Counseling Psychology PHD
Program Purpose
Counseling psychologists are committed to serving all of God's children (2 Ne 26:33; Acts 10:28). You will emulate Christ's example of love, compassion, and empathy in your work as a psychotherapist, teacher, and scholar (Moroni 7:48). Through study and faith, your work will increase hope, healing, and equity across the diversity of humanity and thereby build the kingdom of God (Alma 1:30).
You will be prepared to work as a licensed psychologist in:
- College counseling centers
- Academic departments
- Independent practice
- Behavioral health clinics
- Research positions
- Psychological Assessment
- Administrative roles
In your work, you will develop a passion for, and pattern of, seeking and finding, and continuing wonder and astonishment in the face of God's works (Thomas 2; D&C 130:18-19).
Curricular Structure
Learning Outcomes
Scholarship
Students are demonstrating the competencies needed to plan, develop, and disseminate scholarly works.
Students demonstrate competence in assessment and interventions consistent with their future role as health service psychologists.
Following the Savior's example of doing good to all God's children and avoiding behaviors that may harm others, students demonstrate competence in identifying and successfully resolving ethical issues in the science and practice of counseling psychology.
Students are able to appropriately integrate spiritual and religious issues into the science and practice of counseling psychology. At a personal level, students are supported in magnifying their faith in Jesus Christ as part of their personal philosphy and professional theories of research and practice.
Consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, students learn to appreciate the value of all God's children. Students demonstrate multicultural competence in the science and practice of counseling psychology.
Evidence of Learning
Direct Measures
1. Scholarship
- Completion of program proposal in CPSE 702
- Completion of literature review & method section in CPSE 750
- Authorship of presentations and articles (annual survey items)
- Successful defense of dissertation prospectus
- Successful defense of dissertation
- Satisfactory completion of comprehensive exam questions on research design
- Employment of graduates in academic departments
2. Counseling Practice
- Ratings by practicum, clerkship, and internship supervisors beginning in 2nd semester of the program and continuing through graduation
- Satisfactory completion of a performance comprehensive exam that demonstrates skills in case conceptualization, assessment, and counseling interventions
- Employment of graduates as practicing counseling psychologists
- Licensure as a psychologist
3. Counseling Ethics
- IRB approval of dissertation prospectus
- Ratings by practicum, clerkship, and internships supervisors on items related to ethical practice
- Satisfactory completion of comprehensive exam questions related to ethical practice
- Demonstration of ethical practice in performance comprehensive exam
4. Respect for Diversity
- Ratings by practicum, clerkship, and internship supervisors on items related to multicultural competence
- Completion of portfolio documenting multicultural competence and multicultural service learning project in CPSE 751
- Satisfactory completion of comprehensive exam questions related to human diversity
5. Integration of Spiritual Issues
- Satisfactory completion of integration paper in CPSE 702
- Ratings by practicum, clerkship, and internship supervisors on items related to integration of spiritual issues
- Satisfactory completion of comprehensive exam questions related to integration of spirituality and psychology
Indirect Measures
1. Scholarship
- Grades in CPSE 678, CPSE 750, PSYC 501, PSYC 502
2. Counseling Practice
- Grades in CPSE 642, CPSE 702, CPSE 710, CPSE 715, CPSE 648, CPSE 748, CPSE 644, CPSE 744
3. Counseling Ethics
- Grade in CPSE 710
4. Respect for Diversity
- Grade in CPSE 751
5. Integration of Spiritual Issues
- Grade in CPSE 654
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
Analysis, Evaluation, and Improvement Process
Our program's self-assessment process is ongoing and includes a number of components. We evaluate the program's effectiveness in achieving distal program goals and objectives (i.e., its outcomes) by collecting data on the progress and achievements of our current and recently graduated students. Two procedures that assist us in this task are (1) the completion of annual APA reports, which request specific information about our current and past students, and (2) sending out an alumni survey every three years to graduates of the program to collect up-to-date information about their professional status and to solicit their feedback about their perceptions of the quality of the training they received in our program.
We evaluate the program's effectiveness in achieving the program's proximal educational and training objectives by conducting a variety of student evaluations throughout the year. These evaluation methods include course exams, comprehensive examinations, practicum and clerkship supervisor evaluations, end of semester evaluations, performance evaluations, and dissertation oral exams. Tracking students' progress in an ongoing manner provides faculty with regular insight into whether the program's coursework and other training offerings are producing the desired proximal outcomes.
We also seek feedback about the program's effectiveness by seeking student feedback on a regular basis. We seek feedback from students about our program by assigning a student to represent the Ph.D. students each week at our faculty meetings and by assigning one faculty member to be a Graduate Student Advisor. One of the responsibilities of the student representative and Graduate Student Advisor has been to seek and convey feedback from students to the faculty about program policies and suggested changes.
In 1999 we implemented two additional procedures for formally soliciting student feedback about the program. First, we constructed a questionnaire that allows students to present their views on the quality of the program. Second, we hold an annual student program feedback and evaluation meeting each year where students are invited and encouraged to share feedback about the program and to offer suggestions for strengthening it.
Relationship of Program Outcome Data with Educational Philosophy, Goals, and Objectives
One of the program's distal outcomes is that we desire that our students obtain employment in university and college settings, and with lesser frequency, in other mental health settings. Another important distal outcome of the program is that we desire that our students pass the psychology licensure exam and obtain licensure as a psychologist. A third distal outcome we desire is that our graduates will eventually take positions of leadership within the profession. A fourth distal outcome we desire for our graduates is that some of them will contribute through professional presentations and publications to the advancement of research and scholarship in the field.
We gather outcome data about these distal outcomes by surveying program graduates. In the past we have done this on an as needed basis by contacting graduates by phone or survey. As explained above, we now send out an Alumni Survey to program graduates every 3rd year. This survey asks graduates about their past and current employment, licensure status, awards, publications, and so on. It also asks them to provide feedback regarding their perceptions of the quality of the program.