Doctoral Handbook - The student handbook is crucial reading for all Counseling Program Doctoral students and prospective students. It contains important program information, documents, and forms.
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Is this a degree in Counseling Psychology?

The degree we offer is a Ph.D in Counseling. It requires a Master’s degree in Counseling or equivalent course work in a related field.

If I have a Master’s in psychology (or anther field), will I be accepted?

Part of the application package includes a transcript analysis to show where the following course content has been covered: Counseling Theory, Counseling Techniques, Human Growth and Development, Professional Ethics, Multicultural Counseling, Career and Lifestyle Development, Testing and Assessment, Research, Practicum, and Internship. If you can establish that your degree is comparable to a CACREP-approved Master’s in counseling, your application will be considered.

What is a Ph.D. with a concentration in multicultural counseling?

Our degree is designed primarily for counselors who want to develop more in-depth clinical skills or for those who would like to be counselor educators or serve as administrators in counseling settings. All students will three core courses in multicultural counseling plus two electives in a specialty area such as counseling gay and lesbian clients, spirituality in counseling, play therapy, substance abuse, etc. A common theme in our coursework is the development of multicultural sensitivity.

Can I expect coursework to resemble Masters level courses?

Doctoral level coursework is very different from Masters level courses. The student is expected to be more of an independent learner. Most of the classes are seminars where the students have responsibility for generating lectures/discussions, etc. Many classes require participation in corresponding Masters level courses (multicultural counseling, counseling techniques, practicum) so students often have a commitment beyond simply attending class.

When is the application deadline?

December 1.

Where can I get admission materials?

Complete admission materials and information can be downloaded from the Graduate School .

Can I enroll as a part-time student?

The program has been established primarily as for full-time study. Courses are offered only once each year as part of a sequence. It is important to be making steady progress towards the degree. Classes are offered during the day and many of them require assistance in a related Master’s level course. Undoubtedly, there will be a few part-time students.

How much time do I have to complete the degree?

Students will have a total of eight years to complete the program beginning from the date of the first course to be applied towards degree requirements.

Which standardized test is required for entrance into the Ph.D. program?

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.  For information on signing up for the GRE General Exam, please visit www.gre.org. If you took the test more than five years ago you will need to take the test again. If it has been less than five years since you took the GRE, please contact them and have them forward your scores to UNCC. The Graduate School must receive your scores by December 1 to be considered for admission.

Is financial assistance available?

At this time, full time incoming doctoral students have the opportunity to be consider for Graduate Assistant Support Plan (GASP) which is a financial package that includes (1) working as a Graduate Assistant (GA), (2) tuition waiver, and (3) health insurance.  In addition, there are GA opportunities available in other units at the university.

What kind of internships experiences are  required?

There are two internships taken during the last two regular semesters. Each requires 300 contact hours (20 hours a week) on a site identified by the student and approved by faculty. One of the internship classes will be devoted to developing clinical skills, supervision, training, or program evaluation; the other may be either for furthering clinical development or, for those interested in counselor education as a career, teaching with the Counseling Faculty.

How much credit can I get in the summer?

Our summer school budget is separate from the academic year budget and has been limited for many years. We hope we can offer some summer courses, but it is not a good idea to think that students can earn up to twelve hours credit in the summers.