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 in 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 allows students to add on a Certificate in Sex Therapy for an additional 10 credits of coursework.
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.
Student Data (2021-2022)
The following are the most recent program outcomes for the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision program for the 2021-2022 academic year. On a regular basis, Adler University surveys students, graduates, site supervisors, and employers to obtain useful information about the program.
2021-22 Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program Annual Report.
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 in how to establish their own successful, independent counseling and consulting practices.
Students 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, advanced clinical practice, teaching, and 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.
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.
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.
Find course descriptions and more information in the Adler University Course Catalog.
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.
This course provides a foundation for the ethical practice of professional counseling. It introduces students to the history of the counseling profession as well as professional roles (practitioner, supervisor, educator, etc.) and professional organizations.
This course provides a survey of models and theories consistent with current research (evidenced-based) and practice in the counseling profession. Approaches include psychoanalytic, individual psychology, person-centered, existential, cognitive-behavioral, Gestalt, family systems, and postmodern theories.
This course teaches basic relationship and counseling skills using role-plays and other experiential activities. The course covers basic counseling skills (e.g., attending, active listening, building rapport), intake interviewing, and self-reflection/self-assessment procedures. It also addresses additional skills such as confrontation, immediacy, hereand-now processing, self-disclosure, and stages of change.
This course presents an overview of various models and theories in the discussion of the characteristics, developmental needs, and tasks at different stages of a person’s life cycle. The impact of social, cultural, biological, and psychological factors on prenatal life, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and aging will be discussed.
This course is designed to provide a basic foundation of knowledge, awareness, and skills needed for providing more effective counseling services in a multicultural society.
This course introduces students to theory and principles of group dynamics as well as developmental stages of groups.
This course will provide foundational knowledge of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation commonly used in counseling practice. Students will be introduced to a variety of formal and informal assessment tools and instruments.
This course is a master’s-level introduction to research methods and program evaluation as it pertains to the field of professional counseling. Major research designs including both quantitative and qualitative methods will be explored.
This course will examine career development and decision-making models and ethical counseling applications to diverse/multicultural client populations.
This course provides an overview of the major disorders in the current edition of the DSM. A range of mental disorders from adjustment disorders to serious psychopathologies will be discussed.
This course presents an overview of major models of couples and family therapy. The impact of multigenerational and environment factors on family dynamics and couples’ relations will be examined through various systemic perspectives.
This course provides an introduction to substance use and the treatment of addictive disorders. Assessment of substance use disorders and current treatment models for substance use, misuse, abuse, dependence, and concurrent disorders are discussed.
This is the first course of a three-course sequence (DCES-700, DCES 701, and DCES 702). This course aims at fostering the development of the counselor educator identity among the students. It will orient students to the role of counselor educator and their ethical and legal responsibility as a scholar, trainer, supervisor, and gatekeeper of the profession.
In this second course of the three-course sequence (DCES 700, DCES-701, and DCES 702), this course aims at strengthening the development of the counselor educator scholarly identity as an active contributing member dedicated to the profession. It will emphasize students’ actual involvement in counseling organizations.
This course is an advanced, in-depth, exploration of the theories of counseling, including philosophical presuppositions, assumptions, and implications of counseling and psychotherapy and its theoretical dilemma. Also examined are research findings on consciousness and human change processes such as the stages, processes, and precursors of change.
This course is designed to strengthen doctoral students’ ethical and multicultural competencies as counselors/practitioners, counselor educators, supervisors, and researchers. In addition, this course also focuses on students’ understanding of leadership and advocacy models and development of advocacy and leadership skills.
This course is designed to orient doctoral-level counseling students to the major teaching and learning theories, perspectives, and developmental trends in the field of counselor education. The course includes in-depth discussion of teaching methods, pedagogy, learning styles, and characteristics of effective teachers.
This course is designed to explore and apply theoretical and practical knowledge of clinical supervision models in clinical and mental health settings.
This course will explore in-depth models of program evaluation and development. Students will learn about the application of research techniques and models to conduct needs assessments, input, process, and outcome program evaluation and use the evaluation data to inform program development or enhancement.
This course is designed to advance clinicians’ knowledge and skills in responding to both small- and large-scale crises and trauma, as an individual practitioner and as part of an interdisciplinary team in an agency or a community.
The course is designed to advance both students’ theoretical understanding and skill level in actual practice in facilitating group dynamics. Several approaches to group work are covered, including wellness and personal growth, mental health, and therapeutic groups for diverse clienteles, settings, and clinical issues.
As the logical extension of the Advanced Counseling Theories course (DCES 703), this course explores the wide range of techniques, strategies, procedures, and approaches in counseling and psychotherapy, all in the context of successfully treating mental and emotional disorders as well as bringing about enhanced states of wellness, well-being, and psychological freedom.
This course is designed to provide in-depth study in various qualitative research methods in counseling, program evaluation, education, and behavioral sciences.
This course focuses on the use of quantitative data and application of both descriptive and inferential statistical research methods in the field of counseling, program evaluation, education, and behavioral sciences.
This course provides students training in advanced statistical methods and techniques in analyzing, interpreting and reporting quantitative data in research.
This course is a highly practical description and demonstration of consulting in a professional counseling and mental health context. Consulting skills are compared and contrasted with counseling skills.
Students may choose three, three-hour courses (9 credit hours total) offered by the program, or 700- or 800-level courses listed in the department elective menu with approval from their Faculty Advisor.
The practicum aims at students’ advancement of counseling skills in their chosen areas to that of an expert level. It requires a minimum of 100 hours at a mental health setting, including 40 hours of direct client counseling service in the form of individual, couple and family, and group counseling.
Students are required to complete 600 hours of internship. In this course, students are expected to provide supervision to either master’s students who are in practicum or practicing counselors at an external site.
This is a continuation of students’ internship experience toward the goal of completing the 600-hour requirement, which includes the mandatory 100 hours of experiences in group leadership and supervision for master’s students or groups at an external site.
This is a continuation of students’ internship experience toward the goal of completing the 600-hour requirement, which includes the mandatory 100 hours of experiences in research.
This is a continuation of students’ internship experience toward the goal of completing the 600-hour requirement, which includes the mandatory 100 hours of experiences in teaching.
For students who completed the 200 hours of Social Justice Practicum in their master’s degree.
This is a continuation of students’ internship experience toward the goal of completing the 600 hour requirement which includes 100 hours of experiences in one of the following areas: program development, clinical counseling, consultation, professional leadership, and/or other approved activities.
For students who completed the 200 hours of Social Justice Practicum in their master’s degree.
This is a continuation of students’ internship experience toward the goal of completing the 600 hour requirement which includes 100 hours of experiences in one of the following areas: program development, clinical counseling, consultation, professional leadership, and/or other approved activities.
For Students who did not complete the 200 hours of Social Justice Practicum in their master’s program.
The Social Justice Internship (SJI) is designed to advance students’ degree of understanding of leadership in effecting change at the community and professional level.
For Students who did not complete the 200 hours of Social Justice Practicum in their master’s program.
The Social Justice Internship (SJI) is designed to advance students’ degree of understanding of leadership in effecting change at the community and professional level.
For Students who did not complete the 200 hours of Social Justice Practicum in their master’s program.
Students can apply for the comprehensive examination during the last semester when they are finishing all the core courses and may take the examination in the following semester while working on the electives (option).
Students are expected to apply one or more of the major research models or theories to conduct a research project in a dissertation format.
In this phase of the dissertation, students are to complete chapters 1, 2, and 3 with all the necessary supporting documents for the research project. Students are expected to coordinate an oral defense of the research proposal.
Upon the approval of the study by the IRB, students can begin to implement the methodology of the dissertation research, including data collection and analysis.
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.
Fred J. Hanna, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program
“Pretty much everything I have done has a humanistic bend to it,” said Dr. Hanna. “Alfred Adler was a humanist himself, so it aligns very closely [with our mission.] If a person is humanistic then they are also oriented around social justice and social responsible practices.”
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 including official transcripts to the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline.
Adler University – Office of Admissions
17 N. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Official electronic transcripts should be sent to [email protected].
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Dr. Napoleón is prepared to inspire her peers while sharing her journey — from immigrating from the Dominican Republic as a young child to her experiences as an Afro-Latina with Haitian lineage pursuing a career in mental health.
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