Counselor Preparation and Research, PhD

Program Coordinator: W. Leigh Atherton (4425-C Health Sciences Building; 252-744-6290; athertonw@ecu.edu)

The Counselor Preparation and Research, PhD, program serves as a national and international leader in the education of excellent and responsible counselor educators, researchers, supervisors, and administrators. The doctoral program is a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited counselor education and supervision program and is designed to meet the critical need for doctoral prepared leaders in the counseling field across the nation and world. The primary obligations of the doctoral program include (1) extending the knowledge base of the counseling profession in a climate of scholarly inquiry; (2) preparing students to inform professional practice by generating new knowledge for the profession; (3) supporting faculty and students in publishing and/or presenting the results of scholarly inquiry; and (4) equipping students to assume positions of leadership in the profession and/or their area(s) of specialization.

Admission

Admission to study at the doctoral level requires acceptance by the Graduate School and the Department. A comprehensive review of each applicant’s qualifications will be made by Department faculty. The following criteria will be considered collectively for admission to the program:

Earned master’s degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
Earned GPA of 3.5 in all graduate work
Two (2) years of post-masters related professional experience preferred
Professional and personal accomplishments
Two (2) professional references
Personal interview with the faculty
Statement of research interests and plans

Degree Requirements

The program offers two areas of concentration. Students select either the rehabilitation and clinical counseling concentration or the rehabilitation administration concentration.

The degree requires a minimum of 58-61 s.h. as follows:

Rehabilitation and clinical counseling concentration - 61 s.h. (minimum)

Specialty areas:

Students may also elect a specialty area from the list below.

Rehabilitation research (12 s.h.)

Choose 12 s.h. from the following:

BIOS 5010 - Epidemiology for Health Professionals
BIOS 7501 - Experimental Design
BIOS 7560 - Nonparametric Statistical Methods
other electives in advanced statistics or research approved by the program director.

Substance abuse and clinical counseling (12 s.h.)

Choose 12 s.h. from below:

ADRE 6330 - Clinical and Addictions Counseling
ADRE 6703 - Foundations of Addictions and Clinical Counseling
ADRE 8710 - Substance Abuse Seminar
an elective approved by the program director.

Vocational evaluation (12 s.h.)

Choose 12 s.h. from the following:

Specialty area to include courses chosen by the candidate and approved by the program coordinator (12 s.h.)

Rehabilitation administration concentration - 58 s.h. (minimum)

BIOS 7021 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals I
BIOS 7022 - Biostatistics for Health Professionals II
6 s.h. of advanced statistics or research approved by the program director
ADRE 7601 - Rehabilitation Administration and Leadership
ADRE 8050 - Ethical and Legal Issues in Counselor Education and Supervision
ADRE 8210 - Advanced Pedagogy in Rehabilitation Counseling
ADRE 8420 - Advanced Assessment and Evaluation
ADRE 8550 - Advanced Research in Rehabilitation
ADRE 8630 - Theory and Design of Rehabilitation Programs
ADRE 8810 - Doctoral Seminar in Rehabilitation Counseling (4 s.h.)
ADRE 9000 - Dissertation ** (12 s.h. minimum)

Area of focus (12 s.h.)

An area of focus selected by the candidate and approved by the program director is also required.

Note:

**All students must complete doctoral comprehensive exams specific to their concentration prior to enrolling in ADRE 9000 .

Retention Standards

Good academic standing in accordance with ECU Graduate School guidelines is required.

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all required courses for the degree to graduate.

Students not maintaining the criteria above may be placed on academic probation in accordance with Graduate School policies.

In addition, the program has the following specific regulations:

A minimum grade of S or B or better must be earned in all required and elective courses;
A grade of U or C or lower must be retaken, with no more than six semester hours of U or C or lower grades being retaken.

Students receiving a grade of U or C or lower in more than six semester hours of required or elective courses will be dismissed from the program in accordance with departmental policies.

In courses graded on the S/U system, the grade of Unsatisfactory (U) is assigned when the equivalency of a C grade or lower is earned. If a student receives a U grade in a course, the student may repeat the course one time. If an S grade is not earned on the 2^nd attempt, the student is dismissed from the program.

Comprehensive Assessment Requirement

All ECU graduate programs require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. The assessment requirement for this program is the successful completion of a doctoral comprehensive exam specific to the student’s concentration prior to enrolling in ADRE 9000.