Program Overview
The Doctor of Education (EdD) in Counseling Psychology degree program is designed to emphasize the development of attitudes, knowledge and skills essential in the formation of professionals who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. To ensure that students are prepared adequately, the curriculum is designed to provide for the meaningful integration of theory, training and practice. Specific objectives of the program include the following:
- The training of practitioners capable of delivering effective treatment to diverse populations of clients in need of such treatment.
- The development of counseling psychologists who understand the biological, psychological and sociological bases of human functioning.
- The training of practitioners who are capable of exercising leadership both in the health care delivery system and in the training of mental health professionals.
- The preparation of counseling psychologists capable of expanding their role within society.
- The education of practitioners capable of working with other disciplines as part of a professional team.
Eligibility for Licensure
Washington
Graduates of the EdD in Counseling Psychology degree program are eligible to become licensed psychologists in Washington. Students should determine the requirements for professional licensure in the state they wish to practice. More information is available from the Washington State Department of Health at: https://wws2.wa.gov/doh/hpqalicensing/ hps7/psychology/default.htm.
Additional Standards for Academic Success
Students must make satisfactory progress towards a degree by maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. Students must complete this program within seven years after matriculation. Students who have temporarily withdrawn from Argosy University will have seven years plus the length of time that they were not enrolled, not to exceed one year, to complete the program.
Students are required to complete 63 semester credit hours. The minimum amount of work that a student must complete each year following matriculation to successfully complete the program appears below:
Suggested Incremental Timeframe Completion Rates
|
| End of Year One |
9 credit hours |
| End of Year Two |
18 credit hours |
| End of Year Three |
27 credit hours |
| End of Year Four |
45 credit hours |
| End of Year Five |
63 credit hours |
Note: The Suggested Incremental Timeframe Completion Rates are not a replacement for the specific program sequencing and enrollment requirements, which may be stricter than the Suggested Incremental Timeframe Completion Rates.
Additional Graduation Requirements
In addition to the stated graduation requirements, students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for graduation:
- Successful completion of the Counseling Competency Examination (CCE)
- Completion of these requirements within five years of matriculation into the program
Counseling Competency Examination
The Counseling Competency Examination (CCE) includes a treatment summary, case presentation, written case analysis, oral presentation, and oral examination based on the written and case presentations. This format is designed to provide an assessment of students’ knowledge, clinical reasoning within a conceptual model, technical skills, relationship skills, and ability to communicate in written and oral form. Students are expected to take the examination in the last semester of their second year of coursework. Students must submit a CCE Request form to the Student Services Coordinator. In the event of failure, the examination may be retaken once. If, during the second attempt, the examination is not successfully passed, the results of the examination will be presented to the Student Professional Development Committee to determine further action.
Eligibility
The CCE evaluation criteria are designed to assess clinical competency at a level appropriate to students who have completed required course work. Students are eligible to take the exam if they are in good academic standing in the doctoral degree program (a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale).
Composition of Committee
Once a student has submitted the CCE Request form, the chair of the CCE Committee will assign a Review Committee to evaluate the student’s written and oral presentations and conduct the oral examination. Review committees will consist of two core faculty members. The Review Committee members serve ONLY as examiners, NOT as advisors in preparation of the materials. The student should not consult with committee members about the content or structure of the examination, other than in regard to the format and timing of the oral examination. In the event that a student who previously failed the CCE is retaking the exam, no member of a previous committee may serve on the new committee. Committee assignments will be made with consideration to workload and expertise with the type of clinical case.
Dissertation
The Dissertation is an essential part of the scholar/practitioner education at Argosy University. Designed as a capstone experience, the dissertation is designed to provide an opportunity for the student to apply theory and research to a particular topic and to think critically and creatively about counseling psychology. The dissertation must demonstrate clearly and concisely the student’s ability to: a) articulate a counseling psychology question or set of questions; b) critically evaluate and synthesize the relevant theoretical, clinical and research literature; and c) analyze collected data in light of the organizing question(s) and the prevailing knowledge in the area chosen for study. Students select the topic of their dissertation, with the approval of their selected Chairperson and the Dissertation Committee. It should be noted that students may need to seek additional training(e.g., advanced statistics courses or computer applications) or resources external to the school (e.g., statistical consultation, research subjects) to complete some dissertation options. Students are required to develop a plan identifying training and resource needs as part of their dissertation proposal.
Scope
Students are expected to address a psychological issue that is grounded in theory and is addressed by current research. The appropriateness of the project is determined by the Dissertation Chair and Committee members. The dissertation must be a potentially publishable review or a synthesis of findings that could be presented to professional counseling psychologists in a conference or a workshop setting.
Types of Inquiry
A broad range of inquiry is permitted in the dissertation. The only restrictions are: (a) the topic must have a clinical application; and (b) there must be a published empirical literature of sufficient size to warrant critical review. The focus of the review is determined by the student in collaboration with the dissertation chair and committee.
Prerequisites
To be eligible to register for dissertation, students must have successfully completed all coursework and obtain approval from their academic advisor.
Registration for Dissertation
All students must register for dissertation and remain registered until they complete the project. Students must have their dissertation proposal approved by their chair and committee members.
Program Requirements
Student in the EdD in Counseling Psychology degree program are required to successfully complete a minimum of 63 semester credit hours distributed as follows: professional development courses, 9 credit hours; writing and research requirements, 15 credit hours; professional practice requirements, 15 credit hours; counseling psychology skills requirements, 12 credit hours; and dissertation requirements, 12 credit hours.
