UNT Home | Graduate Studies | College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences | Counseling Psychology - Doctoral Degree Program
At the doctoral Counseling Psychology program at the University of North Texas, our focus is developing well-rounded professional psychologists in an inclusive and student-oriented community. To that end, we provide you with opportunities to:
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counseling Psychology prepares you for work as an independent professional in a research, academic or applied setting.
We train professional psychologists in the broad context of the scientist-practitioner model. This training occurs through courses, practice and research, as well as through the many informal learning opportunities that occur while working with faculty members and peers.
The model focuses on applying the scientific principles of psychology and the perspectives, values and emphases of counseling psychology to:
Although all of our graduates are generalists, each also has specialized training in Child & Family Therapy, Sport Psychology or Minority Wellness. Each cluster includes coursework and opportunities for research and applied work in the area of specialty.
Our faculty members are active researchers who offer you a variety of experiences and different perspectives. Their specialties range from psychotherapy to eating disorders and body image. The program also supports the UNT Psychology Clinic and UNT Counseling and Testing Services, which serve as training resources.
The program has about 50 students and admits approximately eight students annually. Our students are diverse in age, backgrounds and interests. Most facilities on campus, including the Department of Psychology, are accessible to students with disabilities.
The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association’s Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation (750 First St. NE; Washington, D.C. 20002-4242; telephone 202-336-5979).
As directed by the APA, we provide data concerning applicants, admitted students, internship acceptance rates, program completion time, licensure, student attrition rates and financial cost. The information is available at our website.
Applying to the doctoral program is a multi-step process. You’ll need to meet one of the following criteria:
In addition, you must meet the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School® and the department. The department’s requirements include:
Admission to the doctoral program isn’t determined by one criterion or quantitative measure of achievement. Motivation, aptitude, self-awareness and interpersonal skills are highly valued, as are communication, research and professional/scientific writing skills.
The admission committee’s goal is to make an optimal match between your qualifications and goals and the training program’s resources and objectives. Detailed departmental admission requirements and an application are available from the graduate coordinator or online.
The degree requires a minimum of 104 credit hours and a one-year, pre-doctoral internship. The required coursework includes:
If you’re a full-time student, you can complete the program in five years. Most students take about six years.
You can earn a master’s degree en route to the Ph.D. if you have a bachelor’s degree. If you already have a master’s degree, you may receive transfer credit. The maximum amount of transfer credit is 24 credit hours, which must be approved by the program. You may transfer a maximum of 12 credit hours of post-master’s (doctoral) degree work, if approved by the program.
You may apply for teaching assistantships, fellowships and part-time clinical externships funded by the department during your doctoral studies. The department seeks to provide financial support for doctoral students for at least four years. Additionally, competitive scholarships are available from the graduate school and other sources.
Joshua N. Hook, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University. Positive psychology; humility; religion and spirituality; multicultural counseling.
Patricia L. Kaminski, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Colorado State University. Caregiver-child relationships; family violence (risks, protective factors, outcomes); Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image.
Trent Petrie, Professor and Director of the Center for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence; Ph.D., Ohio State University. Psychosocial antecedents of body image and disordered eating; physical activity/fitness, nutrition and psychological well-being; sport psychology; psychological antecedents and consequences of athletic injury; academic adjustment and performance; multicultural counseling.
Shelley Riggs, Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin. Family systems and intervention; trauma and loss; attachment processes through the life cycle; attachment theory; clinical issues.
Larry Schneider, Professor; Ph.D., Southern Illinois University. Social influences in counseling; professional-ethical issues; vocational psychology; sexual aggression.
Mark Vosvick, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Psychosocial Health Research; Ph.D., Stanford University. Health psychology; health and wellness in sexual, gender and ethnic/racial minorities; HIV/AIDS and sexual health; stress and coping theory; psychosocial and behavioral issues associated with quality of life; community-based participatory research.
Chiachih DC Wang, Associate Professor and Director of the Counseling Psychology Program; Ph.D., University of Missouri. Adult attachment and psychosocial functioning; cross-cultural variation of attachment constructs; acculturation and adjustment of immigrant populations; ethnic identity; family dynamics and parent-child relationship issues.
Ed Watkins, Professor; Ph.D., University of Tennessee. Psychotherapy training and supervision; psychoanalytic theory, research, and practice.
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