Counseling Psychology

The Counseling Psychology specialization helps to prepare students to practice as licensed psychologists who work with clients to promote functional relationships, healthy lifestyles, and positive career choices and roles. Counseling psychologists facilitate growth and development by building on client strengths. Counseling psychologists work with clients of all ages in various therapeutic settings.

Completion Requirements

• 159 total quarter credit hours, course-based
  • Core courses (106 cr.)
  • Elective course (5 cr.)
  • Dissertation (30 cr.)
  • Field experience (18 cr.)
• Professional Development Plan, Personal State Licensure Plan, and Program of Study (included in PSYC 8000)
• Minimum 12 quarters enrollment
• 3.0 GPA
• Residency units: 500-hour Academic Year in Residence
  • Three 120-hour residencies (Summer-Winter-Summer or Winter-Summer-Winter)
  • PSYC 8341, 8351 Testing Course Sequence (taken across two quarters)

For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call your enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336.

Core Courses

*See course descriptions for prerequisites.

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
PSYC 8000	Foundations for Graduate Study in Psychology	6
PSYC 8207	History and Systems of Psychology	5
PSYC 8215	Lifespan Development	5
PSYC 8221	Psychology of Personality	5
PSYC 8226	Biopsychology	5
PSYC 8237	Cognitive Psychology	5
PSYC 8247	Social Psychology	5
PSYC 8304	Statistics 1	5
PSYC 8311	Research Design*	5
PSYC 8316	Tests and Measurement*	5
PSYC 8331	Interviewing and Observational Strategies	5
PSYC 8341	Psychological Assessment: Cognitive	5
PSYC 8351	Psychological Assessment: Personality and Social-Emotional	5
PSYC 8305	Statistics 2	5
PSYC 8342	Psychotherapy Interventions I	5
PSYC 8343	Psychotherapy Interventions II	5
PSYC 8700	Psychology and Social Change	5
PSYC 8705	Ethics and Standards of Professional Practice	5
PSYC 8720	Diagnosis and Assessment	5
PSYC 8723	Multicultural Counseling	5
PSYC 8725	Group Therapy	5

Elective Course

One elective course, selected from the graduate courses in the School of Psychology, may be added anywhere in your program, provided that you meet the prerequisites.

Dissertation and Field Experience

*See course descriptions for prerequisites.

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
PSYC 9000	Dissertation Research*	30
PSYC 8871	Practicum*	6 (3 cr. per term for 2 terms)
PSYC 8882	Internship*	12 (3 cr. per term for 4 terms)

Course Descriptions

Note on Licensure

The Counseling Psychology specialization in the Psychology Ph.D. program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for psychology licensing exams. This specialization is designed to meet the academic licensure requirements of many state psychology boards. However, Walden University’s  specializations in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology are not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and have not received designation by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR), which are requirements for licensure in some states. Because no graduate program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, we encourage students to consult the appropriate agency to determine specific requirements. For more information about licensure, students should visit the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards at http://www.asppb.net/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3395 and contact the appropriate licensing body. International students are encouraged to identify and contact their appropriate licensing body.