The Ph. D. program in Counseling Psychology at the University at Albany provides integrated scientist-practitioner training in psychology as a scientific discipline and in counseling psychology as an area of professional specialization. Continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association (750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, telephone 202-336-5979) since 1980, the Ph. D. program involves full-time study in courses, seminars, practica, and internship training. The required curriculum encompasses four basic areas: (a) a professional core in counseling psychology (including theory, research and practice in areas of intervention, assessment, and career development), (b) supervised practica, (c) research design, measurement, and statistics, and (d) core psychology coursework. In addition, students must engage in a variety of professional experiences, complete special training in the mandated reporting of child abuse/neglect, demonstrate competence in an appropriate research tool, pass comprehensive doctoral examinations, complete a 2000 hour pre-doctoral internship, and submit an acceptable dissertation demonstrating their ability to conduct scholarly research in counseling psychology.
Basic to the design of this program are several perspectives on the nature of the field.
Scientist-Practitioner Model
The first of these concerns the scientist-practitioner model in the profession of psychology. This model is one in which training is undertaken in both intervention methods and scientific inquiry, and in which the practice of the profession involves both being informed by and contributing to scientific knowledge. In our program, questions of science and practice are viewed as complementary and interdependent, and the scientist-practitioner model is implemented by thorough course work in basic psychological foundations, research methods, developmental and intervention theory and assessment, and by practice opportunities in both research and clinical activities via assistantships, professional development activities, practica, specialized course work, and independent study.
Focus on Strengths and Normative Human Development
The second perspective stems from the tradition of the counseling psychology professional specialty to facilitate human growth and development, and to focus on client assets and strengths. Thus, while recognition of abnormality and pathology is an essential skill, the counseling psychology training in our program emphasizes patterns of normal development, and students are exposed to theory and methods that relate to both prevention and remediation of intra- and interpersonal human concerns.
Focus on Contextual Factors
Third, also following from tradition in counseling psychology, is the importance of understanding the person in his or her particular context. Whether the context in question is one of education, occupation, relationship, family, culture, or other system, training in our program includes a focus on the individual, on the nature of that person's environmental context, as well as on the quality of the interaction between the two.
Valuing Diversity
The fourth perspective concerns the valuing diversity. Diversity in our program will be found in the opportunities to explore issues of individual and cultural diversity, to learn a variety of theoretical orientations, to pursue a range of research topics and methods, to study with a multicultural array of students and faculty, to work with a range of client populations, to practice in multiple work settings, and to engage in a variety of professional roles (i.e., counselor, researcher, instructor, trainer, supervisor, consultant).
Quality Training
Finally, we believe that quality training is both sequential and comprehensive. That is, all course work, applied practice, and professional development activities are designed and scheduled to promote a graduated series of learning tasks. Students receive training in a broad, generalist model that prepares them for a variety of roles and settings, while also having opportunities to focus on particular problems or settings.
Following from these perspectives, our goals are to produce graduates who (1) have the requisite knowledge and skills for entry into the practice of professional psychology, (2) are skilled in the interface between science and practice, and (3) can contribute to knowledge and practice in counseling psychology.
Admissions Requirements
We are looking for students who have research experience, experience in an applied
setting, a strong academic record, above average GRE scores, good communication
skills, and positive letters of recommendation. We do not use a "cutoff"
system for GRE scores and grades. Rather, scores on GREs and graduate and undergraduate
GPAs are considered in the context of the entire application. During the past
several years, the average combined verbal and quantitative GRE score of accepted
applicants has been around 1150. The average GPA of accepted applicants has
been approximately 3.47 (on a 4 point scale) for undergraduate GPA and 3.88
for graduate GPA. Admission to the doctoral program is based on a general commitment
to full-time study. Applicants are required to submit a personal statement,
resume, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal and quantitative scores, official
transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work, three to five letters
of recommendation, application fee, the University at Albany Application for
Admissions for Degree Graduate Study, and the Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship
Application (available at Graduate Admissions or the Division website).
Recommendations should include some undergraduate or graduate faculty letters.
All admissions materials for the doctoral program must be received by January
15. Interviews are conducted for the top group of applicants in early
to mid March. An applicant who holds a master's degree in counseling or in psychology may
apply for up to 30 credits of advanced standing after admission.
Program of Study
The student, in consultation with the faculty advisor, develops a program of
study using the following program areas and credit distribution:
Program Areas (minimum credits):
· Professional Core in Counseling Psychology (29);
· Practicum and Internship in Counseling Psychology (20);
· Psychological Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design (12);
· Psychological Foundations (15);
Total minimum credits = 76
Mandated Reporter Training. Students are also required by New York State to complete a two-hour, non-credit, seminar in mandated child abuse reporting.
Professional Development Activities. In addition to completion of coursework, students are expected to perform ancillary teaching, research, administrative, or professional duties that contribute to their professional development. These duties are undertaken with an educational objective in mind, and are expected whether or not students recieve related financial support from UA.
Qualifying Examination
The student must pass a written comprehensive examination over the major content
areas of counseling psychology: intervention, assessment, career development/vocational
psychology and research. The exam is taken typically after completion of required
courses in the Professional Core of Counseling Psychology sequence, as well
as other relevant coursework.
Research Tool Requirement
Students must demonstrate competence in a research tool supportive of their
doctoral research. This may include special competencies in computer science,
statistical analysis, or coursework on methodology germane to counseling psychology.
Pre-Doctoral Internship Requirement
Students are required to complete an internship which must be one year
of full-time or two years of half-time supervised experience equivalent to 2,000
hours of work. The internship is an educational experience involving counseling,
supervisory and/or research activities in a setting in which the student is
directly supervised by a doctoral-level psychologist. The internship is taken
after completion of all course requirements, including doctoral practica, and
after successful completion of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination. Also, students
are encouraged to have a proposal of their dissertation research project completed
and approved prior to commencing the internship. The Director of Doctoral Training
in consultation with the student's graduate advisor must approve all internship
placements. During their internship, students enroll in ECPY 895 for one credit
hour during each semester spanned by their internship.
Dissertation
The student must complete a qualitative or quantitative investigation of some significant problem areas related to counseling psychology. The investigation should adhere to principles of logical analysis and empirical evidence in conducting the inquiry. The dissertation must demonstrate that the candidate has independently attained an acceptable level of research competence via adequate conceptualization of a problem, choice of research design, proper data analysis, and ability to report findings in a scholarly fashion. Following committee approval of the written dissertation, a final oral examination on the dissertation is conducted. Development of a dissertation proposal generally occurs in Cpy 890 (Independent Study) under the guidance of the proposed dissertation chair.
For students entering the program in 2005 and subsequently, an approved proposal is a pre-requisite for applying for internship. When the DQE has been passed, the research tool is completed, and the dissertation proposal has been accepted, the student moves to full status as a doctoral candidate.
After the dissertation committee and the dissertation proposal are formally
approved, students should register for Cpy 899 (Dissertation). A minimum of
1 credit of Cpy 899 must be taken in the semester the student defends the final
dissertation (students defending in the summer semester must register for Cpy
899 in the prior Spring semester). Although only one Cpy 899 credit is required,
whenever students are requesting faculty time and help with dissertation research,
they must be registered for Cpy 899 and maintain continuous registration.
Full Time Study in Residence
This program of study and research requires at least five academic years of full-time work, or the equivalent over a longer period, beyond the baccalaureate. Students entering with a master’s degree can complete the Ph.D. in four years full-time.
Each student in the doctoral program must engage in full time study in at least two sessions after admission. This requirement is designated to insure for each doctoral student a sustained period of intensive intellectual growth. For this purpose a student will enroll in full time study (minimum 12 credits) taken in each of two regular sessions which must be completed satisfactorily, except as indicated below.
1. Graduate assistants holding a full assistantship may meet the residency
requirement by completing one academic year in such a position, including the
satisfactory completion of a minimum of 15 registered credits during the year
plus satisfactory completion of assigned duties.
2. A student may petition the Faculty for exceptions to the above policy in
unusual circumstances. The petition should be presented to the Faculty for deliberation
only after the written approval of the petition by the student's advisor and
the Director of Doctoral Training.
Hence, the doctoral program is designed for full-time study during the academic year and it is expected that students will complete the majority of the program in the status of a full-time student during the regular academic year. Summer study is not regularly required; however, opportunities for summer study are frequently available.
Admission to Candidacy
A student will be admitted to candidacy upon the following:
1. Satisfactory record in course work, seminars, and practicum;
2. Satisfactory completion of the comprehensive qualifying examination;
3. Completion of the University residence requirements;
4. Acceptance of a dissertation proposal;
5. Satisfactory completion of the research tool requirement.
Exchange Program in La Coruña, Spain
Beginning in 1999, the Doctoral program in counseling psychology and the Universidad de La Coruña, La Coruña, Spain, entered into an exchange agreement. Doctoral students in their third year (or beyond) who are fluent in Spanish may go to Spain for a period of 2 months to 1 year to train in La Coruña's interdisciplinary Postgraduate Family Intervention Program, directed by Dr. Valentín Escudero. This training program, which combines didactic material with seminars, case studies, tutorials, research, and clinical work with families, is taught by faculty from Spain and the U.S.
Eligibility for the program is determined by the Director of Doctoral Training
in consultation with the faculty. To be eligible, students must demonstrate
proficiency in Spanish, be in good academic standing, and have completed all
required practica in the Department. Students must enroll for at least 3 credits
per semester (Fall or Spring; 1 credit in the summer session). Tuition at the
Universidad de La Coruña is waived in exchange for 5-6 hours of research
assistance.
Programs Leading to the Master's Degree and Certificate of
Advanced Study
https://www.albany.edu/counseling_psych/ms/index.html
The Division of Counseling Psychology at the University at Albany offers two
master's programs (Rehabilitation
Counseling, Mental Health
Counseling) and a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in
School Counseling. The master's and CAS programs
in the Division are designed to reflect traditions in psychology that focus
on individual and contextual differences and developmental progression. The
emphasis in our practitioner training programs is on identifying, preventing,
and ameliorating client problems across the life span and across the varied
domains of human experience (family life, education, interpersonal relationships,
work and leisure).
Combined BA/MS Program
Students admitted to the combined BA/MS program are allowed to take a maximum
of 12 graduate credits before completing their undergraduate degree. Students
apply to one of the two master's programs during their junior year. These credits
are applied to both the undergraduate and graduate programs. (Undergraduate
credits may not be used to fulfill the psychology elective requirements, however.)
Upon graduation with the Bachelor's degree, students begin full-time graduate
work. Typically, students obtain the Bachelor's degree in May, begin the graduate
program in June, and complete the Master's program in December of the following
year.
Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling
https://www.albany.edu/counseling_psych/ms/rehab.html
The 56-credit Master's of Science program in Rehabilitation Counseling program is a certified program that leads to national certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). The University at Albany program was among the first group of Rehabilitation Counseling Programs to receive national accreditation by the Council on Rehabilitation Education. It has retained its full accreditation status since 1980.
Rehabilitation counseling is a process intended to facilitate the vocational and personal development of people with disabilities. The disability may be physical, emotional, mental, social or some combination thereof. Within that process, various services enable clients to make the fullest use of their inherent or remaining potential in choosing, planning for, and attaining a satisfying and effective life. In a very real sense, rehabilitation counselors are concerned with maximizing the abilities of people with disabilities by assisting them to cope with any handicapping factors.
Rehabilitation counseling is unique in applying a diverse range of treatment
approaches and community resources to enhance the individual's life needs and
status. The process of rehabilitation counseling includes therapeutic counseling,
psychological and vocational evaluation, vocational exploration and training,
job development and placement, and follow-up and evaluation. In addition to
learning the counseling skills and behavioral principles common to the human
services profession as a whole, rehabilitation counselors develop expertise
in the process of rehabilitation and the psychology of disability. Furthermore,
rehabilitation counselors are committed to fostering development throughout
the client system. As such, our program focuses on developing of skills and
knowledge for filling educational and preventive roles as well as traditional
remedial or therapeutic roles.
The 56-credit Rehabilitation Counseling program is designed to prepare counselors to assume the full range of professional responsibilities required in a variety of community rehabilitation agencies and organizations. Our training model, which integrates behavioral science theory and knowledge with practitioner skills, assumes that the effective counselor has a strong understanding of the theoretical and scientific bases of professional techniques. In addition, our program's commitment to human diversity is manifested in coursework as well as fieldwork placements. A dedication to facilitating development in a culturally sensitive fashion underlies our training philosophy.
Given these program goals and assumptions, the curriculum must include both comprehensiveness and depth. Development of clinical skills is accomplished through a sequence of classes and fieldwork assignments. The full-time program curriculum requirements include a research/assessment sequence, an intervention theory/techniques sequence, a fieldwork sequence, and one elective.
The program prepares counselors to work with a full range of persons with disabilities in a variety of rehabilitation settings. Graduates, who receive an M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, tend to be employed in a variety of settings working with individuals with some type of disability (e.g., substance abuse settings, mental health facilities, sheltered workshops, rehabilitation hospitals, correctional settings, and other facilities that deal with special need individuals). Opportunities also include private rehabilitation agencies and schools and colleges. This program enrolls 10-20 students per year.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal and
quantitative scores. Also required are official transcripts of all undergraduate
and graduate coursework, letters of recommendation, and satisfactory completion
of 15 credit hours of psychology courses including statistics, abnormal psychology,
and personality theory. Applications are due by February 1. Supporting materials
(i.e., transcripts, letters of reference, GRE scores) are due by February
15.
Program of Study
The program requires five semesters (18-month program) of full-time study beginning
in June (summer session) of the first year and ending at the end of the fall
of the following year.
The program requires a minimum of 56 graduate credits distributed as follows:
1. Specialized courses in Rehabilitation Counseling as follows: (35 credits)
Cpy 601a, 601b, 603, 604, 608, 627, 630, 661, 662, 663, 761, and 767;
2. Fieldwork in Rehabilitation Counseling: (15 credits)
Cpy 602, 768a and 768b;
3. Electives as advised by division: (6 credits)
**Special Requirement - A three hour training program in mandated child abuse
reporting.
Fieldwork Requirement
All students complete a pre-practicum, a practicum, and an internship. The pre-practicum
is taken in the first fall semester, practicum is taken in the spring (210 hours
in a community agency or school), and internship is 600 hours over the second
summer and second fall in a community agency for rehabilitation students. A
placement coordinator assists students in arranging all field work requirements.
Practicum and internship are supervised on site as well as by University at
Albany faculty supervisors.
Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling
The 60-credit Mental Health Counseling Program has been approved by the New York State Office of Professions and can lead to a license in Mental Health Counseling. It includes the “core” offering of the other programs, and allows students to define their clinical interests through selection of clientele and sites for internship. Clinical practice sites include the full range of mental health services and agencies.
The Master of Science program in Mental Health Counseling is designed to prepare counselors to assume the full range of professional responsibilities required to function in a wide array of community human service agencies and organizations, including psychiatric and substance abuse settings. Our training model, which integrates behavioral science theories with practitioner skills, is based on the assumption that the effective counselor has a strong understanding of the theoretical and scientific bases of professional concepts and techniques.
Two other assumptions underlie the program. The first assumption is that counselors are involved in facilitating positive interactions between individuals and their environments. For this reason, counselors work within a variety of client "systems" such as families, peer groups, job settings, educational settings, and any other significant interpersonal or organizational contexts. Contemporary counseling is not solely based on one-to-one counseling relationships but also involves the use of group methods, consulting relationships, community resources, and training. Counselors are prepared to intervene effectively in these contexts using skills and perspectives derived from various theoretical orientations.
The second major assumption is that one of the counselor's primary goals is to facilitate human growth and development. The goal of enhancing development is applicable to all human beings. As such, our training program focuses on the developing skills and knowledge for educational and preventive roles as well as for the more traditional remedial or therapeutic roles. In addition, our program's commitment to human diversity is manifested in coursework as well as fieldwork placements. A dedication to facilitating development in a culturally sensitive fashion underlies our training philosophy.
Given these program goals and assumptions, the curriculum includes both comprehensiveness and depth. To these ends, admission requirements include 15 credit hours of psychology including statistics, abnormal psychology, and personality. The full-time program curriculum includes a research/assessment sequence, an intervention theory/techniques sequence, a fieldwork sequence, and electives.
Program of Study
The program requires a minimum of 60 graduate credits distributed as follows:
1. Specialized courses in Counseling as follows: (36 credits)
**Special requirement - A three-hour training program in mandated child abuse
reporting.
Certificate of Advanced Study in Counseling
https://www.albany.edu/counseling_psych/ms/school.html
The Certificate of Advanced Study program in School Counseling is designed to prepare counselors to assume the full range of professional responsibilities (i.e., counseling as well as guidance) in elementary, middle, and secondary school settings. Our training model, which integrates behavioral science theory and knowledge with practitioner skills, assumes that the effective counselor has a strong understanding of the theoretical and scientific bases of professional concepts and techniques.
Two other assumptions underlie the program. The first assumption is that counselors are involved in facilitating positive interactions between students and their environments. For this reason, counselors work within a variety of client "systems" such as families, peer groups, job settings, educational settings, and any other significant interpersonal or organizational contexts. Contemporary counseling is not solely based on one-to-one counseling relationships but also involves the use of group methods, consulting relationships, community resources, and training. School counselors are prepared to intervene effectively in the one-to-one context using skills and perspectives derived from various theoretical orientations.
The second major assumption is that one of the counselor's primary goals is to facilitate human growth and development. The goal of enhancing development is applicable to all human beings. As such, our training program focuses on developing skills and knowledge for educational and preventive roles as well as for the more traditional remedial or therapeutic roles. In addition, our program's commitment to human diversity is manifested in coursework as well as fieldwork placements. A dedication to facilitating development in a culturally sensitive fashion underlies our training philosophy.
Given these program goals and assumptions, the curriculum includes both comprehensiveness and depth. The full-time program curriculum includes a research/assessment sequence, an intervention theory/techniques sequence, a fieldwork sequence, and 4 electives.
Students in this 60-credit School Counseling program receive the Certificate
of Advanced Study (CAS). Completion of the CAS is necessary for provisional
certification as a school counselor in the state of New York. Permanent certification
is obtained after completing two years of full-time employment in a school setting.
This program admits roughly 10 students per year.
Admission Requirements
Applicants are required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal and
quantitative scores. Also required are official transcripts of all undergraduate
and graduate coursework, letters of recommendation, and satisfactory completion
of 15 credit hours of psychology courses including statistics, abnormal psychology,
and personality theory. Applications are due by February 1. Supporting materials
(i.e., transcripts, letters of reference, GRE scores) are due by February
15.
Program of Study
The required minimum of 60 graduate credits are distributed as follows:
1. Specialized courses in Counseling as follows: (33 credits)
Cpy 521, 601a, 601b, 603, 604, 608, 626, 627, 630, and 767;
2. Fieldwork in Counseling: (15 credits)
Cpy 602, 606;
3. Electives as advised (6 credits must be school-related): (12 credits).
**Special requirement - A three hour training program in mandated child abuse
reporting.
Fieldwork Requirement
Completion of a 210 hour pre-practicum in a school or community agency and a 600 hour internship in a school setting. The school counseling internship, which is full-time is completed in the second fall in a school setting. A placement coordinator assists students in arranging all fieldwork requirements. Practicum and internship are supervised on site as well as by University at Albany faculty supervisors.