The Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision was approved by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) and implemented in 2011 with a cohort of five degree-seeking students. In 2014, the program was fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). For the past 13 years, the program has operated at 48-credit-hours. Students who started the program prior to July of 2025 were admitted under the 48-credit-hour curriculum. To align with the 2024 CACREP standards, the program is transitioning to a 60-credit-hour curriculum that focuses on counselor education, supervision strategies, leadership skills, counseling services, and research methods. Students who will start the program in July of 2025 or after will be admitted under the 60-credit-hour curriculum.

Eligible applicants are practicing counselors who have completed an advanced degree (M.A., M.S. or Ed.S.) from an entry-level counseling program and 60 credit hours of graduate counseling coursework necessary for licensure as a professional counselor or school counselor, with preference given to graduates of CACREP accredited programs. Its emphasis on crisis counseling and emergency services is also a unique feature of the program.

Our Ph.D. program operates as a hybrid/low-residency model of learning. This allows students to enroll in the program without being required to leave their jobs or uproot and move to Harrisonburg. Students participate in a mix of synchronous and asynchronous online meetings with core faculty members as well as in-person “residency” periods of 2-3 days, that are held twice a semester. The in-person residencies allow for relationship building and intensive depth work that continue each semester through the completion of the required dissertation.

During the 2024-2025 academic year, 25 students were enrolled in the Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision Program. The total number of graduates during this academic year was 10. . We admitted a total of 8 students. Students are expected to complete the program in three years. During the twelve years of the program, our combined completion rate for students in the Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision Program has been 89%. All (100%) of our alumni report that they are licensed and working either full-time or part-time in counselor education, supervision, and counseling practice.

Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision 2024-2025 Annual Report