Counselor Education and Supervision Ph.D.

Program Overview

UVM's PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision prepares counseling professionals seeking to enhance their careers in leadership, research and scholarship, advocacy, and the education and supervision of counselors. We prepare diverse professionals to become critically conscious advanced clinicians, educators, clinical supervisors, scholar-activists, and leaders in various academic and clinical settings.

Designed for students with a master’s degree in counseling or counseling-related fields, our program is distinguished by a commitment to develop critically conscious scholar-activists in the counseling profession.

Our graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the intersectionality of diverse social, economic, and cultural factors impacting the mental health and wellbeing of global communities and the subsequent implications these factors have for the training and practice of professional counselors, counselor educators, and clinical supervisors.

The curriculum includes face-to-face coursework, research opportunities, internship experiences, and a cohort model to curate a community where students support and learn from each other. The 75-credit hour program of study (pdf) can be completed either full-time in four years or part-time in six years. 

Internships

Engage in 600 hours of internship work in required areas of teaching, supervision, counseling, and one additional area of choice. 

For the supervision internship, you will supervise master’s degree students in school or CMHC programs who are in either practicum or internship. 

For the teaching internship, you will teach or co-teach undergraduate or master’s level counseling courses for a minimum of one semester. 

Counseling and leadership/advocacy internships are collaboratively designed with faculty.

Research Opportunities

There are multiple ways to get involved in research. You will complete 12 credit hours of research coursework where class projects may expand to research projects. Faculty often invite students to participate in research activities, and we welcome you to seek out involvement with faculty already conducting research. 

Your dissertation will be a thorough, self-directed research project supported by faculty mentorship. This often leads to conference presentations and manuscript submissions for publication.

Publishing and Presenting at Conferences

You will have opportunities to publish as a main author and co-author. Core coursework requires you to develop a manuscript or project proposal for each class. Our faculty would like you to publish three or four pieces of work during your time in the program.

There are also opportunities to present with faculty and fellow students at professional counselor education and supervision conferences such as ACES and ACA. We encourage you to present and often co-present their research with student peers.

Scholarly publications and conference presentations provide experience to become an attractive applicant for faculty positions at major research universities.

Faculty

Our faculty are committed to training students in an inclusive learning environment. We provide a collaborative curricular experience grounded in social justice principles, student-centered mentorship and supervision, and active modeling.

Learn about our internationally recognized research, teaching and service collaborations:

Faculty profiles

Careers 

Our PhD graduates are well-positioned for the following careers:

• Faculty in higher education settings
• Leadership positions and supervisors in community agencies or schools
• Counselors in student support programs, community settings, or higher education settings
• Practitioners in private counseling practice and consultation

This degree program will not lead to licensure as a psychologist. Students interested in a career as a licensed psychologist can pursue the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology through the College of Arts and Sciences.

Application Information

We welcome applications from counseling professionals who have experience providing counseling services to diverse populations in school, community, agency, or other settings. Applicants should identify interest(s) in a research or service topic that aligns with the mission of our program.

Review the Admissions section/tab on this page before you apply.

Funding and Scholarships

Graduate assistantships (GAs) are available for full-time PhD students. Generally, students work 10-20 hours a week on a combination of teaching and/or research with a faculty advisor. These assistantships generally cover 6-9 credit hours per semester and provide a stipend.

Doctoral student scholarships are available through UVM, and our students seek out external funding through National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Scholarships.

Information Session (Online)

Meet our faculty and learning more about the program at one of our virtual information sessions.

Contact Us

• Application Questions: cslgprog@uvm.edu
• Program Questions: Nancy.Thacker@uvm.edu
• Submit the inquiry form below.
• You are also welcome to reach out to our Office of Graduate Student and Program Services.

Handbook

2024-2025 Student Handbook for the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision (pdf)

CACREP Information

The PhD program is currently seeking CACREP accreditation, with an anticipated decision by 2028. Our program objectives and curriculum are designed in alignment with CACREP 2024 standards. 

Considering faculty qualifications and the long-standing accreditation for the Master’s program in Counseling, we expect accreditaion before the inaugural cohort of students graduate in 2028. Per CACREP policy 5.a, students graduating within 18 months of accreditation conferral will be verified as completing CACREP program requirements.

Curriculum

View our full-time and part-time model programs of study:

Program of Study (doc)

Admissions

Deadlines and Decisions

• November 1 is the initial application deadline. Faculty will begin reviewing applications in mid-November and contact qualified applicants to interview with us. We will engage rolling admissions until the cohort is filled. 
• February 1 is the final deadline to submit an application for Fall 2025 admission. 
• All decisions will be made by March 1.

Application Requirements

• Complete the UVM Graduate College Application.
• Personal statement of 3-5 pages double-spaced. Please address the following prompts in your personal statement.
• What experiences have you had that prepare you to become a counselor educator?
• How will this degree help you achieve your career goals?
• Describe a time that you struggled with incompetence, and how did you grow from that struggle?
• Please tell us about an experience when you engaged in systemic advocacy.
• Three letters of recommendation, including:
  • a professional reference who can speak to academic aptitude,
  • a professional reference who can speak to clinical counseling aptitude and experience, and
  • a professional reference of your choice. 

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate the following components to be considered for admission:

• Completion of master's degree in counseling or closely related field (e.g., clinical social work, clinical or school psychology)
• Personal statement that clearly articulates career goals related to counselor education and supervision
• Self-awareness and emotional maturity as evidenced by references and interview
• Clear commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion as evidenced by references, professional experiences, and interview
• Potential for scholar-activism and leadership as evidenced by references, presentations or publications, and other professional activities

International Students: Please see the International Student Admissions page on the UVM Graduate College website.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in counseling or a related master’s degree program that covered the nine areas of concentration required by CACREP (Section II)
• Minimum of 700 hours of supervised clinical work (i.e., practicum and internship) during the master’s degree program
• Areas not covered in the student’s master’s program or through continuing education must be taken in addition to the doctoral coursework.
• Applicants with at least two years of post-master’s degree experience as counselors or in a counseling-related field
• Certification from the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), state-licensed professional counselors (LCMHC, LPC), and/or licensed/certified school counselors

Selection Process

Our core faculty will use a common rating scale to evaluate application materials. Top contenders will be contacted to complete admissions interviews in early December. Decisions for admission will be made by early January.

Outcomes

Student Learning Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Students will:

1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of clinical counseling theory and models of evidence-based practices through application of culturally-informed, equitable, and inclusive care using the most current technological advances and approaches. (CACREP Standard 6.B.1)
2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills of counseling supervision theories anchored in a social justice framework through application of these practices. (CACREP Standard 6.B.2)
3. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills of counseling pedagogy anchored in a social justice framework through application of these practices. (CACREP Standard 6.B.3)
4. Generate new knowledge for the profession through research and demonstrate the ability to publish and present scholarly work in professional forums. (CACREP Standard 6.B.4)
5. Demonstrate an understanding and application of leadership grounded in the principles of social justice and advocacy in professional counseling practice and counselor education preparation. (CACREP Standard 6.B.5)
6. Demonstrate a counselor educator identity grounded by professional dispositions and values and articulate its implications for one’s role as an academician, researcher, practitioner, and leader. (CACREP Standard 2.C.2.a-b)

Graduates will:

1. Advance their conceptualizations and applications of theories and practices of counseling, integrating intersectionality into a critically conscious clinical approach.
2. Demonstrate knowledge and skills to educate and supervise counseling professionals who are well-equipped to serve, teach, mentor, and/or supervise economically, socially, culturally, and racially diverse members of communities.
3. Exemplify knowledge and skills necessary to conduct impactful research and scholarship relevant to the profession and evaluate their own clinical, supervisory, teaching, and programmatic practices and interventions.
4. Embody professional and ethical leadership through service and advocacy in the counseling profession, local community, and across national and international boundaries. 
5. Model a critically conscious counselor educator professional identity with consistent demonstration aligned to UVM counselor education values and professional dispositions.