Chicago | Doctorate
Adler University’s Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counselor Education and Supervision program prepares students to become expert clinicians, academics, or professional consultants in a unique program guided by themes of freedom and liberation. Our program develops empathetic, compassionate, and socially responsible leaders to promote humanistic scholarship and practice.
Our innovative program is also accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP).
Students are prepared to publish in peer-reviewed journals, and encouraged to examine and engage research interests that will drive their doctoral dissertation. Upon graduation, many work as professional consultants, advanced clinicians, and in academia.
Through strong faculty support and professional networks, along with the University’s partnerships with hundreds of community agencies, our doctoral students gain valuable experience in scholarship, clinical counseling and therapy, clinical supervision, leadership, advocacy, teaching, and consulting.
This program also allows students to add on a Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling for an additional 12 credits of coursework.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision is a 60-credit hour program. As part of the program, students will complete a clinical practicum, an internship, social justice internship, comprehensive examination and dissertation.
Program Prerequisites
Applicants are expected to have adequate coursework in the following areas. Applicants who did not graduate from a CACREP-accredited or equivalent program will be assessed to determine whether they have adequate coursework in the following master’s-level counseling course areas and whether they need to complete additional master’s-level courses prior to the beginning of the doctoral program.
Advanced Clinical Practicum:
Field Training: Counselor Education and Supervision Internships
Internships and seminars listed below can be taken concurrently. However, Social Justice Internships must be taken in the order of I and II.
Required Internship Courses:
For students who have taken Social Justice Practicum at Adler in their master’s-level studies prior to the admissions to the Ph.D. CES program:
Students who did not have Social Justice Practicum at Adler in their master’s-level studies prior to the admissions to the Ph.D. CES program at Adler are required to take Social Justice Internship in the fall and spring semesters of their third year in the program:
DCES Comprehensive Examination:
Dissertation
The Department of Counseling and Integrated Programs offers a variety of elective courses to their program students. DCES Students are required to take three electives that are three-hour courses each. Students can take electives offered by the program, or other courses listed in the department elective menu with approval from their faculty advisor. Please note that not all the electives are offered at the same time; it depends on the offering cycle. Examples of the electives offered by the DCES program include:
Find course descriptions and more information in the Adler University course catalog here.
Doing is learning. A unique and proven program designed to give students real world experience throughout their time at Adler University, the Social Justice Practicum is a required 200-hour internship that spans four courses (or terms for online programs). Every student is given a number of civic-minded categories to choose from. They submit their desired areas of interest. After which, they are assigned a specific and aligned community outreach site where they will work 8 to 10 hours per week.
The DCES program objectives are developed based on three guiding forces: the Program Mission, the Adler Institutional Broad Learning Outcomes, and the CACREP 2016 accreditation standards, Section VI, Doctoral standards on Counselor Education and Supervision, B. Doctoral Professional Identity.
Program Objective 1: Professional Identity
Demonstrate an in-depth understanding and identification of the various roles of counselor educators in the training and supervision of counselors, teaching, advancing the standards, knowledge, and skills based on the profession of counseling, research and scholarly work, advocating for the welfare of those whom they serve, and advocating for and leadership within the profession.
Program Objective 2: Supervision
Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of and ability to apply various theories and models in the supervision of counselors with reference to the characteristics of the counselor supervisees, clinical settings, and relevant therapeutic issues.
Program Objective 3: Clinical Practice
Demonstrate the ability to apply, evaluate, and integrate theories from both individual and systems perspectives in the provision of interventions in different practice areas in counseling and in serving diverse populations.
Program Objective 4: Teaching
Demonstrate competencies in applying teaching strategies, instructional theories, and evaluative measures in the development of curriculum and teaching modules pertaining to counselor education and the training of counselors.
Program Objective 5: Research
Demonstrate an in-depth understanding and ability to design and implement sound scholarly research from both quantitative and qualitative paradigms and methodologies. This involves displaying an awareness and understanding of the importance of research and the ability to conceive of research as a researcher. An additional ability is to have the capability to ask proper research questions that lead to proper research designs capable of producing substantial scholarly contributions to the profession.
Program Objective 6: Multicultural and Social Justice Competency
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of social change theories and a keen awareness of social justice issues and their respective causes from social, cultural, and systemic perspectives.
Program Objective 7: Leadership and Advocacy
Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the role of counselor educators in social changes and advancement of the counseling profession, and ability to utilize leadership and advocacy models in order to initiate changes with reference to topical and political conditions.
Program Objective 8: Assessment and Evaluation
Demonstrate a high level of awareness and aptitude in assessment and evaluation as well as evidence-informed practices in areas of counseling, teaching, supervision, advocacy, and program development.
Program Objective 9: Adlerian Principles and Practice
Integrate Adlerian principles and counseling approach in areas of counseling, teaching, supervision, and advocacy.
Program Objective 10: Professional Practice and Ethics
Demonstrate a commitment to socially responsible practice and adherence to ethical standards established by the profession and to regulations set up by local, regional, and national authorities.
Program Objective 11: Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling
Demonstrate multicultural competencies in all aspects of practice as a counselor educator, with advanced understanding of the impact and management of diverse factors in the preparation of counselors, provision of treatment and intervention for clients, promotion of client welfare, development of programs and services, observation of ethical and legal standards, and initiation of social change through political venues and strategies.
Program Objective 12: Scholarship
Forms an identity and function of that of a scholar capable of actively contributing to the knowledge base of the profession, as well as to the knowledge base of the mental health professions in general, through scholarly publications. This can be done conceptually through scholarly writing in the form of analysis of the literature, designing research-based models, or constructively writing articles analyzing the profession itself with the intention of improving it. This also involves not only the ability to conduct quantitative and qualitative research, but also the ability to logically conceive and put in writing both the results and the implications of those results in the venue of scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles and books.
The following are the most recent program outcomes for DCES. On a regular basis, Adler surveys students, graduates, site supervisors, and employers to obtain useful information about the program.
| Cohort | Year to Complete | Completion rate as of Fall of 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2022 | 71% |
| 2016 | 2023 | 37.5% |
| 2017 | 2024 | 33% |
| 2018 | 2025 | - |
2019-20 Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program Annual Report.
2017-18 Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program Annual Report.
2016-17 Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program Annual Report.
2015-16 Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program Annual Report.
Our program is designed to prepare our doctoral graduates with the advanced skills, knowledge and experience for roles such as:
Our students are prepared for careers in a wide variety of diverse settings, including academia, community agencies, mental health counseling centers, research institutions, hospitals, and educational and mental health settings. We also train doctoral students how to establish their own successful, independent counseling and consulting practices.
You’ll enjoy individualized attention from our faculty through advising, mentoring, and professional scholarship that includes collaboration on publishing projects. Our diverse teaching faculty is made up of scholars, practicing clinicians, consultants, and researchers with extensive scholarly and research experience in counselor education and supervision, as well as related fields. Recognized as leaders in their fields, they bring intensive real-world experience to the classroom.
Through strong faculty support and professional networks, along with the University’s partnerships with hundreds of community agencies, our doctoral students gain valuable experience in scholarship, clinical counseling and therapy, clinical supervision, leadership, advocacy, teaching, and consulting.
As part of successfully completing our program, you will complete an advanced clinical practicum and an internship that consists of 600 training hours in the areas of clinical supervision, clinical therapy, teaching, diversity, leadership, and advocacy. Upon completion of the program, graduates will have an array of experiences to equip them to be a well-rounded counselor educator.
Students come to Adler with a wide range of personal, professional, and cultural backgrounds and experiences. We admit individuals who can demonstrate a commitment to social justice as well as academic excellence.
Applicants to our Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision program must meet University Admissions requirements in addition to criteria specific to the Ph.D. program. These include:
Applicants are required to submit the following items to be considered for admission:
Approved applicants will be invited to complete an interview with faculty. Please submit all application materials to the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline.
Official transcripts should be sent to:
Adler University – Office of Admissions
17 N. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Official electronic transcripts should be sent to [email protected].
For more information for International Applicants, click here.
Adler University’s Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP), which recognizes programs that meet or exceed the highest standards for counselor preparation.
Adler University offers a Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate that can be earned by students of the program for an additional 12 credit hours.
This program is accredited as an Advanced Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor Training Program by the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, Inc. (IAODAPCA). The certification process is based on the Illinois Model for Certification of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselors.
Specifically, coursework provides education in the theories, techniques, and core functions of substance abuse counseling, focusing on evidence-based research and best practice standards from a social justice standpoint. Specialized practicum experience complements coursework.
The Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling requires the following 12 credits of coursework:
One of the following:
And one of the following:
And one of the following:
And one of the following:
In addition to the specialized coursework, students pursuing the Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling will acquire and develop practical skills in the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) core functions through specialized field placements. The Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling requires the following four semester credit hours of practicum (500 field hours) and seminars:
In addition to the specialized coursework, students pursuing the Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling will acquire and develop practical skills in the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) core functions through specialized field placements. The Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling requires the following four semester credit hours of practicum (500 field hours) and seminars:
This program is accredited as an Advanced Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor Training Program by the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, Inc. (IAODAPCA). The certification process is based on the Illinois Model for Certification of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselors.
Located in the heart of the city, the Adler Chicago campus was designed to provide and inspire the learning and living experience. To that end, we have created an environment that caters to your mental, emotional and intellectual growth. Our classrooms are bright and spacious with windows to the outside world. Our technology is the very latest and best. In our Library, you will find every resource you need to research, form and shape your journey. At Adler, we have made it our mission to create a space with more than enough room to share your thoughts and flex your intellect.
Adler University President Raymond E. Crossman, Ph.D., applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions that promote diversity, inclusion, and social justice in a message to students, faculty, and staff.
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In the spirit of social interest, our experts have offered advice for maintaining community and connection in a virtual world.
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Fred Hanna, Ph.D., received the 2019 Humanistic Impact Award, granted by the Association for Humanistic Counseling. Dr. Hanna, Director of the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program in Chicago, was recognized for his significant contributions to the counseling profession.
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