PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision

The accrediting body for Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral programs is the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CES programs are not eligible to apply for CACREP accreditation until they have students entering the dissertation phase of their program. PAU has created the CES program to be in alignment with CACREP standards and will apply for CACREP accreditation as soon as we are eligible.

In addition to specialty accreditation, academic programs must be approved by regional accreditors to operate. The CES program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), which is the regional accrediting body for PAU.
 

Students will attend class on campus in Palo Alto or Mountain View 1-2 days a week, so living a reasonable driving distance from campus is strongly recommended.

On-campus jobs, including administrative roles, Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, and adjunct teaching roles are available, as well as limited Scholarship opportunities.

This is not a fully-funded program.

Admission to our program does not require submission of GRE scores. We believe that other indicators, such as your academic history, professional background, and volunteer engagement, can effectively demonstrate your suitability for our program.

Our program is designed for working professionals. Ideal candidates will have a schedule that allows them to attend class 1-2 days a week. 

At this time, the program does not allow for part-time students. If you have concerns about the schedule, please reach out so we can talk with you further about the plan of study and options that work for you. 

Our internship program focuses on the areas of teaching, supervision, research, leadership and advocacy, and counseling. Your faculty advisor will work with you to create an internship plan that fits your career needs. This may mean you can complete parts of your internship in a setting where you are currently employed, but you will likely need to do other internship hours across different settings during your program. 

This program is designed to advance the education of those with a CACREP-accredited master’s degree in Counseling. Please contact us if you have specific questions about your master’s degree curriculum. 

This program is designed to advance the education of those with a CACREP-accredited master’s degree in Counseling. Please contact us if you have specific questions about your master’s degree curriculum.

Our program does not require you to have any hours accrued towards licensure. You may be able to collect hours while you’re in the program, depending on your eligibility for California licensure laws.

Students with MA in Counseling degrees from non-CACREP-accredited institutions are not automatically denied, however, applicants must provide evidence that their curriculum meets CACREP standards. 

Transfer Credit Policy 

• Graduate Level: Only graduate level courses are acceptable for transfer credit. A graduate level course is any course for which a student received graduate credit at their previous institution(s).
• Acceptable Grades: A grade of “B” or better is required in the graduate level course to be eligible for transfer credit.
• Accreditation: Previous graduate work must have been completed at a CACREP  accredited Counselor Education and Supervision program.
• Deadline for Requesting Transfer Credit: Requests for review of transfer credit must be submitted by Aug 1 of the year the student plans to enroll in the CES program.
• Maximum Credit Awarded: A maximum of 13.5 quarter units or 9 semester units may be transferred into the CES program.
• Transfer Unit Equivalencies: A student will be awarded the number of units the transferred course is equal to at Palo Alto University, which uses a quarter system. A 3 semester unit course will be awarded as a 4.5 quarter unit credit. A transferred course must be equal to or greater than the number of units of the corresponding CES course.
• Time Limit for Transfer Credit: In order to be eligible for transfer credit, the course must have been completed within five years of the student’s matriculation at Palo Alto University.
• Transferable Courses: Students applying for review of transfer coursework should indicate which course(s) they are applying to waive. It is not guaranteed that a course will be eligible for transfer credit.
• Appeals and Exceptions: A student may appeal transfer credit decisions in writing to the Department Curriculum Committee. Appeals must be submitted within one week after the incoming student is notified of the outcome of their transfer credit application.
• Please note that because the CES program is billed on a flat-rate, quarterly tuition schedule, transfer or waiver of units will not result in a reduced tuition rate. Additionally, because of our cohort model with required courses in each quarter, your time to completion of the program will not be reduced; however, students who are allowed to waive required coursework may have the luxury of more time available for supplemental internship, research assistantships, paid employment, etc.

On-campus, student employee positions are available to our doctoral students. Additionally, students who have completed their teaching internship (scheduled during the first year), are eligible to teach as adjunct faculty within the master’s counseling program. 

Our multiple article dissertation format is designed to help launch your scholarship career early. Instead of a traditional dissertation, you will organize your research into 3 journal articles. Our curriculum is designed to help you be successful by providing intentional research opportunities from the beginning of the program.
The dissemination of knowledge holds significant importance in the counseling profession. By structuring your research into journal publications, you acquire a vital skill of effectively communicating your discoveries. Furthermore, this approach enhances the likelihood of your work being published and cited even before defending your dissertation

Unfortunately, PAU cannot issue I-20s for the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, due to the portion of the program that is delivered online. International students who are in the US on another type of eligible visa are welcome to apply.