Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Mercer University requires a minimum of 84 graduate semester hours of study beyond the master’s degree, including internship and dissertation requirements. The Ph.D. degree is the highest academic degree granted by American universities.  It is awarded to those who demonstrate a mastery of the field in which it is awarded and who complete and defend a dissertation. 

Core Requirements: (42 semester hours)

The core represents a common requirement for all Ph.D. students designed by the Counselor Education and Supervision Program to provide a specific body of coursework leading to expertise in research design and methodology, advanced theory, leadership and supervision, as well as awareness of social foundations and advanced counseling practice. 

Required Research and Counseling Core Courses:

Research and Statistics:

COUN 830-Research and Statistics I (3 hours)
COUN 831-Research and Statistics II (3 hours) 
COUN 832-Research Design (3 hours) 
COUN 901-Prospectus Design (3 hours)

Counseling:

COUN 701-Advanced Psychometrics (3 hours)
COUN 702-Advanced Counseling Theory (3 hours)
COUN 703-Advanced Group Counseling and Leadership (3 hours)
COUN 704-Advanced Career Counseling and Development (3 hours)
COUN 705-Advanced Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling (3 hours)
COUN 706-Advanced Issues of Diversity and Social Justice (3 hours)
COUN 707-Advanced Clinical Practicum (3 hours)
COUN 801-Leadership and Consultation (3 hours)
COUN 802-Counselor Supervision (3 hours)
COUN 803-Internship in Supervision (3 hours)

Cognate Area: (15 semester hours)

The student is responsible for developing a cognate area in consultation with his/her curriculum committee that creates a coherent major focus for his/her study and development in the field of counseling.  Cognate areas available to doctoral students include, but are not limited to: Addictions, Career Development, Cultural Perspectives, Development, Psychometrics, Psychotherapy, Research, and School Counseling.  The cognate is individually designed with the student’s curriculum committee and consists of a minimum of 15 semester hours of study from the following:

COUN 708-Advanced Techniques in Marriage and Family Counseling
COUN 709-Learning Theory (3 hours)
COUN 710-Advanced Exceptionalities: ASCA applied to coun. of exceptional students (3 hours)
COUN 711-Advocacy and Professional Development in School Counseling (3 hours)
COUN 712-Addiction Prevention and Intervention with Youth & Families (3 hours)
COUN 713-Educational Leadership for School Counselors (3 hours)
COUN 714-Ethical and Legal Issues in School Counseling (3 hours)
COUN 715-Theories of Child and Family Counseling & Consultation (3 hours)
COUN 716-Theories of Adolescent and Family Counseling and Consultation (3 hours)
COUN 717-Seminar in Current Trends in School Counseling (3 hours) 
COUN 804-Personality Development (3 hours)
COUN 805-Cognition and Intellect (3 hours)
COUN 806-Psychotherapy I-Analytic Therapies (3 hours)
COUN 807-Psychotherapy II- Affective Therapies (3 hours)
COUN 808-Psychotherapy III-Behavioral Therapies (3 hours)
COUN 809-Psychotherapy IV-Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies (3 hours)
COUN 810-Tests and Measures I-Intelligence/Achievement/and Personality Testing (3 hours)
COUN 811-Tests and Measures II-Projectives (3 hours)
COUN 812-Qualitative Research
COUN 621-Current Issues in Career Education (3 hours)
COUN 627-Measurement Approaches and Resources in Career Counseling (3 hours)
COUN 628-Coaching, Consultation and Performance Improvement (3 hours)
COUN 629-Program Promotion, Management and Implementation (3 hours)
COUN 615-Psychological Helping Skills II (3 hours)
COUN 616-Psychological Helping Skills III (3 hours)
COUN 607-Gender Issues in Counseling (3 hours)
COUN 608-Psychological Aspects of Substance Abuse (3 hours)
COUN 624-Advanced Addiction Treatment (3 hours)
COUN 625-Case Management and Consultation (3 hours)
COUN 623-Play Therapy (3 hours)
COUN 813-Advanced Special Topics in Counseling (3 hours) - repeatable
COUN 814-Advanced Independent Study (1-3 hours) repeatable
Other coursework as approved by doctoral committee

External Cognate: (15 semester hours)

Students are required to develop a second cognate area of study in consultation with his/her curriculum committee.  This second cognate allows the student to explore other fields of study and to address areas of special interest.  Fifteen semester hours are required for the external cognate as well.  Students must take these 15 hours outside the Department of Counseling and Human Sciences and will work closely with his/her curriculum committee chair and the chairs/coordinators of the other programs/colleges and schools for this area of study.  External cognates include but are not limited to:  Pastoral Care and Counseling (with McAfee School of Theology), Marriage and Family Therapy (with the Medical School), Educational Leadership (with Tift College of Education), Leadership and Consultation (with Department of Leadership
Studies), and Public Safety (with the Department of Leadership Studies)

Total Minimum Coursework Requirements-72 semester hours
Field Work/Internship: (6 semester hours)
COUN 910-Doctoral Internship (3 hours repeatable)

Each student must complete a minimum one academic year, 6 hours, of internship.  Students work closely with their committee chair to develop an internship acceptable to the committee in an area of practice, research, consultation, or counselor education and supervision.  In compliance with CACREP standards, each six hour Internship must consist of a minimum of 600 hours of experience in the area approved by the student’s committee.

Dissertation: (6 semester hours minimum)
COUN 920-Dissertation (1-3 hours repeatable)
Total Program:

Counseling Core-42 hours
Cognate-15 hours
External Cognate-15 hours
Doctoral Comprehensive Exam
Doctoral Internship-6 hours
Dissertation-6 hours

Total Ph.D. minimum Requirements- 84 semester hours