Counselor Education - Ph.D. in Counselor Education

The Counseling programs at TTU are nationally accredited by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs).

The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 93 hours (including the required 12 hours of dissertation credit). By Texas state law, doctoral students must complete a residency requirement consisting of two consecutive semesters of 12 hours of course enrollment each semester.

Faculty are involved in local, state, regional, and national professional counseling organizations. Faculty support and encourage students to be involved in professional organizations. Faculty foster an environment of appreciation and respect for differing values, beliefs, and backgrounds. Faculty subscribe to the ethical standards and values recognized by the counseling profession, and they expect students to learn and follow the same ethical standards. Faculty support and encourage the application of ethical practices and policies ensuring access and excellence in Counselor Education.

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Program Overview

The College of Education offers both a Master’s of Education and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education. The Master’s program offers two tracks: School Counseling, which is a 48-hour program; and Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which is a 60-hour program. The Doctoral program requires a minimum of 93 hours.

• Admitted Ph.D. Handbook

Degrees Offered

Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D. - Counselor Education

Offered: face-to-face

Career Opportunities With This Degree

Completing a Ph.D. in Counselor Education prepares the student for a professional career as faculty members, administrators, private practitioners, researchers, supervisors, and consultants at the highest degree of professional expertise.

Application Materials

College Transcripts – Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to the Graduate School application. Information on submitting official transcripts will be provided to you by the Graduate School. Grade reports or unofficial transcripts from university web portals will not be accepted. Please redact the Social Security Number anywhere it appears on your transcript. If documents are written in a language other than English, a copy of a complete and official English translation must be provided with the original language records.

Required Supplemental Application Materials

Resume, GRE Scores, Applicant Statement, 3 professional recommendations. These references include, but are not limited to, the following: past professors, boss, director, and volunteer supervisor employed but the organization. References that are not acceptable include, but are not limited to, spiritual leaders, people under your supervision, past students, neighbors, anyone related to you, and personal friends. Download a comprehensive list of requirements.

• Due to ongoing accessibility concerns, the Graduate School has suspended GRE test score requirements for applications through at least Summer 2025. For more information, please contact the Graduate School.

The Admission Rubric Form will be used to evaluate applicants who apply to the program. Please use your personal statement and resume to address the areas the rubric evaluates.

• Master's Admission Rating Form
• Ph.D. Admission Rating Form

Application Process

Please visit the Graduate Application Process for more information on how to apply.

GRE Scores

This program requires official GRE scores. Scores must no more than 5 years old at the time of application. Official GRE scores must be sent from Educational Testing Services (ETS) to the Texas Tech Graduate School. To register for the examination please visit the GRE Testing website. Texas Tech University's code is 6827.

Course Rotation

Please see the Admitted Ph.D. Handbook for information about the Course Rotation.

Please note, we have no control over when the EPSY courses will be offered.

Semester in which the program can be started

The Ph.D. program typically begins in the fall semester. However, students may begin taking the non-counseling requirements (foundations, minor, research) if they wish to begin the program in another semester.

Estimated Hours to Completion

93 hours minimum

Allowable Transfer Hours

Transfer credit. A maximum of 30 hours from an approved Master’s Degree program may be transferred at the Ph.D.-level. Courses may be transferred only if a similar course is available from Texas Tech University.

Deadlines

Applications for the Ph.D. program in Counselor Education must be submitted no later than January 15 of the year the prospective student wishes to begin the program in the Fall semester.

Tuition & Fees

Use the Student Business Services Tuition Estimator to estimate your costs.

Orientation Materials

Download the Ph.D. orientation materials

Contacts

Faculty