PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision
Study Advanced Counseling Education Concepts
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counselor Education and Supervision program at Grand Canyon University offers you the theoretical and practical background knowledge necessary to teach counseling students and supervise clinical counselors. Before earning a doctorate in counselor education and supervision, you must conduct original research to develop and test new ideas and theories. This research can potentially position you to become a practitioner who is capable of supporting counseling students and clinical counselors.
Benefits of Earning a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision From GCU
Doctoral students pursuing GCU’s PhD with a qualitative focus will conduct research that focuses on describing how and why people think, believe and behave a certain way. Students pursuing GCU’s PhD with a quantitative focus will analyze original concepts by interpreting numeric data. To complete the data analysis for a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, you will create a sampling plan, design various research tools, collect data and analyze the data using a systematic approach. Your results and analysis will then be presented in a written dissertation.
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Work on Your Dissertation Throughout the Program
When you earn your doctorate at GCU, you will begin to work toward your dissertation throughout your program by working with a mentor, completing coursework, and completing residencies focused on the development of your original dissertation research.
Skills and Coursework Taught in This PhD in Counselor Education Program
On the path to supporting other counselors, you may examine how to improve your own practice and impact the health outcomes of your clients. Through coursework and research, residency, internship and program requirements, you may have the opportunity to demonstrate your professional growth. The combination of theoretical and hands-on work may help you prepare yourself for potential transition into the next stages of your career.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has outlined the six domains that highlight the goals of the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision coursework.
- Counseling
- Examine and integrate ethical and culturally relevant theories of counseling
- Supervision
- Develop a legal, ethical and personally relevant style of clinical supervision
- Teaching
- Design, deliver and evaluate counselor education experiences
- Scholarship and Research
- Conduct independent research
- Leadership and Advocacy
- Lead and advocate based on prevailing social, cultural and political conditions and trends within counseling
- Special Topics
- Evaluate the integration of evidence-based treatments relevant to family systems and group dynamics and processes
Career Paths for PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Degree Holders
As a graduate of the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program, you may oversee clinical counselors and provide instruction and leadership when necessary.
No degree program can guarantee any specific career outcome. However, after earning your PhD, you may choose to stay in your current practice and apply the research and learning to improve the lives of your clients, or choose to pursue a new career, such as:
- Advanced clinician or mental health counselor
- Faculty member or counselor educator
- Counselor supervisor
- Leadership positions in educational settings
- Leadership positions in counseling settings
GCU Proudly Offers Institutionally Accredited PhD Programs
Before choosing a doctoral program, it’s important to ensure that the university is accredited, which is a reflection of the quality of the school and academic offerings. GCU has been institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1968 and proudly offers academic programs informed by industry and student learning outcomes.
PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision FAQs
Earning a PhD requires a considerable investment of resources and an enduring commitment to complete the program. Before applying to a doctoral program, conduct research to make informed decisions. The following frequently asked questions and answers provide a starting point for your research.
In order to be admitted for the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program at GCU, you must follow GCU’s requirements for graduate and doctoral admissions. This includes having earned a master’s degree from an institutionally accredited school with an approved GPA.
In addition, you must either possess a current unencumbered, unrestricted license as an independently licensed, associate-level licensed mental health professional, a current certification in a Mental Health Specialty, or a master’s degree in a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP) approved (or its equivalent) program. You must have also graduated from an approved accredited institution or program. Read through our University Policy Handbook for more details.
The PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program requires a total of 65 credits for completion. Most of the online courses are eight weeks in length, while some are up to 16 weeks in length. To better understand how long it might take you to earn your PhD, fill out the form on this page and request a consultation with a university counselor.
Earning a doctoral degree is a significant investment in time and resources, but it can be well worth the effort. A PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision gives you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the counseling field, which can help you position yourself to potentially serve as a leader within your organization and a more effective advocate for your clients. It can also open the door to advanced career opportunities. Plus, a terminal degree may enhance your own professional brand. Reflect upon your professional goals before deciding if a PhD is worth it for you.
A counselor educator is a professional counselor who teaches aspiring counselors in postsecondary institutions. As a counselor educator, you might choose to teach undergraduate counseling classes. Alternatively, you might focus your work on teaching graduate-level courses to current or aspiring counselors who wish to deepen their knowledge.
A counselor’s salary will depend on many factors, including their employer, geographical location, years of experience and credentials. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual pay in May 2022 for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors was $49,710.1 Although licensing requirements vary by state, these professionals are generally required to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and often a master’s degree to obtain licensure.2 To become a postsecondary educator, such as a counselor educator, it’s generally necessary to earn a PhD.3 The BLS doesn’t offer salary data for counselor educators specifically, but the median annual pay for all types of postsecondary teachers in May 2022 was $80,840, according to the BLS.4
Licensure requirements vary from one state to the next. You should research the licensure requirements for the state in which you plan to work before choosing a degree program. In general, however, substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors typically need at least a bachelor’s degree. Counselors who wish to work in private practice generally need a master’s degree and supervised clinical experience in order to obtain state licensure. It generally isn’t necessary for a counselor in private practice to obtain a PhD for the sake of obtaining a state license.2 However, if you would like to become a counselor educator in a postsecondary institution, you will generally need a PhD, depending on the institution.3
If you are ready to prepare for teaching and supervising the next generation of counselors, fill out the form on this page to learn more about the counselor education and supervision degree program at GCU.
1 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors as of September 2023, retrieved on Sept. 29, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
2 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, October 24). How to become a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, or mental health counselor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2023.
3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, September 6). How to become a postsecondary teacher. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Sept. 12, 2023.
4 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Postsecondary Teachers as of September 2023, retrieved on Sept. 29, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Postsecondary Teachers, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
GCU alumni enrolling in a doctoral program for the first time may be eligible for a $2,000 scholarship.§
§ MOU-Alumni 2000 Doctoral-May2025: The Alumni Scholarship for Doctoral Programs is only valid for those applicants who submit a complete application and begin a Doctoral program in May 2025. This scholarship cannot be used in conjunction with any other GCU scholarship or awards and only applies to online and evening programs. Please speak to a university counselor for complete details.
Time to Completion and Dissertation Process
To learn more about time to completion and the dissertation process at GCU, visit our doctoral page.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course introduces doctoral learners to the principle elements of research, scholarly writing, and effective argumentation. Learners are made aware of the dispositions and expectations of doctoral researchers as well as the University’s overarching values and beliefs regarding research and the responsibility of scholars to contribute new knowledge to their respective fields of study. Learners begin the process of identifying a researchable dissertation topic and are acquainted with appropriate scholarly resources that support the development of the dissertation.
Course Description
In this course, learners are introduced to the critical reading of scholarly qualitative and quantitative literature at the doctoral level. Learners also explore the concept of synthesizing the scholarly literature to identify problems and problem spaces that emerge to form a researchable topic of study. The application of scholarly argumentation from the extant literature to defend the need for a research study is discussed.
Course Description
Learners in this course explore ethics and morality with targeted focus on the relationship of ethics to morality, values, folkways, norms, cultures, worldview, and theoretical orientation. Learners also explore the differentiation of classroom and advocacy ethics from treatment ethics.
Course Description
In this course, learners employ both traditional and culturally derived theories to explore how their personal worldviews affect and integrate with their theoretical orientations and the manners in which they interact with clientele and structure interventions.
Course Description
This doctoral counseling internship course provides opportunities for learners to engage in the supervised practical application of previously studied theory. It allows for the demonstration of their counseling/consulting skills under close supervision. The nature of the doctoral level advanced counseling internship experience is to be determined in consultation with program faculty and/or doctoral committee. Documentation of a minimum requirement of 150 hours of advanced counseling experience hours is submitted to Lopes Activity Tracker. Practicum/field experience hours: 150. Prerequisites: PCE-801 and PCE-803.
Course Description
In this course, learners are introduced to key components of qualitative and quantitative research designs and the means to critically appraise the application of research designs as observed in the scholarly literature. The University's core research designs are presented. Consideration is given to the initial selection and defense of a research design to address a problem that emerged from the extant literature.
Course Description
This residency allows learners to continue developing their skills as academic researchers. Learners will have hands-on experience applying quantitative and qualitative design principals to develop the foundational elements for their potential dissertation studies. Prerequisite: RES-850, RES-825, RES-831, or RCS-831.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the sampling, data collection, and data analysis methods employed in qualitative and quantitative research designs. Learners explore the alignment of sampling, data collection, and data analysis methods to the research topic, research questions, and research design. The course positions learners to select qualitative or quantitative designs for their dissertation studies. Prerequisite: RES-831.
Course Description
This course focuses on theoretical framework and models of clinical supervision. Learners extrapolate concepts from their personal theoretical orientations and expand their understanding of gatekeeping from a clinical supervision perspective.
Course Description
Supervision Internship is intended to allow students to approximate, to the greatest extent possible, the work of counselor supervisors. This post-practicum experience is a temporary position with an emphasis on independent application of skills and knowledge of supervision in the workplace setting. Prerequisites: PCE-806 and PCE-905.
Course Description
This course discusses educational philosophies and models of adult learning as well as authoritative gatekeeping in professional counseling and counselor education programs.
Course Description
Teaching Internship is intended to allow students to approximate, to the greatest extent possible, the work of counselor educators. This post-practicum experience is a temporary position with an emphasis on independent application of skills and knowledge of pedagogy in the workplace setting. Prerequisites: PCE-805 and PCE-905.
Course Description
In this course, learners explore the basic components of GCU qualitative core research designs including descriptive, case study, and phenomenology. The nature of epistemological foundations and the structure of problem statements, purpose statements, research questions, data sources, collection and analysis approaches are discussed in the context of each design.
Course Description
In this course, learners differentiate the epistemological foundations and explore the data trustworthiness, research ethics, and potential for bias in descriptive, case study, and phenomenology research designs. The process of building a rationale for design choice and aligning the research questions, interview questions, problem statement, and purpose statement is addressed. Sources of qualitative data are introduced for each design, and ethical aspects of research are discussed. Prerequisite: RES-841.
Course Description
This course provides counselor educators with the knowledge to be effective in their roles as leaders and advocates. This course addresses the social justice concerns with which counselor educators may become involved while fulfilling the advocacy role.
Course Description
In practice, those serving in the roles of counselor educators must address a wide variety of issues. This course, then, addresses topics of contemporary significance in professional counseling.
Course Description
This Advanced Internship course is intended to allow students to approximate, to the greatest extent possible, the work of Counselor Educators. This advanced internship experience is a temporary position with an emphasis on independent application of skills and knowledge in the workplace setting. Prerequisites: PCE-804, PCE-834, PCE-905, PCE-920, and PCE-921.
Course Description
In this residency, learners orally present and defend an expanded design of their preliminary dissertation research from RSD-851. Emphasis is placed on developing the qualitative dissertation. Prerequisite: RES-843.
Course Description
In this course, learners apply the skills of the practitioner-scholar. They are self-motivated and committed to reflective practice. They actively seek input from other scholars while continuing to design independent research under the guidance of the dissertation committee. Prerequisite: PCE-885.
Course Description
In this course, learners explore qualitative data collection techniques and sources of qualitative data in the context of answering the research questions posed by a study. Consideration is given to the recognition of data saturation and the management of data. Learners continue to work with their respective dissertation chairs to prepare a written statement of data collection, and management activities. Prerequisites: RES-843 and one of the following: DBA-955 or DIS-955 or DHA-955 or PSY-955 or PCE-955 or TLC-955.
Course Description
In this course, learners apply the skills of the practitioner-scholar. They are self-motivated and committed to reflective practice. They actively seek input from other scholars while continuing to design and/or conduct independent research under the guidance of the dissertation committee. Prerequisite: PCE-955.
Course Description
In this course, learners focus on the interpretation of qualitative data to produce written research findings, results, and implications. Learners continue to work with their respective dissertation chairs and apply information from this course to move ahead in the dissertation process. Prerequisites: RES-873 and one of the following: DBA-960 or DIS-960 or DHA-960 or PSY-960 or PCE-960 or TLC-960.
Course Description
In this course, learners apply the skills of the practitioner-scholar. They are self-motivated and committed to reflective practice. They actively seek input from other scholars while continuing to design and/or conduct independent research under the guidance of the dissertation committee. Prerequisite: PCE-960.
- GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
- Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
- Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change
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