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Doctor of Philosophy

Counseling Psychology

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Become a Counseling Psychologist

Our APA-accredited PhD Program in Counseling Psychology provides integrated scientist-practitioner training in psychology as a scientific discipline and in counseling psychology as an area of professional specialization.

Faculty are active researchers and practicing psychologists who help you develop into a multiculturally aware researcher and clinician applying evidence-based practices.

Our 81-credit program enables you to pursue a professional career as a licensed psychologist in a variety of research, teaching, and practice settings including employment at research-oriented universities and colleges, community and college counseling centers, academic medical schools, Veterans Affairs medical facilities, and private practice.

Program of Study

programofstudy

Core Courses

  • Introduction to Counseling Theory & Practice    
  • Theories of Career Development in Counseling Psychology    
  • Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling Psychology    
  • Theory, Research, and Practice in Counseling Psychology I & II
  • Assessment in Counseling Psychology I & II
  • Group Counseling Research and Practice
  • Multicultural Counseling
  • Clinical Supervision and Consultation: Theory, Research, and Practice
  • Behavioral Disorders

Supervised Practica in Counseling Psychology

  • Pre-practicum in Counseling Psychology
  • Doctoral Practicum in Counseling Psychology I & II
  • Doctoral Practicum in Specialized Procedures
     

Statistics and Research Design Courses

  • Statistical Methods II
  • Research Principles and Methods in Counseling
  • Regression Analysis for Counseling Research
  • Multivariate Applications in Counseling Psychology or Multivariate Methods for Applied Researchers and Evaluators

Psychological Foundation Courses

Students will take coursework in this area that covers five major substantive areas within general psychology: 

  • Biological Bases of Behavior
  • Cognitive Bases of Behavior
  • Developmental Bases of Behavior
  • Social Bases of Behavior
  • History and Systems in Psychology

Each course is three (3) credits.

Additional Requirements

Professional development activities, qualifying exam, research tool competence, professional internship, written dissertation, and oral defense.


Additional Information

See the Graduate Bulletin for details.

For more information, please contact Dr. Myrna Friedlander at [email protected].

This program is approved for licensure or certification in New York State and the institution has not made a determination regarding the educational requirements for any other state.

Professional and Practical Training

training

The PhD program at UAlbany requires you to complete scholarly scientific work in addition to doctoral practica in clinical settings.

 

Required Activities

  • Participate in professional development activities (teaching, research, etc.)
  • Present a first-authored poster or paper at a psychology conference
  • Submit a first-authored, empirically-based manuscript to a peer-reviewed psychology journal
  • Complete at least 4 integrative assessment reports
  • Complete NYS-mandated training in child abuse reporting

 

Initial Training

In your first year, if you enter without prior supervised clinical experience, you will take a one-semester pre-practicum course to prepare you for conducting psychotherapy with clients. In your second year, you complete two semesters of clinical practice (practica) at UAlbany's Psychological Services Center, under the supervision of NY-licensed faculty via closed-circuit television systems.

Advanced Training

In your third and/or fourth year, you complete advanced practicum training (psychotherapy and assessment) with clients in colleges, hospitals and community clinics under the supervision of NYS-licensed psychologists.

This provides you with deeper skills in service areas such as adult, group and family therapy, psychological testing, outreach, crisis management, psychiatric intake, behavioral health care, chemical dependency and substance abuse, hospice, cognitive remediation, and adjustment counseling for people with acquired brain injury.
 
Current sites for these advanced practica include:

  • University at Albany Counseling and Psychological Services
  • Albany Medical Center (Outpatient Clinic and Behavioral Pediatric Department)
  • Capital District Psychiatric Center (Outpatient Clinic)
  • Union College Counseling Center
  • College of St. Rose Counseling Center
  • Stratton Veterans Administration Medical Center (Various Inpatient and Outpatient Rotations)
  • MindWell, LLP

Clinical Work and Research Experience

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Professional Internship

On obtaining doctoral candidacy, in your last year of the program, you complete an APA-accredited, 2,000-hour professional internship.

Recent internship sites include:

  • Mount Sinai Morningside and West Hospital Center (NYC)
  • Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston)
  • VA Western New York Healthcare System (Buffalo)
  • Charleston Internship Consortium (SC)
  • University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
  • University of Colorado at Boulder
  • White River Junction Veterans Medical Center (VT)
  • Albany Psychology Internship Consortium (state hospital and VA hospital)
  • Catholic University (Washington, DC)
  • Towson University (MD)
  • University of Rochester (NY)
  • California State University-Northridge

Doctoral Dissertation

To earn your PhD, you conduct a qualitative or quantitative investigation on a psychology-related topic under the supervision of a mentor and two additional faculty members. Your dissertation involves collecting and analyzing empirical evidence, and demonstrates your competence in problem conceptualization, research design, data analysis, and scholarly reporting. Following approval of your written dissertation, you complete a final oral defense of your work. 

Graduate Student Funding

funding

Doctoral Assistantships

All students entering the PhD program are guaranteed funding for their first year through a 20-hour per week research assistantship. Typically, second-year students receive an assigned teaching assistantship and third and fourth year students may apply for a desired teaching, clinical, or research assistantship.

Additional Funding Opportunities

  • Career counselor in the UAlbany Office of Career and Professional Development
  • Career services coordinator or graduate assistant at UAlbany Psychological Services Center
  • Hotline coordinator and trainer in the Peer Assistance Program at UAlbany Counseling and Psychological Services
  • Extern, Union College Counseling Center
  • Extern, MindWell, LLP
Education - CPY students
Special Opportunities

International Exchange Program (Spain)

With some Spanish fluency, third year students and beyond may visit or train in Spain at the Union de Investigacíon en Intevencíon y Cuidado Familiar (UIICF), a clinical research unit directed by Dr. Valentín Escudero, a professor at the Universidad de La Coruña.

The program enables you to participate in international research, take interdisciplinary courses, and receive clinical training in approaches to family intervention for up to one year. Tuition costs are waived in exchange for 5-6 hours of research assistance per week.

 

Specialization in Health Disparities

You may complete a health disparities specialization through the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities.

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Graduate Job Placements

Within three years of graduation, 96% of program alumni have become state-licensed psychologists. Most work in clinical settings, but some pursue academic careers, and about half of all alumni teach in some capacity.

Recent graduates are employed as post-docs, academic or staff psychologists at:

  • Massachusetts General Hospital, MA
  • Boston VA Medical Center, MA
  • Silver Hill Hospital, CT
  • Brattleboro Retreat, VT
  • Fordham University, NY
  • University of Minnesota, MN

 

 

Group of PhD Counseling Psychology students
jobplacement
Program Faculty
Michael V. Ellis
Vincent O'Leary Professor
[email protected]
Myrna L. Friedlander
Professor and Director of Doctoral Training, Counseling Psychology
[email protected]
Jason Gallo
Division Director, Counseling Psychology; Director of Master's Programs, Counseling Psychology
[email protected]
Susan D. Phillips
Professor
[email protected]
Melissa Starman
Department Coordinator
[email protected]

"UAlbany's counseling psychology program enabled me to create my own specialty track in health psychology. I gained skills as a clinician and researcher, and had the opportunity to take on leadership roles. It was a highly collegial atmosphere, and I developed great relationships with both faculty and students."

-Counseling Psychology Graduate

Accreditation

Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

The PhD program in Counseling Psychology has been accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1980. As of July 2020, the following states accept APA-accredited doctoral programs as meeting the educational requirements for licensure in that state:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming.

New York, as well as the following other states, require additional education and experience in addition to graduation from an APA accredited program to meet the educational requirements for licensure in that state:

Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

New York requirements for licensure


Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

Phone: 202-336-5979
Email: [email protected]

Admissions Requirements

admissions
Deadlines

Departmental Assistantship Consideration

Fall: December 1
Spring: Not Available
Summer: Not Available
 

No Departmental Assistantship Consideration

Fall: December 1
Spring: Not Available
Summer: Not Available

Required Application Materials
  • Transcripts from all schools attended
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official GRE scores

Supplemental Documents

  • Resume
  • Statement of Goals
    The statement is generally one to two pages discussing what you have to offer the program and what you wish to get out of the program.  It should include a brief description of the applicant's field of interest, related background, desired area of study and research emphasis or career goals. 
Special Notes

At least 18 credits of undergraduate psychology credit is required, of which it must include statistics and either abnormal psychology or personality.

This program requires an internship, field experience, study abroad component, or clinical experience requirement. Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet licensure requirements for certain professions.  If applicants have concerns about this matter please contact the Dean’s Office of the intended academic program.

Student Learning Objectives


Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

PhD
  • Students will understand current theory and research in human development, learning, research design, measurement, and statistical analysis.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate that they can read and write critically and analytically about theory, research, and practice.
  • Students will be able to design and carry out rigorous and theoretically well-grounded empirical research that addresses important educational and developmental issues and problems.
  • Students will learn how to make significant contributions to the field through professional presentations in national and international forums and conferences, and through publications in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.
  • Students will demonstrate effective teaching skills in higher education, or competence in other relevant professional contexts.
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Careers and Advisement

The Pathways Into Education (PIE) Center is the central office on campus serving undergraduate, graduate, and prospective students interested in pursuing careers in education and programs leading to teacher certification.

Please call or email to schedule an appointment.

Graduate Advisement:
Email Graduate Advisement
(518) 442-3529