Core Course Requirements — Students Are Required to Take the Following

• C 7432 - Advanced Individual Counseling (3)
• C 7433 - Advanced Group Counseling (3)
• C 7434 - Cognitive-Behavioral Theories of Counseling (3)
• C 7445 - Brief Psychotherapies (3)
• C 7455 - Addictions Counseling (3)
• C 7458 - Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (3)
• C 7460 - Techniques of Child and Adolescent Counseling (3)
• C 7462 - Ethics in Practice (3)
• W 7000 - Advanced Academic Study and Writing (3)

Elective Requirements* — Students Choose Three of the Following:

• C 7436 - Psychodynamic Theories of Counseling (3)
• C 7443 - Multicultural Issues in Counseling (3)
• C 7454 -  Models of Clinical Supervision (3)
• C 7412 - Assessment in Counseling Psychology (3)

Research Requirements — Students Are Required to Take the Following:

• R 7001 - Introduction to Research Methods (3)
• R 7031 - Methods and Analysis of Quantitative Research (3)
• R 7035 - Methods and Analysis of Qualitative Research (3)
• R 7036 - Program Evaluation Methods (3)

Dissertation Requirements —Students Are Required to Take the Following

Optional Concentration in Forensic Counseling

Students in the EdD in Counseling Psychology degree program may take an optional concentration in Forensic Counseling. Apart from the general aims of the doctoral degree program, the three course concentration in Forensic Counseling will allow practitioners to have additional training within the emerging field of Forensic Counseling.

The mission and goal of the concentration is to provide students with a broad overview of the scope of services emerging in the field of Forensic Counseling. This is not intended to train them to deliver forensic counseling services, but rather to allow them to be conversant with key forensic counseling areas as they practice as counseling psychologists. Students in the Forensic Counseling concentration are required to take the following three courses:

Counseling Competency Examination Requirements

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 the student’s 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 SPDC to determine further action.

Counseling Competency Examination Eligibility

The CCE evaluation criteria are designed to assess clinical competency at a level appropriate to students who have completed required coursework. 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 scale of 4.0).

Composition of Committee

Once a student has submitted a 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 advisors in preparation of the materials. The student should not consult the 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 the 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.

Committee Selection and Exam Scheduling

By the end of the first semester of the student’s second year of courses, each student planning to take the CCE during the third semester of the student’s second year of courses must submit a CCE Request Form that indicates the treatment setting, treatment modality of the case intended for presentation, and the type of client (e.g., age, sex, presenting problem, diagnosis). The chair of the CCE Committee will assign a Review Committee and the Review Committee chair will schedule an oral examination meeting. The student will be informed of the assignment and meeting time.

A copy of an audiotaped session and written materials (see case presentation) must be submitted to each member of the Review Committee chair and committee member). In addition, a copy of the written materials must be submitted to the coordinator of Student Services to be kept in the student’s academic file. Students are responsible for submitting their CCE materials no later than two weeks prior to the examination date. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the appropriate client consent forms, which permit the audiotaping of client sessions, are maintained in the client’s record at the practicum agency. The student makes arrangements to audiotape the entire oral examination and is responsible for ensuring adequate listening quality of the tapes. Students should use full size, new, high quality audiotapes and a recorder with an external microphone. Deliberation by the committee following the oral examination, and subsequent feedback to the student shall not be included on the tape. Examination tapes become the property of Argosy University, San Francisco Bay Area and will be collected by the CCE Review Committee chair following the exam. The student presents his or her case material orally during the examination. Under the chair’s direction, the committee conducts an examination regarding the case and relevant issues. At the close of the examination, the candidate is excused while the committee deliberates and evaluates the written and oral case materials.

Counseling Competency Procedures

A checklist of procedures for the student is presented below. Accompanying this checklist is a detailed explanation of these procedures.

1. Review CCE Guidelines
2. Obtain, complete, and submit the CCE Request Form to the coordinator of Student Services.
3. Select audiotaped or videotaped session to accompany written materials. Transcribe tape. Prepare written case material. Make sure to have three copies of all written materials and two copies of the tape.
4. Schedule the oral examination. Turn in the Clinical Competence Exam Orals Scheduling Form to the Student Services Department at least two weeks before the oral examination.
5. Two weeks in advance of the oral exam, provide the examination committee members with copies of the written and taped materials. Provide the coordinator of Student Services a copy of the written materials.
6. Bring an Oral Examination Form to the Review Committee at the time of the oral examination.
7. Arrange for audiotaping of oral exam. Allow for two hours of tape space. Use a tape recorder with an external microphone.

Duties of Review Committee Members

It is the responsibility of the Review Committee members to review the student’s written and taped materials prior to the examination date. The committee will:

• Query the student in a manner relevant to the case, including questions regarding alternative theoretical approaches, re-formulations of case material and other psychological issues
• Evaluate and discuss the student’s written and oral presentation
• Render an independent pass or fail judgment
• Provide recommendations for further study, where warranted

Immediately after the examination, the chair of the Review Committee completes the Oral Examination Form and informs the student and the CCE Committee chair of the student’s pass, fail, or split decision status. In the case of a split decision, the committee chair keeps the examination tape for submission to a third, independent evaluator.

Within 10 working days of the examination date, the CCE Review Committee chair is responsible for submitting, in writing to the chair of the CCE Committee, a copy of the CCE Evaluation Form, indicating the outcome of the student’s written and oral performance. In addition, each member should return all clinical taped and written case materials to the student, unless other arrangements have been made with the student. The exam tape will be collected by the Review Committee chair at the end of the meeting. In the case of a split decision, the chair of the CCE Committee will submit a copy of all materials, and the exam tape, to a third reader.

Case Presentation

The site supervisor, seminar leader, or any other appropriate person, may provide consultation and supervision to the student with regard to any aspect of the case selection and management. However, the student holds the sole responsibility for organizing, conceptualizing, and communicating the case materials. There must be no input from supervisors or other faculty in the preparation of the written examination documents. The transcribed session may not have been presented previously in written form.

Case Presentation Content Guidelines

The student should select a case for presentation that permits an adequate sampling of his or her knowledge and skill in the treatment modality used. The student must have served as the primary service provider.

The case should demonstrate adequate pre-treatment evaluation, assessment, and conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention, and termination management. Students are not limited in their choice of client characteristics or problems, type of treatment modality, or treatment setting. The client should have been seen for a minimum of three sessions in order to ensure adequate opportunity to demonstrate the skills listed above. A student must gain approval from his/her review committee chairperson to use a tape of a session earlier in the treatment process (e.g., in an EAP setting).

The principle guideline for choosing a case should be that it fits within the framework of applied counseling psychology. For example, the student may choose a case which involves, but is not limited to: drug/alcohol group treatment, family therapy, rehabilitative psychology, forensic psychology, play therapy, long-term or short-term individual psychotherapy, or behavioral medicine.

Specific Content of Presentation

The following categories should be addressed in structuring the written and oral portions of the case presentation. The Review Committee will use them in evaluating the student’s performance. Adaptations of the content within the categories may be made depending on the particulars of the case. The student will submit a written case presentation of 10 – 15 pages, double-spaced, not including the transcript, which describes an entire course of therapy, either in-progress or completed, along with a transcript of a specific session. The written presentation will include the following:

Pre-Treatment Evaluation

The case should demonstrate the student’s competence in pre-intervention assessment, whether the assessment involved an intake interview, formal testing, collateral interviews, behavioral assessment, or analysis of previous assessments, or other material gathered by previous practitioners. Appropriate documentation of the evaluation must be presented. In addition, the student should be prepared to support and critically discuss decisions made regarding the assessment procedure(s) used. The written report must include the following section:

Presenting Problem Relevant history, including the following, as appropriate:

• Prior treatment history
• Assessment findings
• History of family interaction
• Developmental history
• Medical history
• Substance use or abuse
• DSM-IV diagnosis

Conceptualization and Treatment Formulation

The student must describe the conceptual formulation that guided him or her in the treatment of the case. The treatment plan, including goals and appropriate intervention strategies, must be described fully. The student must be able to justify the treatment plan based on the conceptualization of the case, the theoretical model selected, and any pertinent empirical data regarding treatment efficacy. The written report must include the following sections:

• Description of theoretical model
• Narrative applying the case material to the model
• Treatment plan derived from the model, including termination

Course of Therapy and Session Analysis

This section outlines the student’s thinking in his or her handling of the case from the initial intervention(s) to termination. Interventions during each phase of therapy must be described. The student must describe the intervention(s) in the specific session selected for presentation, and how these intervention(s) relate to the stated treatment goals.

The student must analyze his or her behavior in the session with respect to the process and content of therapy. Examples of areas for critique include, but are not limited to: listening skills, empathy, structure, and confrontation. The critique should refer to specific interchanges between therapist and client(s) in the transcript/ tape. The written report must include the following:

• Course of therapy
• A transcript of a session from the tape submitted
• Self-critique

Ethical and Legal Considerations

The student must review ethical and/or legal issues he or she deems to be relevant to the case.

Diversity Issues

The student must review any diversity issues relevant to the assessment and treatment of his or her case. Examples of individual differences and diversity issues include race, ethnicity, culture, sexual preference, age, gender, and religious preference. The student must discuss the impact of diversity issues on assessment and treatment of the case.

Audiotaped or Videotaped Session

An audiotaped or videotaped therapy session must be presented to the Preview Committee at the same time as the written material (at least two weeks prior to the oral examination). Both members of the Review Committee must receive a copy of the session. A written consent for taping must be present in the patient’s clinical chart at the site.

The student is responsible for submitting the tape, of adequate quality, to enable the examiners to hear the audiotaped therapy session. A written transcript will not suffice as a substitute for a therapy tape of inadequate quality. The student’s interpersonal skills as a therapist must be demonstrated on the tape. Otherwise, the tape will not be acceptable (e.g., tape of relaxation or hypnosis exclusively would not be acceptable). Presentation of inaudible tapes may result in postponement of the CCE until such time as an adequate tape can be provided.

Specific Content of Oral Examination

Oral Presentation

Faculty will have reviewed the written materials prior to the meeting. The student will present the case at the beginning of the meeting. The oral presentation should build upon, but not repeat, the basic information conveyed in writing. The presentation should not exceed ten minutes in length and should emphasize the following aspects:

• Basic statement of client demographics and reason for referral
• Conceptual formulation
• The student should briefly describe the theoretical model chosen and how it applies to the case
• Therapeutic interventions

A discussion of therapeutic interventions is central to the presentation. Specifically, the student must discuss treatment goals, and specific intervention strategies employed, as well as published empirical support for treatment decision.

Oral Examination

The majority of the time is allotted to the critical evaluation of the student’s ability to handle the Committee’s in-depth exploration of his or her knowledge, clinical reasoning, and clinical skills. The student is required to think on his or her feet, to consider and evaluate other possible interventions, to contrast modalities, to support or re-formulate the approach taken, and to demonstrate knowledge of related psychological issues. A key component of the examination will be an assessment of the student’s ability to apply their clinical knowledge to meet the needs of the case at hand. Any questions remaining after the review of the written materials will also be addressed. Questions may focus on the following:

• Assessment and differential diagnosis
• Rationale for therapy
• Knowledge of relevant literature
• Application of theory (from written formulation and one theory selected by committee)
• Critique of specific behaviors from transcript (listening skills, empathy, structure, and confrontation)
• Termination rationalization/plan
• Possible ethical implications or dilemmas
• Issues of diversity

In all cases, the committee is free to explore and test the student until the committee is satisfied it can render an accurate decision. Students may bring prepared materials for the oral presentation as well as reference materials. However, it is at the discretion of the committee to determine how the oral examination is structured.

Grading the Counseling Competency Examination

The committee members will review the written materials and the tape prior to the meeting. Prior to the oral exam, the review committee members discuss their initial evaluation of the criteria relating to the written materials and tape and decide on specific areas to be explored during the oral exam. The student’s performance on the oral exam may compensate for some difficulties in the written and/or taped portions of the exam. During the oral exam, the committee will ask questions in order to arrive at independent ratings of “Pass” or “Fail” for each of the criteria outlined in the CCE Evaluation Form. Once each member is satisfied that he or she is able to rate the student in each of the areas, the student is excused and the committee meets to arrive at a consensual rating. The committee is encouraged to call the student back if more information is needed to reconcile a discrepancy in ratings. If no agreement can be reached, a tape of the review and all the written materials will be submitted to a third judge to resolve the discrepancy.

Pass

Indicates that the student’s overall performance on both written and oral presentations demonstrate basic competence in each of the following areas: knowledge, clinical reasoning, technical skills, relationship skills, and written/oral expression skills. The student must demonstrate proficiency in each area outlined in the scoring guidelines, by the end of the oral exam, to pass the CCE.

Fail

Indicates that there are significant deficiencies in the written, taped, and/or oral portion of the examination. In the event that the student fails the examination, the committee members will discuss, with the student, the strength and weaknesses of the student’s overall performance.

Evaluation of the CCE

Each of the following criteria is designed to evaluate the student’s written and oral performance in one or more of the following areas: knowledge-based clinical reasoning, technical skills, relationship skills, and formal communication skills. These criteria are intended to represent minimal proficiency in each area outlined. The student must pass each of the following by the end of the oral presentation to pass the CCE.

Written Case Presentation

All of the following must be passed by the end of the oral presentation. The written presentation must not exceed 15 pages.

Pretreatment Evaluation

• Student demonstrates knowledge of relevant diagnostic criteria and the ability to integrate information from a variety of sources to support the diagnosis.
• Student demonstrates adequate knowledge and clinical reasoning in the selection of assessment methods. Student provides an adequate qualitative description of the client (issues, dynamics, personality style(s), motivation for treatment, communication style).

Conceptualization and Treatment Formulation

• Student demonstrates knowledge of the theoretical model selected.
• Student applies major components of the theory to case material.
• Student demonstrates adequate clinical reasoning in developing the treatment plan, guided by assessment information and the theory selected.

Course of Therapy and Session Analysis

• Student describes relevant themes and important interventions over the course of the treatment.
• Student shows ability to critique his or her own work, including strengths and weaknesses, referring to specific interchanges on the transcript.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

• Student demonstrates knowledge of ethical guideline relevant to the case.
• Student analyzes implications of possible ethical dilemma.

Diversity Issues

• Student demonstrates knowledge of possible cultural factors relevant to assessment and treatment of the case.
• Student discusses implications of these factors “to assessment and treatment.”

Written Communication Skills

• Student demonstrates ability to communicate clearly in writing.
• Transcript and tape

A student must pass both of the following to pass the CCE:

• Student demonstrates adequate skill in implementing one or more interventions consistent with the treatment plan.
• Student demonstrates adequate relationship skills in the session.

Listening Skills

• Accurately reflecting client’s concerns
• Using language consistent with client’s frame of reference
• Conveying warmth, respect, and concern for client
• Encouraging client to discuss difficulties
• Appropriately reinforcing, tolerating client’s affect

Oral Examination

The student must pass each of these criteria by the end of the oral exam:

Oral presentation (not to exceed 10 minutes)

• The student demonstrates knowledge and clinical reasoning discussing the case.
• The client demonstrates an adequate ability to communicate clinical material orally.

Exam

• Student demonstrates knowledge of major content areas within psychology:

– Biological
– Social
– Cognitive
– Developmental
– Research relevant to efficacy of treatment model with type of client presented

• Student shows ability to apply more than one theoretical model to the case.

In addition to the orientation presented in the written materials, one of the following orientations, to be chosen by the committee, must also be discussed by the student. The student may select the specific theoretical model, within the orientation chosen by the committee (e.g., structural family therapy vs. Bowenian family therapy):

• Systems theory
• Behavioral or cognitive theory
• Psychodynamic theory

Within the model selected by the committee, students will be examined on the following aspects of clinical reasoning:

• Theory of personality and psychopathology associated with the model.
• Tactics and strategies derived from the model
• Concept of therapeutic change
• Relative strengths and weaknesses

Students show adequate problem solving ability when presented with hypothetical questions about the case:

• Ethical dilemmas
• Diversity issues
• Alternative interventions
• Psychotherapy process and relationship issues
• Consultation with professionals from other disciplines

Student shows ability to critique his or her own work:

• Assessing effectiveness in directing interventions (at least one strength and one weakness)
• Generating alternative strategies in working with the client
• Discussing therapist variables and/or countertransference
• Assessing quality of the therapeutic relationship
• Describing obstacles to treatment/therapeutic impasses
• Critiquing specific interchanges on the tape/transcript

Failure and Remediation Policy

If a student fails the exam, he or she must begin a remediation process, to be determined by the review committee. The review committee will determine when the retake examination will be scheduled, and notify the student in writing. Once the remediation process is complete, the student may apply to retake the examination. The student must present a different clinical case during the retake examination.

Dissertation Requirements

The dissertation is an essential part of the scholar/practitioner education at Argosy University, San Francisco Bay Area. Designed as a capstone experience, the dissertation provides 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:

• Articulate a counseling psychology question or set of questions
• Critically evaluate and synthesize the relevant theoretical, clinical, and research literature
• 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 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:

• The topic must have a clinical application.
• 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 committee.

Dissertation Prerequisites

To be eligible to register for dissertation, students must have successfully completed all nine of the first-year courses.

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.

Recommended Course Sequence for the Doctor of Education in Counseling Psychology Degree Program

Student progress through the program is intended to be sequential. Certain courses are offered to first-year students that are designed to provide a theoretical and practical foundation for courses that will follow in subsequent years. Certain advanced courses also require the student to have the background of more basic courses in order to benefit fully from the course experience. Students must satisfy all stated prerequisites for a course before registration for that course can be considered official.