Doctor of Philosophy - Counselor Education and Supervision

Plan Description

The Counselor Education and Supervision Ph.D. program prepares graduates to be able to work as counselor educators, supervisors, researchers, and practitioners in academic and clinical settings. Students will gain knowledge in professional roles in five doctoral core areas: counseling, supervision, teaching, research and scholarship, and leadership and advocacy. Increasing multicultural and social justice competency is an embedded goal within student learning outcomes across all core areas. Students entering this doctoral program are required to have a master’s degree in a counseling-related field (e.g., clinical mental health counseling, school counseling).

Upon completion of the CES program, graduates will be able to:

(a) apply advanced knowledge regarding counseling theories and culturally-informed and social justice practices to their professional work as well as that with counselors-in-training and supervisees;

(b) serve as effective clinical supervisors across mental health, school, college, and other settings;

(c) utilize skills and knowledge to become effective counselor educators in higher education settings;

(d) demonstrate research competencies relevant to advancing the counselor education and supervision field; and

(e) practice the scholar-practitioner-advocate model by advancing counseling practice, professional leadership, and advocacy.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

(a) Graduate College Admission Requirements

1. Completed application in the Application Portal and non-refundable application fee. 
2. Bachelor’s Degree – You must hold a four-year baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution or an approved equivalent.
   1. Post-Master’s tracks require a regionally accredited Master’s degree.
3. Grade Point Average – You must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.00=A) for the bachelor’s degree or a minimum 3.00 (4.00=A) for the last two years (60 semester credits). 
4. All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript from each postsecondary institution attended, showing all degrees and coursework, the dates awarded, and grades received. Official transcripts required upon admission.
   1. Credentials not in English must be accompanied by an English translation certified as true by a university official, an official representative of a United States embassy or consulate, the United States Information Service, the United States Education Foundation, or an approved professional translating service. Notarized copies of originals or translations are not considered official.

(b) Department Admission Requirements

Admission to the CES PhD program will be limited to the most qualified applicants based on a combination of the following:

• A master’s degree in a CACREP accredited counseling master’s program. If applying from a non-accredited counseling program, a review of course syllabi will be required and additional coursework may be required if CACREP accreditation content standards are not met.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher from previous graduate level coursework.
• A two-to-three-page personal statement that articulates (a) reasons for pursuing the CES Ph.D. degree program, (b) specific areas of research interest, and (c) professional goals upon completion of the program.
• Three letters of reference from university faculty or other individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s academic potential and professionalism.
• A scholarly or professional writing sample (any length).
• A current CV or resume.
• Scores from the verbal, quantitative, and analytical section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within five years from application for admission.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

Total Credits Required: 60

Degree Requirements

1. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 60 credits while earning a grade of B or better in all course work (i.e., a grade of B- and lower is unacceptable and the course must be retaken).
2. Students must pass, and defend a qualifying examination prior to commencing work on the dissertation proposal.
3. In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental members (one of which must be a core CED faculty as chair). A fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. A fifth committee member may be added at the student and advisor’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
4. Specific specialization courses are determined by the student in consultation with their advisor and/or committee. While an advisor is assigned to the student upon gaining admission based on stated research interests, the student may change advisors at any time.
5. Students must conform to all policies of the UNLV Graduate College, as stated in the UNLV Graduate Catalog, and those stated in the UNLV CES Doctoral Program Student Handbook.
6. Students will be evaluated at least yearly across several professional competencies. Inadequate performance in one or more may result in the imposition of additional requirements, loss of Graduate Assistantship, probation, or separation from the program.
7. Transfer Credits. Admitted students may transfer credits from graduate studies in other programs contingent upon evaluation by faculty, departmental approval, and in accordance with Graduate College policy.

Graduation Requirements

The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.