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2025-2026 Graduate Catalog
Counselor Education Major, PhD
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The doctoral major in counselor education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is designed to prepare experienced counseling professionals with strong professional identity and skills to enrich the counseling profession through advanced practice, supervision, teaching, research, leadership, and advocacy. The doctoral program is for individuals who have completed a master's degree in counseling or counseling-related fields who aspire to careers in areas such as college, university, or community college teaching positions in counselor education or related fields; supervisory positions in schools, community agencies, state departments of education; counseling positions in student development programs and counseling centers in higher education; and/or private mental health counseling/consultation practice employee assistance programs. The major requires advanced course work, practicum, internship, and dissertation hours of study beyond the master's degree. Students in the PhD major in counselor education can work toward endorsement for counseling licensure, if licensure has not been received prior to entering the doctoral program.
Program Objectives
- Explore and engage in culturally sustaining, developmentally responsive, and evidence-informed counseling approaches that prepare them to educate and supervise counselors while contributing to the development of counseling theory and practice
- Promote skills of developing counselors through culturally sustaining, developmentally responsive, and ethical supervisory relationships
- Utilize culturally sustaining, developmentally responsive, and ethical teaching and evaluation methods relevant to educating counselors
- Develop scholarly writing and research skills necessary for extending the knowledge base of the counseling profession
- Engage leadership and advocacy skills for use in professional association, higher education, and community contexts
- Demonstrate professional dispositions including Commitment, Humility, Openness, Respect, Integrity, and Self-Awareness
- Study in an inclusive, engaged learning community that maintains high standards and is comprised of peers, faculty, and community partners
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Campus Code
Knoxville Campus Admissions Standards/Procedures
- In accordance with CACREP (2024) Standard 6.3, doctoral program admissions criteria include the following (a) academic aptitude for doctoral-level study, (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.
- Following a written application addressing admissions criteria, select candidates will be invited to participate in an on-campus interview.
- Preference is given to students with a 3.50 GPA on any graduate coursework completed prior to application.
Credit Hours Required
83 graduate credit hours. Non-Course Requirements
- Residence Requirement: Graduate students must complete two consecutive semesters of 9 credit hours to satisfy the residence requirement. Students can meet this requirement by registering for 2 consecutive semesters of dissertation credit hours (COUN 600).
- Comprehensive Exams: Students must take and pass a written comprehensive examination portfolio prior to admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree. The portfolio assesses competence in the five CACREP core areas (i.e., counseling, leadership and advocacy, supervision, teaching, and research). The portfolio combines learning artifacts from the program with written essays administered during the last semester of coursework. Students submit their entire portfolio to an examination committee and engage in an oral exam after review. Students may receive a pass, conditional pass, or fail. If a student fails any exam question, CE faculty will form a committee to create a formal remediation plan. Remediation must be completed before the student can retake the failed areas and the retake date must be approved by the committee. Students who have not passed all five sections after the second attempt will be dismissed from the program.
- Dissertation Proposal and Defense: Doctoral candidates work closely with their dissertation chair to complete a dissertation proposal. A candidate will present the proposal to the dissertation committee, and once approved by all committee members, will begin work on the dissertation research. With the chair’s approval, the candidate will schedule an oral defense for the dissertation. During the dissertation defense, the candidate will present the work completed for the dissertation, which will be reviewed by the dissertation committee.
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