Counselor Education and Practice, Ph.D.

Admissions Requirements

When applying to the Counselor Education and Practice, Ph.D. program, you will need to submit several documents for review.

• Online Application
• Application Fee of $50
• Goals Statement (upload with the application; provide a 500-word statement (approximately 2 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font) in which you identify each of the following:
  (a) why you desire a Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Practice from Georgia State University;
  (b) identify faculty members you would like to work with.
• Resume (upload with the application)
• Three Letters of Recommendation (upload with the application)
• Writing Sample (upload with the application)
• Must have completed a master’s degree in Counseling or closely related clinical field; applicants must have completed a minimum of 700-hour practicum or internship as part of their clinical training, and/or be licensed as a master’s level clinician or certified as a rehabilitation counselor
• Official Transcript(s): graduate degree required for admission
  submit transcripts from all colleges/universities attended either electronically to [email protected] or by mailing directly to Georgia State University | Office of Admissions — Graduate School |P.O. Box 4018 Atlanta, GA 30302

Please Note:
Interviews will be conducted by department faculty — you will be notified if you are selected for an interview.

Our program requires a research core of 18 hours, 3 hours in social foundations of education and psychology of learning course, 44 credit hours in the major area, 12 hours in the cognate and elective areas, a dissertation (15 hours) for a minimum total of 92 hours for the degree. For more information about specific course work visit the catalog description of the program.

The cognate area provides students an opportunity to enrich their preparation as a counselor with further study in a related area of expertise. Students can select from one of the following cognate areas:

• Multiculturalism
• Health and Wellness
• Positive Psychology
• Trauma and Crisis
• Suicide Assessment, Prevention, and Intervention
• Sexuality and Gender
• Religion and Spirituality
• Counseling Children and Adolescents
• Disability and Chronic Illness

Students also may design an individual cognate area with permission from their Doctoral Advisory Committee. The students’ Doctoral Advisory Committee may require courses in the cognate area be from outside the department, outside the College of Education & Human Development, or both.

Funding Your Graduate Education

Cost of attendance and funding opportunities are integral to your decision to attend graduate school.  Georgia State University is proud to offer a variety of funding opportunities, from assistantships to fellowships.

Awards and Assistantships

Various awards, assistantships, and fellowships are available to new and current graduate students.  We encourage you to contact your department, college, school or institute of interest to get more information about the assistantships and fellowships that they offer their students.

The Scholarship Resource Center offers guidance and support to students seeking financial assistance through scholarship opportunities, including this scholarship library.

Fellowships

The Office of Graduate Programs’ Fellowship Advisor works with students interested in applying for nationally prestigious and competitive fellowships.  The Office of Graduate Programs also coordinates the application process for students applying to the Second Century Initiative, the Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship, and the Dissertation Library Travel Awards.

Cost Calculator

Our calculator can help you get an idea of the costs associated with attending the university.

This program is an on-campus learning experience that gives students a broad base of intellectual and interpersonal experiences in human growth and development, psychological assessment, group processes, behavioral change strategies, advocacy and leadership, multicultural counseling competence and other areas of special interest.

Doctoral training extends beyond course content hours and field experiences. Doctoral students learn to examine critically the state of the art, to generate research inquiries, and to advance the profession of counseling through oral and written contributions. The doctoral level counselor represents a “scientist-practitioner” model and should be both consumer and producer of research. The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Georgia State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Georgia State University.

• While completing the coursework, candidates are required to spend a minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate work in residence; excluding dissertation.
• Upon completion of the course work and a one-year required internship, the candidate must successfully complete a comprehensive examination, referred to as the Preliminary Examination, constructed and evaluated by the Ph.D. Counselor Education and Practice faculty.
• Upon successful completion of the Preliminary Examination, the student organizes and presents a prospectus to his/her doctoral committee.
• Upon approval of the prospectus, the student conducts the study and defends the dissertation in the presence of the doctoral committee, students and other university personnel.

Student Resources

• Counselor Education and Practice Doctoral Program Student Handbook 2024-2025

Faculty

Erin Mason, Program Coordinator
Catharina Chang
Don Davis
Brian Dew
Franco Dispenza
Bobby Gueh
Kan Guvensel
Jonathan Orr
Leslie Wofford