Section 6: Doctoral Standards Counselor Education and Supervision

THE DOCTORAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Doctoral degree programs in Counselor Education and Supervision are intended to prepare graduates to work as counselor educators, supervisors, researchers, and practitioners in academic and clinical settings.

A. THE PROGRAM

The doctoral program consists of a minimum of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours of doctoral-level credits beyond the entry-level degree. For students entering on or after July 1, 2026, doctoral programs must consist of a minimum of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours beyond the entry-level degree.
Doctoral programs provide evidence that they extend the knowledge base of the profession by immersing students into a climate of scholarly inquiry, as demonstrated by all of the following:
a) preparing students to generate new knowledge that can inform professional counseling practice;
b) ensuring students are engaging in scholarly activities under counselor education program faculty mentorship;
c) supporting students to publish and/or present the results of scholarly inquiry;
d) mentoring students in planning and engaging in advocacy;
e) supporting students to pursue credentialing appropriate to their career goals;
f) equipping students to assume positions of leadership in the counseling profession; and
g) preparing students to become familiar with and knowledgeable about current trends and technology use in the delivery of counseling services, counselor education, and counselor supervision.
Doctoral program admission criteria include:
a) academic aptitude for doctoral-level study consistent with program delivery type;
b) previous or current professional experience;
c) professional dispositions consistent with professional practice;
d) oral and written communication skills;
e) commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice;
f) potential for scholarship; and
g) potential for professional leadership and advocacy.

During the doctoral program admissions process, students’ curricular experiences are evaluated to verify completion of coursework, including:
a) CACREP entry-level foundational curricular standards,
b) CACREP entry-level professional practice standards, and
c) CACREP entry-level specialized practice area requirements so that any missing content can be completed before or concurrently with doctoral-level counselor education coursework.

Students in doctoral-level programs have an approved advisor who is a counselor education program core faculty member with whom they work to develop and complete a program of study.
Doctoral students complete a qualifying assessment to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge as outlined in the doctoral curriculum standards.
Doctoral students must complete dissertation research or a capstone project focusing on areas relevant to counseling practice, counselor education, and/or supervision.
Current counseling-related research is infused throughout the doctoral counselor education curriculum.

B. DOCTORAL CURRICULUM

Doctoral programs in counselor education address professional roles in five areas: (1) counseling, (2) supervision, (3) teaching, (4) research and scholarship, and (5) leadership and advocacy. These five areas represent the minimal knowledge required of doctoral graduates in counselor education. Therefore, counselor education programs must document where and in what manner each of the lettered standards listed below is covered in the curriculum.

COUNSELING
a) scholarly examination of the evidence base for counseling processes and theories
b) integration of theories relevant to counseling
c) conceptualization of clients from multiple theoretical perspectives
d) scholarly examination of culturally sustaining counseling practice across multiple settings, contexts, and across service delivery modalities
e) methods for evaluating counseling effectiveness
f) legal and ethical issues and responsibilities in counseling across multiple settings and across service delivery modalities
SUPERVISION
a) purposes of counseling supervision
b) theoretical frameworks and models of counseling supervision
c) roles and relationships related to counseling supervision
d) skills of counseling supervision across multiple settings and across service delivery modalities
e) opportunities for developing a personal style of counseling supervision grounded in theory and research
f) assessment of supervisees’ developmental level and other relevant characteristics
g) modalities of counseling supervision, including individual, triadic, and group supervision
h) the use of technology in counseling supervision
i) administrative procedures and responsibilities related to counseling supervision
j) evaluation, remediation, and gatekeeping in counseling supervision
k) legal and ethical issues and responsibilities in counseling supervision
l) culturally sustaining strategies for conducting counseling supervision

TEACHING
a) roles and responsibilities related to educating counselors
b) andragogy and adult learning theories
c) teaching methods relevant to counselor education
d) curriculum design and instructional delivery
e) the use of technology in instructional design and program delivery types
f) integration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice principles and practices in the counselor education curriculum
g) universal design to meet the needs of all students with respect for individual differences in learning
h) instructional and curricular evaluation methods
i) screening, remediation, and gatekeeping functions relevant to teaching
j) assessment of student learning and professional dispositions
k) legal and ethical issues and responsibilities in counselor education for all program delivery types
l) culturally sustaining strategies for counselor education
m) the role of mentoring in counselor education

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP
a) research designs appropriate to quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and action research questions or hypotheses
b) quantitative data analysis methods
c) qualitative approaches to data analysis
d) models and methods of sampling relevant to research design
e) models and methods of instrument design
f) models and methods of program evaluation
g) research questions or hypotheses appropriate for professional research and publication
h) professional writing for peer-reviewed journal publication
i) professional conference proposal preparation
j) development of research proposals for a human subjects/institutional review board review
k) grant proposals and other sources of funding
l) strategies for conducting culturally relevant and culturally competent research
m) ethical considerations and strategies for conducting research

LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY
a) theories, models, and skills of leadership
b) leadership and leadership development in professional organizations
c) leadership in counselor education programs
d) accreditation standards and program accreditation processes, including self-studies and program reports
e) management and administration in agencies, organizations, and other institutions
f) leadership roles and strategies for responding to crises and disasters
g) strategies of leadership in consultation
h) current sociopolitical and social justice issues and how those issues affect the counseling profession
i) models and competencies for counselors and counselor educators advocating on behalf of the profession and professional counselor identity
j) models and competencies for advocating for clients at the individual, system, and policy levels
k) strategies of leadership in relation to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice issues
l) culturally sustaining leadership and advocacy practices
m) ethical leadership and advocacy practices
n) role of self-care in advocacy and leadership

C. DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP

Prior to the internship, the counselor education program assesses doctoral students’ counseling skills to ensure preparedness for the doctoral counseling internship. The counselor education program provides assistance and/or opportunities to students who need additional counseling skill preparation prior to enrolling in the doctoral internship.
Doctoral students are required to complete internships that total a minimum of 600 hours. The minimum 600 hours must include supervised experiences in counseling and at least two more of the four remaining doctoral curricular areas (supervision, teaching, research and scholarship, and leadership and advocacy).
Doctoral students are covered by individual professional counseling liability insurance policies at any time they are providing counseling or supervision as part of their doctoral program.
Evaluation of performance and ability to integrate and apply knowledge are conducted as part of the doctoral internship.
Students have regular, systematic opportunities to evaluate doctoral internship experiences and supervisors.
Individuals serving as doctoral internship supervisors for supervision, teaching, research and scholarship, and leadership and advocacy experiences have (a) a doctorate in counselor education or a graduate degree and specialized expertise to advance the student’s knowledge and skills and (b) knowledge of the program’s expectations, requirements, and evaluation procedures for students.
During internships, the student receives an average of one hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision.
Doctoral internship students participate in an average of 1½ hours per week of group supervision on a regular schedule throughout the internship. Group supervision must be performed by a qualified core or affiliate counselor education program faculty member.

D. DOCTORAL COUNSELING INTERNSHIP

Supervision of the doctoral counseling internship includes secure audio or video recordings and/or live supervision of students’ interactions with clients that are in compliance with applicable institutional, state, federal, and international privacy requirements for all program delivery types.

Written supervision agreements:
a) define the roles and responsibilities of the faculty supervisor, fieldwork site supervisor, and student during the doctoral counseling internship;
b) include emergency procedures; and
c) detail the format and frequency of consultation between the program and the fieldwork site to monitor student learning.

Counselor education program faculty members serving as individual/triadic or group supervisors for doctoral counseling internships have:
a) relevant certifications and/or licenses,
b) relevant training for in-person and/or distance counseling supervision, and
c) relevant training in the technology utilized for supervision.

Individuals serving as doctoral counseling internship fieldwork site supervisors have:
a) a minimum of a master’s degree, preferably in counseling or a related profession;
b) active certifications and/or licenses in their geographic location required for practice, preferably in counseling or a related profession;
c) a minimum of two years independent professional experience;
d) relevant training for in-person and/or distance counseling supervision;
e) relevant training in the technology utilized for supervision; and
f) knowledge of the program’s expectations, requirements, and evaluation procedures for students.

E. FACULTY COURSE LOADS AND RATIOS

The following standards apply to any courses during the doctoral program of study that include supervised experiential components. Experiential components may include counseling, supervision, research and scholarship, teaching, and leadership/advocacy that are part of doctoral coursework in addition to the doctoral internship.

When counselor education program faculty provide individual or triadic supervision of doctoral students, the course should not exceed a 1:6 faculty: student ratio. This is equivalent to the teaching of one 3-semester or equivalent quarter credit hours of a faculty member’s teaching load assignment.
When counselor education program faculty only provide group supervision of doctoral students, the course should not exceed a 1:12 faculty: student ratio. This is equivalent to the teaching of one 3-semester credit hour or equivalent quarter credit hours of a faculty member’s teaching load assignment.

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