Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Expand your impact. Empower others. Teach the next generation of counselors.

Learn the theory and practice of educating and supervising future counselors in clinical settings and your own higher education classroom.

Expand your impact. Empower others. Teach the next generation of counselors. Are you ready to apply your counseling expertise to a new challenge? Earning a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision could be how you take your career to the next level, whether in the classroom or in a leadership capacity. Your courses will cover the advanced leadership skills needed to drive change as an administrator in behavioral health agencies and beyond. Coursework in areas like research design, counselor education, and inferential statistics will also help you prepare to contribute original knowledge to the counseling field.

Anchor: Stats

By the numbers

Anchor: Programs & Requirements

Programs & Requirements

PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision

The fully accredited online PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from University of the Cumberlands teaches the knowledge and skills you need to launch a career in research and postsecondary teaching in counseling programs across the United States. Our program also covers the advanced leadership skills needed to drive change as an administrator in behavioral health agencies and beyond.

Our curriculum covers the five major domains of contemporary counselor education curriculum: advanced clinical work, supervision, teaching, research and scholarship, and leadership and advocacy. The program breaks down into three essential components: core CES coursework, professional research and field experience coursework. In total, you’ll complete 66 post-master’s credit hours, including courses such as:

Advanced Counseling Theories and Skills
Theories and Techniques of Clinical Supervision
Leadership & Advocacy in Professional Counseling
Online Teaching & Learning in Counselor Education
Advanced Educational Research

Finally, you’ll work in collaboration with graduate faculty members to research, write and defend an original dissertation that advances knowledge in the counseling profession. You’ll graduate equipped with:

Mastery that prepares you for a teaching career in higher education environments
Administrative expertise preparing you for leadership in clinical and educational settings
Advanced clinical skills aimed to maximize proficiency in an independent practice milieu
Independent research skills preparing you to make original contributions to your field

Course Requirements

Core CES Courses (36 hours)

And one elective from the following:

*CES 738 or CES 851 may also be used to fulfill elective credits

Clinical Coursework (9 hours)

Research Coursework (9 hours)

Nine hours of the degree are earned through a series of courses focusing on research methods and research activities. The research courses culminate in the completion of a dissertation. Both CES 734 and CES 850 are required for all students. Each student will select either CES 851 or CES 738 depending on the methodology you intend to pursue with your dissertation research. Students may take both advanced research design courses and count one as their elective.

Dissertation Sequence (12 Hours)

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of two semesters of dissertation coursework for a total of six (6) credit hours.

NOTE ON DISSERTATION CREDITS AND PROCEDURES:
The candidate must file an Intent to Graduate at the beginning of term of intended completion; must schedule Oral Dissertation Defense at least two weeks prior to Intended Date; and must file approved dissertation with Program Director prior to graduation.

Sample Syllabi

Admissions Requirements

To be considered for full admission into the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program, prospective students must:

Hold a 60-credit hour CACREP (or equivalent) master's degree in counseling. All CACREP entry-level core and specialty area requirements must be met for full admission in the CES program.
Submit official transcripts from all applicable colleges/universities attended; must be received directly from the issuing college or university.
Have a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA (on a 4-point scale) on all graduate work as verified by official transcripts
Hold a current professional counseling license in the state of practice.
Two recommendations from professional sources (supervisors, employers, professors).
Provide a writing sample detailing the applicant’s contribution to the counseling profession, professional goals for the future, and research interests.
Provide a current resume’ or CV.
Documentation of language fluency for non-native speakers of English, such as a score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the 8 International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or a report from Duolingo.
Any international course work completed must have official transcript evaluations completed and submitted to the University by the evaluation firm. Evaluations MUST include GPA for admission.
Successfully complete admissions interview with the admission committee.

Anchor: Mission & Goals

Mission and Goals

To prepare advanced clinicians to serve their communities in socially responsive ways.

Prepare counselor supervisors to serve their communities in socially responsive ways.

Prepare counselor educators to be competent in creating innovative, culturally responsive educational environments for diverse learning communities.

Train ethical researchers who can conduct original research studies designed to benefit the field of CES.

Develop leaders and advocates for lifelong investment in promoting wellness in a diverse global community.

Develop culturally responsive and social justice-oriented professionals.

Anchor: Career Outcomes

Counselor Education and Supervision Careers & Outcomes

Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor: $101,340

As a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, you’ll provide an opportunity for your supervisees to discuss any work-related issues and difficulties they may have and help determine possible ways for them to be resolved.

Psychologist: $81,040

Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how individuals relate to one another and to their environments.

Mental Health Program Manager: $101,340

Mental Health Program Managers plan, direct, and coordinate the business activities of their mental health facility.

Educational or Career Counselor: $60,140

Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.

Compliance Manager: $71,690

Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.

Postsecondary Teacher: $79,640

Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level.

Anchor: FAQs

Common Questions

How affordable is this program?

What exactly is a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision?

A Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision is a doctoral degree that equips counseling professionals to teach in higher education classrooms. As a graduate counseling student at Cumberlands, you’ll learn the theory and practice of educating and supervising future counselors in clinical settings, as well as leadership skills you can apply in education, behavioral health, and human services settings.

What can I do with a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision?

With your Ph.D. in Counselor Education and supervision, you’ll be able to choose from a variety of counseling career paths, including: counselor educator, licensed professional counselor supervisor, clinical director, regulatory affairs director, quality assurance director, compliance manager, compliance operations manager, risk manager, academic leadership, or assistant professor in a related field.

How can I get a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision online?

As it turns out, University of the Cumberlands is one of the only higher education institutions to offer synchronous, CACREP-accredited programs online! When a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision online program is available online, it provides a flexible, synchronous format to make it possible to pursue your studies even while working as a counselor. Admissions requirements typically include a CACREP-accredited master’s degree in counseling or the equivalent, as well as an active professional counseling license.

What can I expect from courses and degree requirements in this program?

When considering pursuing an online PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision it is important to remember that a PhD is the same as a doctorate, and degree programs at this level are typically research-intensive and require an original dissertation. As a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision online student, you’ll be taking courses in areas like research design, counselor education, and inferential statistics to help you prepare to contribute original knowledge to the field of counseling.

Is a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision worth it?

Pursuing your doctoral degree in counseling education and supervision could be one way to enhance your career and drive change on a larger scale. Some reasons you may find it worthwhile to further your education with a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program are that postsecondary education roles in the field of mental health are expected to increase by 12 percent between 2021 and 2030; a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision offers the chance to build on your past education and experience while preparing to take your career in a new direction; and the median annual salary for postsecondary counseling professors was $77,500 in 2021, nearly $30,000 more than most other counseling professions.

A student holds textbooks outside on Cumberlands campus.

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Financial Aid & Tuition

Anchor: Faculty

Faculty Experts

Dr. Michael Verona

Assistant Professor

Counseling

Dr. Michael Verona

Contact Information

michael.verona [at] ucumberlands.edu

Remote

Dr. Angelica Woods-Smith

Adjunct Professor

Counseling

Dr. Angelica Woods-Smith

Contact Information

angelica.smith [at] ucumberlands.edu

Remote

Dr. Mary Hermann

Professor

Counseling

Dr. Mary Hermann

Contact Information

mary.hermann [at] ucumberlands.edu

Remote

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CACREP Assessment

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and the PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision program. CACREP is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) that accredits counselor-preparation graduate degree programs. For more information, visit https://www.cacrep.org.

CACREP Outcomes for the Department of Counseling at University of Cumberlands:

Vital Statistics: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
*Starting AY 2021 vital statistics are included in the Program Evaluation Outcomes Report.

Program Evaluation Outcomes Report: 2015-2018, 2021, 2022, 2023

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Online Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Types

Location

Credits

Cost

Expand your impact. Empower others. Teach the next generation of counselors.

By the numbers

$77,500

12%

#2

#1

Programs & Requirements

PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision

Course Requirements

Admissions Requirements

Take the Next Step

Mission and Goals

Counselor Education and Supervision Careers & Outcomes

Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor: $101,340