2012 - 2013
Graduate Catalogue
Pastoral Counseling
Office: Columbia Campus
Telephone: 410-617-7620 or 800-221-9107, x7620
Website: www.loyola.edu/pastoralcounseling
- FACULTY
- ACCREDITATION
- ADMISSION CRITERIA
- HOUSING
- PAYMENT OPTIONS
- CREDITS REQUIRED
- THERAPY REQUIREMENT
- SPIRITUAL DIRECTION REQUIREMENT
- LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
- SUPERVISORY PROCESS (M.A./M.S./C.A.S./Ph.D.)
- DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
- MASTER'S PROGRAMS
- CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED STUDY (C.A.S.) IN PASTORAL COUNSELING
- STATE LICENSURE
- DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
FACULTY
Chair: K. Elizabeth Oakes, Associate Professor
Founding Director: Barry K. Estadt
Director, M.A. Program: Thomas E. Rodgerson
Director, M.S. Program: K. Elizabeth Oakes
Director, C.A.S. Program: Robert J. Wicks
Director, Ph.D. Program: Ralph L. Piedmont
Director, Clinical Education: Danielle LaSure-Bryant
Director, Program Operations: Steven D. King
Professors: Sharon E. Cheston; Barry K. Estadt (emeritus); Joanne Marie Greer (emerita); Ralph L. Piedmont; Robert J. Wicks
Associate Professor: K. Elizabeth Oakes
Assistant Professors: Gina Magyar-Russell; Elizabeth A. Maynard; Kari A. O'Grady; Jill L. Snodgrass; Joseph Stewart-Sicking
Affiliate Faculty: Christine Ciecierski Berger; Sara D. Brouillet; Beverly E. Eanes; Karyn M. Felder Moore; Geraldine M. Fialkowski; Kathy Glyshaw; John S. Jeffreys; Steven D. King; Anthony F. Krisak; Lawrence M. LeNoir; Brian McDermott, S.J.; Carol Z. A. McGinnis; Janet R. Merkel; John D. Mojzisek; Constance M. Mucha; Donna J. Parker; Dee Preston-Dillon; Bernard M. Raiche; Mary M. Raphel; Frank J. Richardson, Jr.; Thomas E. Rodgerson; Deborah G. Rollison; William J. Sneck, S.J.; Anne Ross Stewart; Allan Tsai; Anne Marie Wheeler
The pastoral counseling program is holistic in scope. It seeks to understand the human search for meaning and purpose in all its complexity. The program's vision espouses a growth-oriented, interactional approach which attempts to interpret human behavior and human experience as an integration of the physiological, the intellectual, the emotional, the social, and the spiritual. Further, the program addresses the individual search for meaning within and beyond the concrete circumstances of daily life and the reaching out for spiritual understanding. It encourages a transcendent faith in which participants explore the richness of the human person and of their own individuality.
The pastoral counseling program seeks to be a collegium, inviting individuals to a common pursuit of truth. In this pursuit, the focus is on the student. In the words of a site-visitation team of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC): "The program is marked throughout by the dictum of Saint Francis de Sales: 'Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing so gentle as real strength.' As a result of that dominant spirit, both students and staff find relating to the program to be self-esteem enhancing and personally enriching." The AAPC team states further, "The student is expected to be authentic and open, engaged in personalized learning, and developing a personal style of counseling. Faculty and supervisors attempt to relate to students as they would have students relate to their clients." There is a genuine sense of copilgrimage among faculty and students in this collegial effort.
The master's, certificate of advanced study, and doctoral degree programs in pastoral counseling; the master's program in spiritual and pastoral care; and the certificate program in spirituality and trauma allow for both full- and part-time participation. The department recognizes that candidates vary widely in prior theoretical background, counseling experience, and experience in ministry. While candidates in each of the particular degree programs normally pursue the same basic program, the extent of prior experience will determine the intensity with which the candidate can pursue the degree(s). In the case of advanced level candidates, an individualized assessment is made and a program of study is developed in keeping with one's level of proficiency.
Graduates make a point of stressing that the training had a profound impact on their style of ministering in areas other than counseling and individual pastoral care, pointing to an increased person-centeredness in their teaching, preaching, organizing, and celebrating.
ACCREDITATION
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has conferred community counseling accreditation to the Master of Science (M.S.) in Pastoral Counseling. CACREP has accredited the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pastoral Counseling under the Counselor Education and Supervision standards.
ADMISSION CRITERIA
An in-person admission interview with the director of admission, along with participating faculty, is required of all applicants within the continental United States and Canada. An admission telephone or online, video interview is required of all applicants outside the continental United States and Canada.
Detailed admission information (application procedures, required documents, deadlines, etc.) can be found under Admission.
M.A./M.S. Candidates
Applicants for a master's degree in either pastoral counseling or spiritual and pastoral care must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Candidates are evaluated more in terms of their overall readiness to take advantage of the learning opportunities of the program and less in terms of specific course preparation.
C.A.S. Candidates
Applicants for the Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in Pastoral Counseling must have completed a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in counseling, psychology, or closely related field.
Ph.D. Candidates
Applicants for a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling must have a master's degree in counseling or closely related field from an accredited college or university. The program accepts candidates who give clear evidence of the ability to apply theoretical constructs, develop advanced level clinical skills, and integrate the above within the context of a religious and/or pastoral identity.
The doctoral curriculum assumes that the candidate has laid the foundation in theoretical knowledge and clinical skill through prior education and training comparable to the Loyola master's program in pastoral counseling. Candidates without such background may wish to apply for admission to the M.S.-Ph.D. sequence. If an applicant with a master's degree from another institution is judged to be qualified for admission to the Ph.D. program but is lacking in specific areas of preparation, an assessment of prerequisites will be made at the time of admission.
HOUSING
Housing possibilities for out-of-the area students are diverse depending upon personal interest, budget, and special needs. Most courses are held at the Columbia Campus, about 35 minutes by automobile from the center of Baltimore, Maryland or Washington, D.C. Most clinical practicum opportunities are located in the Baltimore-Columbia-Washington area; however, many of these opportunities are more available to students who reside in Baltimore or Columbia. For further information about housing, contact the Pastoral Counseling Office.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
The Pastoral Counseling Department follows the University's policies on Mail-In, Walk-In, and Web Registration; for more information, see Payment Options under Fees.
Third Party Billing
All third party billing requests must have a third party letter of authorization attached to the Registration Request or Remittance Forms. A new letter must be presented at the beginning of each school year.
CREDITS REQUIRED
The M.S. in Pastoral Counseling requires 66 credits; however, waivers for prior graduate-level theology/spirituality coursework may reduce this requirement to 60 or 63 credits. The M.A. in Spiritual and Pastoral Care requires 45 credits. The C.A.S. in Pastoral Counseling requires 30 credit hours beyond the counseling master's degree. The Certificate in Spirituality and Trauma requires 18 credits beyond a master's degree, as described in the admissions criteria. To assure competency in several areas of study, the Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling requires a minimum of four academic years of graduate-level preparation (including entry-level preparation), defined as eight semesters with a minimum of 96 total graduate-level credit hours.
THERAPY REQUIREMENT
All pastoral counseling students are required to engage in a minimum of 20 sessions of professional mental health counseling or psychotherapy before the completion of the first clinical year. These sessions must have occurred within the last five years. Students who have not completed this requirement before entering the program will be given assistance in finding a therapist in the area.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION REQUIREMENT
All M.A. in Spiritual and Pastoral Care students are required to engage in a minimum of 10 sessions of spiritual direction before the completion of Group Spiritual Guidance (PC704). The 10 sessions may be completed concurrently with the PC703-704 series of classes or may have been completed within the last three years prior to taking this course sequence.
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
A high proficiency in oral and written English is expected of all applicants. International students are required to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to the department as a part of their application package. To enter any of the three programs of study, applicants must have a minimal TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-version of the test or a minimum score of 213 on the version administered through computer adaptive testing. In addition, because of the verbal requirements of the clinical portion of the Ph.D. program, all international students must demonstrate an excellent command of the English language, including nuances of every day speech that will occur during the counseling experience.
SUPERVISORY PROCESS (M.A./M.S./C.A.S./Ph.D.)
Supervision of the ongoing counseling or pastoral care experience is regarded as the primary catalyst for professional and personal integration. Supervision is a special kind of tutorial relationship in which people with less experience present their work for the scrutiny and critique to people with more experience. The focus of the supervisory session is the work-sample presented along with the variety of issues which the work-sample generates.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Degree requirements and course offerings are detailed in the following sections. For additional information on a specific degree, please contact the Pastoral Counseling Department.
MASTER'S PROGRAMS
Master of Science (M.S.) in Pastoral Counseling
This program combines a strong didactic core curriculum with an equally strong clinical practicum experience in order to prepare graduates for a career in professional clinical counseling and for an opportunity to seek licensure or certification. The M.S. in Pastoral Counseling requires 66 credits; however, advanced standing for prior graduate-level theology coursework (within 5 years) or waivers for advanced degrees in a theology-based program may reduce this requirement to 60 or 63 credits. Upon admission, each student’s transcripts are reviewed to determine if advanced standing or waivers are possible. Advanced standing is dependent upon the nature of the prior coursework completed, and at a rate of three graduate credits for a three-credit course. Waivers are not available for courses other than PC608 or PC665. All previous coursework considered for advanced standing or waivers must have been successfully completed with a B or better.
In addition, students may be able to select electives which can be used to specialize or diversify their area of interest. Finally, the degree requires completion of a paper which serves to integrate the student's didactic development, counseling experience, theological reflection, and personal growth.
The American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC) has certified the M.S. program as an approved training program.
Learning Aims
As a result of successfully completing the program, students will be able to:
- demonstrate skillfulness in functioning as counselors in a variety of clinical settings through the ability to elicit essential client data resulting in accurate understanding of client issues, diagnosis, appropriate treatment planning, and the use of at least one theoretical approach to counseling;
- demonstrate the ability to integrate religious, spiritual, and faith issues in their clinical practices and coursework;
- demonstrate maturity and openness to supervision and learning by hearing and incorporating feedback in classes, clinical experiences, and interactions with faculty, students, and supervisors;
- exhibit cultural sensitivity to others in all aspects of the program;
- demonstrate ethical behavior in all areas of the program;
- demonstrate professional identity as counselors, specifically pastoral counselors, as exhibited by participation in professional organizations.
Program of Study
Academic (42 credits)
- PC650 Substance Abuse and Addictive Behaviors
- PC653 Statistics and Research Methods
- PC654 Career Development
- PC655 Group Theory and Practice
- PC670 Introduction to Pastoral Counseling
- PC674 Human Development
- PC675 Helping Relationships
- PC676 Counseling Theory and Practice
- PC678 Psychopathology
- PC681 Family Counseling
- PC689 Psychological Testing and Assessment
- PC726 Diversity Issues in Counseling
- PC778 Treatment of Psychopathology
- PC808 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues
PC670, PC675, PC676, PC678, and PC808 must be completed with a grade of B or better in order for a student to advance into the clinical portion of the program. If a grade of B or better is not achieved in each course, additional coursework will be required in the subject area needing remediation before the student will be granted permission to proceed into clinical work. PC674 must be taken prior to or concurrent with the first clinical semester.
Clinical (12 credits)
- PC661 Clinical Case Supervision I: Practicum
- PC662 Clinical Case Supervision II
- PC663 Clinical Case Supervision III
- PC664 Clinical Case Supervision IV
Students are to obtain no less than 800 total hours of clinical experience with no less than 280 hours being client contact hours.
Theology/Spirituality (6 credits)
These courses must be waived or completed prior to taking PC700.
Integrative (6 credits)
In addition to the above coursework, students may take PC805 and PC806 for AAPC membership.
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Spiritual and Pastoral Care
Invites the student into practical theological reflection in applied ministry settings for the purpose of developing persons who are formed for cutting edge leadership in local congregations, hospitals, prisons, retreat settings, and institutions of social change. Integrating theology and the social sciences, students learn the art of pastoral conversation and develop an awareness of God found in the stories of individuals, institutions, and culture.
Learning Aims
As a result of successfully completing the program, students will be able to:
- exhibit a pastoral presence marked by excellent listening and responding skills, comfort with silence, nonjudgmental acceptance of recipients, and the ability to display empathy and compassion, as well as to be present to another's grief and anger;
- practice effective crisis intervention skills, including assessment, intervention, and referral;
- evaluate ministry situations using classical and contemporary methods of theological reflection that lead to an understanding of the "heart of the matter";
- create and execute a plan for professional identity through lifelong learning comprised of continuing education, participation in professional organizations, critical self-examination, and appropriate self-care;
- exhibit sensitivity to an awareness of multicultural issues, interfaith issues, social justice issues, ethical issues, and the importance of securing appropriate boundaries.
Program of Study
Core Courses (30 credits)
Skills are acquired from the following courses in the areas of bereavement (assistance, guidance, or support), crisis intervention, the pastoral helping relationship, pastoral diagnosis, spiritual formation and guidance, theological reflection, and Praxis:
- PC608 Theological Anthropology or
- PC665 Contemporary Religious Perspectives
- PC625 Loss and Bereavement
- PC673 Crisis Intervention
- PC674 Human Development
- PC679 Pastoral Helping Relationship
- PC697 Biblical Spirituality
- PC701 Spiritual and Pastoral Care
- PC702 Theology of Ministry
- PC703 Group Spiritual Formation
- PC704 Group Spiritual Guidance
Integration Courses (6 credits)
The following courses allow for an in-depth look at theology and the social sciences and provide an opportunity for students to prepare a final project that combines creativity with research:
Specialized Courses/Electives (9 credits)
Students have the opportunity to choose a track of study and internship experience which lays the foundation for targeted careers or enhanced spiritual leadership in a variety of settings. The following tracks are some of the possibilities:
Spiritual Direction Track
Chaplaincy Track
- PC707 Chaplaincy Internship or
- One Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Unit
- PC732 Spiritual and Theological Dimensions of Suffering
- Elective
Students may satisfy the internship requirement for this track by taking PC707 and seeking alternative internship sites, or by successfully completing one unit of CPE. Once a certificate of completion from an accredited CPE program is provided, three credits will be awarded. Only one unit of CPE will be allowed for credit in this manner, and the unit must be taken concurrently with enrollment in the M.A. program. If a student has previously completed a unit of CPE, the student must take the next level of CPE to meet the track’s requirement. Students may take the unit of CPE over the course of a semester or a year, but the three credits will be awarded only upon unit completion. Students wishing to enter a CPE program need to make application to their chosen program in the semester prior to the one in which they will begin the unit. Students may contact the Pastoral Counseling Department for recommendations of CPE-granting institutions in the area. CPE participation does not count toward full-time enrollment status for students receiving financial aid, using veterans benefits, or on international visas.
Pastoral Ministry Track
The program prepares students to become pastoral care specialists in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC). The program also builds a foundation for spiritual direction and chaplaincy certification.
CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED STUDY (C.A.S.) IN PASTORAL COUNSELING
Offers advanced-level didactic courses, integrating seminars, intensive in-depth supervisory experiences, and an optional internship experience designed to meet student's career/licensure objectives. Students employed in the counseling field may submit their work for consideration as an optional internship. If approved, the certificate program enriches the work experience with advanced-level didactic and supervisory experiences. The certificate program prepares the candidate for advanced-level practice as a pastoral counselor.
Learning Aims
As a result of successfully completing the program, students will be able to:
- identify the areas of professional growth that would advance their understanding of the field of professional counseling, specifically pastoral counseling;
- function as advanced-level clinicians with the ability to form clinical relationships with a variety of clients using advanced levels skills;
- demonstrate an advanced-level of ability to identify spiritual issues as they present themselves, accept others’ points of view concerning religious, spiritual, and faith issues and to assist clients to explore their own issues in a safe place;
- demonstrate advanced-level self-reflection through seeking opportunities to learn and grow in situations that require contemplation and deliberation of current behavior, thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, especially as these areas intersect with multicultural differences;
- demonstrate ethical behavior as clinicians.
Program of Study
The C.A.S. requires the satisfactory completion of 30 credits and provides an opportunity for a post-master's internship experience of 1,000 hours. It provides an opportunity to work toward member status in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC), certification by the National Academy of Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NACCMHC), certification by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), and state licensure or certification.
Non-Loyola pastoral counseling M.S. graduates who do not have master's level theology, are required to take the following courses:
- PC608 Theological Anthropology
- PC665 Contemporary Religious Perspectives
- PC700 Pastoral Integration Seminar
To apply for AAPC membership, students must also include PC805 and PC806 to their program of study.
For information about the estimated costs, related standard occupations, and normal completion time for this program visit, www.loyola.edu/consumer_information.
STATE LICENSURE
The M.S. and M.S.-Ph.D. programs of study integrate the coursework required for Maryland state licensure as a professional counselor. While each state has unique licensure requirements, most states require academic coursework similar to that required in the M.S. and M.S.-Ph.D. programs. Some states do require that academic courses and clinical work be taken in a prescribed order; therefore, students are encouraged to become familiar with their anticipated state of residence’s licensure and examination requirements.
A pastoral counseling faculty member is assigned to act as the liaison between the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and the department. Students may request current licensing information from this person. Information about the licensing requirements of other states is available in the pastoral counseling department office. Further, the University is an approved site for the National Counselors Exam (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). The NCE is required for Maryland state licensure. However, surrounding states and the District of Columbia may require different examinations and/or academic requirements. Loyola offers the NCE twice a year, prior to a student’s graduation from the program of study.
DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pastoral Counseling
The Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling is a unique education experience designed for those who wish to further their graduate-level training as clinicians, supervisors, educators, and researchers. By interrelating the theory and techniques of the helping professions with the insights of theology, spirituality, and faith, the program encourages students to develop their own holistic paradigms of professional and personal integration for the purpose of helping others and furthering the counselor education profession.
The doctoral program seeks to prepare graduates to make quantitative and qualitative research contributions to the helping professions through the integration of psycho-theological issues with counselor education's interdisciplinary models which embrace subjects like ethics, prevention, diversity, education, efficacy, and treatment of psychopathology. The program, with its unique emphasis on supervisory training, develops clinical expertise, theological/spiritual/religious understanding, and research acumen while preparing candidates for teaching and supervisory positions in the counselor education field.
Doctoral programs accept as primary obligations:
- To extend the knowledge base of the counseling profession in a climate of scholarly inquiry.
- To support faculty and students in publishing and/or presenting the results of scholarly inquiry.
- To prepare students to contribute to the conversations that inform professional practice by generating new knowledge for the profession through dissertation research focusing on areas relevant to counseling practice, counselor education, and/or supervision.
- To prepare students to assume positions of leadership in the profession, their area(s) of specialization, or both.
The fulfillment of these obligations take into account the societal changes of the twenty-first century and prepare graduates to be leaders and advocates for change.
Throughout the course of study, candidates are challenged to integrate their theological and religious perspectives with clinical theory and practice and to articulate their personal, vocational, and pastoral identity. In keeping with the goals of the program, the Ph.D. curricular requirements involve five major areas: theory and practice of counseling; statistics and research design; clinical case conferences; training in supervision and education; and spiritual studies and integrative seminars. In addition to traditional academic courses, the Ph.D. program involves a clinical internship experience that includes on-site clinical experience and supervision in one or several agencies. The internship is supplemented by Loyola-based individual supervision, clinical mentoring, clinical case conferences, and supervisory seminars.
The dissertation process at Loyola emphasizes faculty support of the candidate as an emerging peer and colleague in research. Candidates are encouraged to choose a project which is meaningful to them and will enhance their personal preparation for their chosen work after the Ph.D.
Learning Aims
As a result of successfully completing the program, students will be able to:
- function as advanced-level clinicians with the ability to form clinical relationships with a variety of clients using advanced-level skills of psychological assessment, accurate multilevel diagnoses, and precise client-centered treatment planning utilizing a variety of the theoretical approaches;
- work in advanced-level areas of the counselor education field (pastoral integration, supervision, teaching, and research) by demonstrating the ability to be effective teachers, researchers, and supervisors of masters-level counselors;
- demonstrate an advanced-level of ability to identify spiritual issues as they present themselves, accept others’ points of view concerning religious, spiritual, and faith issues, and assist clients to explore their own issues in a safe place;
- demonstrate advanced-level self-reflection through seeking opportunities to learn and grow in situations that require contemplation and deliberation of current behavior, thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, especially as these areas intersect with multicultural differences;
- demonstrate ethical behavior as clinicians, teachers, researchers, and supervisors;
- demonstrate leadership skills as evidenced by becoming leaders in the counseling field, specifically the pastoral counseling field.
Program of Study
The typical program of study consists of four years (eight semesters) of coursework and clinical training. The following coursework is required of all doctoral candidates.
Academic (6 credits)
- PC900 Theory and Practice of Counselor Education
Choose at least one advanced theory and practice course from the following:
- PC800 Adlerian Psychotherapy
- PC896 Jungian Theory and Practice
- PC921 Cognitive-Behavior Theory
- PC922 Psychodynamic Theory of Psychotherapy
- PC923 Humanistic Theory of Psychotherapy
Cognates (8 credits)
- PC930 Organizational Systems
- PC931 Consultation Theory and Practice
- PC932 Group Leadership
- PC933 Advanced Treatment in Family Systems
- PC934 Educational Technology
- PC936 Advanced Career Development Practices
- PC937 Advanced Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues
- PC938 Advanced Diversity Issues in Counseling
Research (18 credits)
- PC754 Statistics II (Multiple Regression)
- PC755 Statistics III
- PC914 Quantitative Research Methods I
- PC915 Quantitative Research Methods II
- PC916 Qualitative Research Methods I
- PC917 Qualitative Research Methods II
- PC901 Doctoral Clinical Case Conference I
- PC902 Doctoral Clinical Case Conference II
- PC941 Doctoral Mentoring I
- PC942 Doctoral Mentoring II
- PC952 Theory and Practice of Supervision I
- PC953 Theory and Practice of Supervision II
- PC897 Spirituality Themes in Counseling Practice and Integration
- PC898 Religious and Psychological Research
- PC950 Psychospiritual Applications in Clinical Practice
- PC650 Substance Abuse and Addictive Behaviors
- PC653 Statistics and Research Methods
- PC654 Career Development
- PC655 Group Theory and Practice
- PC670 Introduction to Pastoral Counseling
- PC674 Human Development
- PC675 Helping Relationships
- PC676 Counseling Theory and Practice
- PC678 Psychopathology
- PC681 Family Counseling
- PC689 Psychological Testing and Assessment
- PC726 Diversity Issues in Counseling
- PC778 Treatment of Psychopathology
- PC808 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues
- PC700 Pastoral Integration Seminar
Clinical (18 credits)
Four consecutive semesters of clinical internship at the doctoral level, consisting of no less than 400 hours. Candidates using their work setting as their clinical placement will need to participate in PC943 and PC944.
Integrative (9 credits)
Electives (6 credits)
Portfolio Requirement
All doctoral degree candidates are expected to demonstrate professional competency in counseling, teaching, supervision, research, and pastoral integration before pursuing their dissertation research. The pastoral counseling doctoral portfolio is the required vehicle through which students demonstrate their competency in these five areas. The portfolio includes specific work samples drawn from coursework and other didactic experiences that students have completed over the course of study in each of the five competency areas. These materials are demonstrative of the doctoral student's development throughout the program.
The portfolio may be reviewed a maximum of two times during the student's candidacy. If the student does not pass a competency area or areas during the first review, the student must address the modifications required by the Portfolio Review Committee and then resubmit the portfolio for a second review. If the student does not pass this second, remediated review, a Professional Assessment Review (PAR) will be convened. At this point, the student may be asked to submit a third and final revision of the portfolio or may be dismissed. Failure to successfully pass the third review will result in automatic dismissal from the Ph.D. program. For a full explanation of the portfolio requirements and its related review process, consult the current student handbook.
The first version of the portfolio should be submitted, ideally, in the next to last semester of coursework. Students must successfully complete their portfolio project with a passing grade before they can move into dissertation work (registering for PC960). Students are not permitted to enroll in any independent study, private study, or special topics courses for the purposes of constructing or completing their portfolio projects.
Dissertation
In addition to successfully completing the portfolio, the doctoral program requires that students earn a B or better in all courses. If a grade of B or better is not achieved in each course, additional coursework will be required in the subject area needing remediation before a student will be granted permission to begin the doctoral dissertation.
Candidates officially begin work on the dissertation when Dissertation Guidance (PC990) is taken, during which they complete and defend the dissertation proposal, perform data analysis, and prepare a dissertation defense. The earliest a proposal defense can be scheduled is the semester in which all coursework will be completed. Candidates are admitted into “All but Dissertation” (ABD) status when they have completed all of their academic, clinical, and research courses and have passed the portfolio experience.
M.S.-Ph.D. Combination Program
The M.S.-Ph.D. combination program was developed to address the needs of highly competent candidates who are seeking the opportunity to pursue the two degrees in a seamless manner. The accelerated program may be completed in six to seven years by highly motivated candidates willing to commit at least two to three days per week including summers. Others may wish to take longer than this and complete the dual program at a slower pace.
Program of Study
The typical program of study consists of five to six years of full-time coursework and clinical training. The following coursework is required in order to obtain the Master of Science (M.S.) portion of the M.S.-Ph.D.:
Academic (42 credits)
PC670, PC675, PC676, PC678, and PC808 must be completed with a grade of B or better in order for a student to advance into the clinical portion of the program. If a grade of B or better is not achieved in each course, additional coursework will be required in the subject area needing remediation before the student will be granted permission to proceed into clinical work. PC674 must be taken prior to or concurrent with the first clinical semester.
Clinical (6 credits)
Students are to obtain no less than 800 total hours of clinical experience, with no less than 260 hours being client contact hours prior to master's degree conferment.
Theology/Spirituality (6 credits)
Upon admission, each student's transcripts are reviewed to determine if theology course waivers are possible. Students applying to the program with a recent graduate degree in theology may be granted a waiver for both PC608 and PC665. This waiver is dependent upon the nature of the prior coursework completed, and at the rate of three graduate credits for a three-credit course successfully completed with a B or better. PC608 and PC665 must be waived or completed prior to taking PC700.
Integrative (3 credits)
Transition into the Ph.D. Program
Candidates typically transition into their doctoral coursework prior to conferment of the master's degree. Students should consult with their doctoral program mentor and review the M.S.-Ph.D. typical program guides in order to sequence their courses appropriately. The M.S. is conferred upon successful completion of all required coursework and clinical requirements for the degree. Candidates complete all required coursework for the Ph.D. program as outlined above.