology, drug and alcohol addictions, supervision and consultation, diversity issues, and other areas.

Job Placement:

Graduates find employment in the direct practice of counseling (assessment and treatment), teaching and research, program administration and evaluation, and supervision and consultation. They find employment most often in direct service positions, as do graduates from counseling psychology programs nationally in both the public and private sectors.

Licensure:

Graduates from the program are eligible to apply for licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after they complete the post-degree requirements specified by the licensing board of Pennsylvania.

Non-Degree Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students may complete up to 9 credits prior to admission to the program. With the exception of practice-related coursework, the majority of the courses are open to non-matriculated students, students matriculating in another program within the university, or elsewhere with permission of the instructor of the course, assuming that students have met the necessary prerequisites at the master's degree level.

Financing Opportunities

The Counseling Psychology Program offers three assistantships to aid faculty research and to assist the clinics run by the program. Students are also able to obtain assistantships throughout the university. The stipends, tuition remission, and application process vary according to the particular organization within the university offering the assistantship.

February 2006