The Department of Counselor Education offers a doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision and master’s programs in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling. The master’s programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).* The Master of Arts degree in Counseling is a 60-credit-hour program with areas of emphasis in school counseling or clinical mental health counseling. The clinical mental health counseling program meets state academic requirements for those seeking Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) status. The school counseling program meets the academic requirements for those seeking the Colorado K-12 school counselor licensure.
The Counselor Education Program is designed to serve all students interested in a quality education. In particular, it focuses on the needs of students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds within rural Colorado. The Counselor Education Program provides an excellent educational experience by creating a supportive and challenging environment that integrates personal and professional growth for students. Through the use of research and applied experiential learning, students will develop a solid knowledge base, comprehensive skills, and an ability to self-challenge. The program develops competent counselors who are proactive, ethical, and capable of recognizing and affirming the diversity of people, ideas, and values. They will be persons of integrity who will be advocates for individual and societal growth. They will have the sensitivity, flexibility, and knowledge to serve the needs of diverse populations. They will be capable of developing collaborative relationships with community agencies, organizations, public schools, and families in rural and urban centers.
*Both the clinical mental health counseling and school counseling tracks are CACREP accredited in all delivery models Adams State University uses (on-campus and online).
Department Faculty
Chairperson
Professors
- Laura Bruneau, Ph.D.
- Mark Manzanares, Ph.D.
Associate Professors
- Courtney Allen, Ph.D.
- Neil Rigsbee, Ph.D.
- Jared Thiemann, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors
- Christina Harrell, Ph.D.
- Sandra Gavin, Ph.D.
- Rebecca Meidinger, Ph.D.
Clinical Faculty
- Theresa O’Halloran, Ph.D.
- Mark Vander Ley, Ph.D.
- Penny Sanders, Ph.D.
- Carol Cotter, Ph.D.
- Janessa Henninger, Ph.D.
- Madeleine (Maddy) Stevens Ph.D.
- Theresa O’Halloran, Ph.D.
- Becky Caple, Ph.D.
- Kirk Thiemann, Ph.D.
- Bethany Adams, Ph.D.
- Melissa O’Neill, Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision
The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Adams State University prepares graduates to:
- Work as counselor educators and supervisors, researchers and practitioners in academic and clinical settings.
- Extend the knowledge base of the counseling profession in a climate of scholarly inquiry.
- Publish and/or present the results of scholarly inquiry.
- Inform professional practice by generating new knowledge for the profession through dissertation or comparable research projects focused on areas relevant to counseling practice, counselor education, and/or supervision.
- Assume positions of leadership in the counseling profession and/or their area(s) of specialization.
Counselor Education and Supervision students at Adams State University will be:
- Prepared to teach select courses in counseling skill, theory, ethics, research, assessment, group, supervision, instructional theory, and career.
- Knowledgeable and skilled in the practice of advanced clinical counseling.
- Knowledgeable and competent in cultural diversity.
- Experienced in online course development, delivery, and counseling supervision.
- Prepared to teach courses in the CACREP core.
- Prepared to supervise counselors and counseling students who provide individual and group counseling.
- Experienced in developing and conducting research.
- Experienced in presenting research results at state, regional, and national conferences.
- Experienced in writing for professional publications.
- Prepared to evaluate counselor education programs and clinical counseling sites.
- Experienced as professional counseling leaders, mentors, practitioners, and consultants.
- Experienced as active change advocates.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Counselor Education doctoral program is competitive but does not guarantee graduation or state specific licensure. Specifically, applicants and admitted students are required to attend in person: (1) all scheduled selection interviews; (2) new student orientation; (3) and summer residencies. Failure to attend will result in program dismissal.
Applications must be email verified as complete no later than December 3. The processing of applications can take several weeks depending on receipt of official transcripts and other required application materials.
Application Timeline:
- December 3: Deadline for Application Materials to be verified
- December 14: Interview invitations distributed
- January 31: On-campus interviews (in person)
- February 18: Admission decision notifications distributed
- May 29 and 30: On-campus new Ph.D. student orientation (in person)
- August 19: Fall semester courses begin
Required Admission Documents:
A candidate who is interested in enrolling at Adams State University to pursue a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counselor Education and Supervision must:
- Complete the online application for admission (application type #10)
- Pay the $45 non-refundable application fee during the online application process.
- Submit ALL supplemental admission documents online: Online submission of supplemental admission documents
These documents include:
A letter of intent answering:
- Why are you pursuing a doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision?
- What professional experience do you have?
- What leadership experience do you have?
- What are your plans for applying your education following graduation?
Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Three (3) Reference Request Forms from individuals who can attest to your abilities for successful doctoral study. References can choose to send their form directly to you OR they can submit them directly to the ASU Office of Graduate Studies to the email or mailing address below OR contact information from associates who can speak to the applicant’s academic strengths and potential.
Official Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test score report from ETS with an earned score in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, AND a 3.5 or higher on Analytical Writing section. GRE scores need to be no more than 5 years old from the date of application to program.
Send ALL (undergraduate and graduate) official transcripts from previously attended institutions. Transcripts from ASU need not be requested. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted. International transcripts must be evaluated by an approved international credential evaluator. Please have all official transcripts sent directly from the institutions to:
graduatestudies@adams.edu (for electronic official transcripts)OR Adams State University Office of Graduate Studies, Suite 2300, 208 Edgemont Blvd., Alamosa, CO 81101
Download and read the latest Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision Student Handbook.
Selection Criteria for Doctoral Study
In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School, persons applying for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in Counselor Education and Supervision must meet the following criteria for selection. Applicants must have:
- A master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program and be license eligible in their state of residence or a master’s degree in counseling, one year of full-time post-master’s degree counseling experience, graduate course work curriculum requirements in all of the CACREP common core areas. Doctoral students who have earned their master’s degree from a CACREP accredited program will be assumed to have entry level knowledge in core and major course areas. Those not graduating from a CACREP accredited program will have their transcripts evaluated by a faculty advisor to determine CACREP core knowledge base deficiencies. A remediation plan of study will be developed and approved by the faculty as necessary.
- GPA of 3.0 or higher from completed master’s degree.
- Submitted official transcripts for ALL undergraduate and graduate coursework.
- Submitted three Reference Request forms.
- Completed an on-campus interview with the ASU Counselor Education admission committee.
The admission committee will make the final decision regarding admission. This decision will include at a minimum: (1) academic aptitude for doctoral-level study; (2) previous professional experience; (3) fitness for the profession, including self-awareness and emotional stability; (4) oral and written communication skills, and (5) potential for scholarship, professional leadership, and advocacy.
