Thank you for your interest in graduate study in counseling psychology at The University of Iowa. Our program has been fully accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1980 (APA Committee on Accreditation, 750 1st Street, N.D., Washington, D.C. 20002-4242. Phone 202/336-5000). Our primary aim is to train students in both the science and practice of counseling psychology. We are a doctoral program only and do not offer a master's degree. However, achievement of a master's degree is not required for acceptance into the program.
We hope that this information will be useful to you. If you have any other questions, please email professor Saba Rasheed Ali (saba-ali@uiowa.edu).
Admission requirements to the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at The University of Iowa are as follows:
All student must begin their program of study during the first fall semester after admission. It should be noted that since the counseling psychology program is full-time, students cannot complete it on a part-time basis. Students may enter the program with either a bachelor's or a master's degree.
Prospective students will be selected to attend an open house interview day as part of our admissions process. The open house interview typically happens at the end of February and early March. After the open house, students will be notified of either being accepted, put on an alternate list, or not accepted. The open house requires that students come to campus and meet with current students and faculty. During the interview day, you will have an opportunity to have many of your questions answered, take a tour of the campus and the University Counseling Service, and meet with individual faculty. More information about the interview will be provided to students invited to the open-house.
If you have a question about whether your application file is complete, call the College of Education Office of Student Services, 319/335-5360.
Electives
In addition to course work, students receive training in professional psychology and research. Professional training is obtained through a practicum sequence and a full-year predoctoral internship. Research training evolves from a student's required course work, research team membership, and completion of a dissertation.
If the student progresses at the expected rate, the program takes approximately six years to complete (including the predoctoral internship). In addition to the requirements listed above, the student must also complete the portfolio review process which includes a comprehensive examination/portfolio defense.
It should be noted that the counseling psychology program is a full-time program; thus students cannot complete the program on a part-time basis. As mentioned above, The University of Iowa Counseling Psychology program requires students to integrate course work in general psychology and counseling psychology with an active research program. Applicants who are interested in professional (practitioner) training only are encouraged to consider programs in professional schools of psychology.
1. Research Requirements (Please see College policy on its website.) The College and program require six research courses. All College of Education doctoral students must take 7X:150 Introduction to Educational Research. Counseling Psychology students must also take 7P:243 (Intermediate Statistics) and either 7P246 Design of Experiments OR 7P:244 Correlation and Regression. Counseling Psychology students must also take 7P331 Qualitative Educational Research Methods. Student then select one additional qualitative course and one additional quantitative course OR two additional qualitative courses. The College policy is contained at the end of the curriculum requirements.
2. Basic Psychology Core Requirements (15 s.h.)--To ensure that students have a thorough grounding in psychology, the program requires that all students take approved course work in each of the following basic psychology core areas:
Biological Bases of Behavior 3 s.h.
Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior 3 s.h.
Social Bases of Behavior 3 s.h.
History and Systems 3 s.h.
Individual Differences/Lifespan Psychology 3 s.h.
3. Counseling Psychology Core Requirements (minimum of 39 s.h.)
7P:223 Intro to CP Practice/Research I 3 s.h.
7P:225 Intro to CP Practice/Research II 3 s.h.
7P:452 CP Practice and Research III (Supervision/Consultation) 3 s.h.
7P:305 Psychotherapy I: Dynamic and Phenomenological Approaches 3 s.h.
7P:310 Intelligence Assessment 3 s.h.
7P:312 Psychopathology Across the Lifespan 3 s.h.
7P:309 Personality Assessment 3 s.h.
7P:356 Processes and Outcomes in Counseling Psychotherapy 3 s.h.
7P:365 Psychotherapy II: Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches 3 s.h.
7P:465 Issues and Ethics in Professional Psychology 3 s.h.
7P:235 Multicultural Counseling 3 s.h.
7P:306 Psychotherapy III - Vocational Counseling 3 s.h.
7C:357 Advanced Group Psychotherapy (Pre-req to 457) 3 s.h.
Practicum: Students must complete 7P:434 Practicum in Counseling Psychology and then repeat 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology. --
The first practicum (7P:434) is a Training Clinic at the University Counseling Service. Students must successfully complete at least one semester of 7P:434 before enrolling in 7P:453. Students typically complete five or more advanced practica at various sites approved by the Counseling Psychology faculty. Waivers of practicum requirements may be granted under special circumstances by a majority vote of the Counseling Psychology faculty.
5. Electives – The remainder of the program is planned individually in collaboration with the doctoral student's major adviser.
6. Portfolio Review – Students must complete documentation and faculty review of the Portfolio.
7. Internship – Students spend a calendar year at an internship setting approved by the American Psychological Association or, in some cases, by the Counseling Psychology faculty. The faculty will determine student readiness to apply for internship based on the following criteria:
A. Completion of all or almost all required course work. (Note: students may be completing research courses during their fifth year after the internship application)
B. Successful completion and defense of the Portfolio.
C. Successful defense of the doctoral dissertation prospectus
D. Successful completion of practicum requirements.
Students who have completed and successfully defended their dissertations prior to leaving for internship may enroll in 07P:458/PSQF:7458 Internship in Counseling Psychology during their internship year (change 8-2010)
8. Dissertation – A major research study to be planned in collaboration with the doctoral student's major advisor. The number of semester hours for dissertation credit can range from 12 to 15.
9. Other – Students must evidence appropriate levels of emotional balance and interpersonal skills. The student must also act within the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
111 total hours are required for the degree.
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Proposed Schedule
The following is a "typical" six-year program based on 12 semester hours per semester without summer work. It suggests covering (a) the Counseling Psychology Core, (b) the Basic Psychology Core, and (c) the Statistics and Research Design Core in the first four years. This "typical" schedule is both flexible and incomplete. Usually students will spend the summer term taking available required or elective courses and a practicum. Each student and his or her adviser must individualize the program and plan for sufficient course work, electives, and practicum hours to be completed to fulfill the 96 semester-hour requirement. In addition to classroom study, credit also is earned for individual research. Dissertation credit ranges from 12-15 semester hours.
Students who hold half-time assistantships are limited to 12 semester hours per semester. During those semesters when 4 semester-hour courses are required, special arrangements need to be made for an overload registration.
NEW COLLEGE OF EDUCATION RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS
At the start of the Fall 2009 semester, the College of Education has implemented a college-wide required research course, 7X:150 Introduction to Educational Research.
In the Fall 2010 semester, this research requirement will extend to a total of 3 courses for all doctoral students. Therefore, the guideline below for how students typically complete their courses will change to reflect these new course requirements, and the likelihood will be it will take at least 8 semesters to complete all the required coursework (including summers).
First Semester - Psychology Core, Beginning Statistics, or Qualitative Research Requirement (3 s.h.)
- 7P:223 Intro to CP Practice/Research I (3 s.h.)
- 7P:312 Psychopathology Across the Lifespan (3 s.h.)
- 7X: 150 Introduction to Educational Research (3 s.h.)
| Second Semester - 7P:225 Intro to Counseling Psychology
Practice/Research II (3 s.h.) - 7P:243 Intermediate Statistics (3 s.h.)
- 7P:310 Intelligence Assessment (3 s.h.)
- 7P:309 Personality Assessment (3 s.h.)
|
| Third Semester - 7P:365 Psychotherapy II (3 s.h.)
- 7P:434 Practicum (3 s.h.)
- 7P:306 Psychotherapy III (3 s.h.)
- 7P:246 Design of Experiments (3 s.h.)
| Fourth Semester - 7P:365 Psychotherapy I (3 s.h.)
- 7P:235 Multicultural Counseling (3 s.h.)
- 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- 7P:244 Correlation and Regression (4 s.h.)
- OR - - Psychology Core (3 s.h.)
|
Fifth Semester - 7P:465 Issues & Ethics in Professional Psychology (3 s.h.)
- 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- Psychology Core (3 s.h.)
- Elective (3 s.h.)
| Sixth Semester - 7P356 Processes & Outcomes in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- 7P:320 History and Systems of Psychology (3 s.h.)
- Elective (3 s.h.)
|
| Seventh Semester - 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- Group Psychotherapy(3 s.h.)
- Core Psychology or Research Requirement (3 s.h.)
- Elective(3 s.h.)
| Eighth Semester - 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- Core Psychology or Research Requirement (3 s.h.)
- Elective (3 s.h.)
|
| Ninth Semester - 7P:453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling Psychology (3 s.h.)
- Counseling and Psychology Research/Practice III (3 s.h.)
- Dissertation Credits (3-6 s.h.)
- Research Requirement (3 s.h.)
| Tenth Semester - 7P: 453 Advanced Practicum in Counseling and Psychology (3 s.h.)
- Research Requirement (3 s.h.)
- Dissertation Credits (3-6 s.h.)
|
At the end of the fourth year, the majority of the course requirements should have been completed. The fifth year is flexible and are devoted to (a) completion of the portfolio, (b) the doctoral dissertation, and (c) predoctoral internship. If the student progresses at the expected rate, the program (including the predoctoral internship) takes approximately six years to complete. For more information on the average length to completion of the program...
As mentioned above, the University of Iowa Counseling Psychology Program requires students to integrate course work in general psychology and counseling psychology with an active research program. Applicants who are interested in professional (practitioner) training only are encouraged to consider programs in professional schools of psychology. Applicants who have completed a master's degree in an area of counseling (e.g., counselor education, marriage and family therapy) should note that course work taken for such degrees may not fully transfer to the counseling psychology core. Several courses in basic psychology and statistics may be transferable. Requests to waive curriculum requirements based on prior course work are evaluated on an individual basis following admission to the program and usually are handled by the major adviser. Some requests require a vote of the entire faculty. Waiver approval typically does not reduce the total time necessary to complete the program. The typical student completes the program in 5 years.
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Professional Training Opportunities
Students are required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of practicum (many students elect to take significantly more), of which 150 are direct client contact and 75 are supervision; the remaining hours are devoted to such activities as writing case notes, processing tapes, preparing for sessions, and attending case conferences and practicum seminar meetings. For a more comprehensive overview of practicum opportunities and information, consult our Practicum Information page.
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Research Training Opportunities
In addition to receiving training as practitioners, students also are required to become competent in conducting research. Given the various research topics encompassed by the field of counseling psychology, the research interests of the faculty members include many different areas. Faculty members actively involved in research conduct regular team meetings to discuss important research topics and projects with students. Students, as part of their portfolio requirement, are expected to join at least one faculty research team, where they will have an opportunity to present research at national conferences and publish papers. Many students are appointed to assistantships that involve conducting research with faculty members and other University of Iowa faculty members. Faculty and students participate in collaborative research projects with staff from The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and the University Counseling Service.
Several faculty members also conduct research supported by grants. Past projects include an investigation of the effectiveness of psychological interventions for chronic low back pain, studying methods of communicating distressful information from physicians to patients, research on minority student development, men and depression, homelessness, and college student suicide.
Students are encouraged to take an active part in developing and conducting research as well as pursuing research interests of their own. The Counseling Psychology program sponsors guest lecturers from various psychology specialties to acquaint students with a variety of research areas. Among those who have recently visited are Dr. Karen Kitchener, Dr. Derald Wing Sue, Dr. John Krumboltz, Dr. Gwen Keita, Dr. Jim Lichtenberg, Dr. Richard Suinn, and Dr. Melba Vasquez.
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Financial Aid
General Financial Aid: Please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, 208 Calvin Hall, 319/335/1450. Apply for general financial aid at the same time that you apply for admission to our doctoral program.
Special graduate assistantships are open to graduate students pursuing any advanced degree program offered by the College of Education. These assistantships are half-time appointments (20 hours) that carry a stipend and a waiver of the nonresident portion of tuition. They are awarded to students with outstanding academic records. During the assistantship, students pursue both individual and collaborative research projects with a faculty adviser. These appointments are renewable, although no summer support is available through this program. The application must be filed on a special form that you should obtain now. Write to the Chair of the Selection Committee, 334 Lindquist Center, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1529, 319/335-6010. The deadline for completed application for these special graduate assistantships is March 1. Students should file these applications at the same time that they apply for admission to our doctoral program.
More information on assistantships can be found here.
The Counseling Psychology Program is committed to increasing its number of ethnic minority graduate students. We urge ethnic minority applicants to apply to our program. The University supports ethnic minority students with the Graduate Opportunity Fellowship Program; further details about this program are available from the Coordinator of Admissions, 319/335-5577.
Additional Links for Funding Opportunities:
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CP Student Body
The Counseling Psychology program admits a limited number of students each year (typically 5 to 8 though this may vary some from year to year). to ensure a close working relationship between faculty and students in training. The student population reflects a balance of gender, age, cultural background, educational background, and career plans. Historically, the program has enrolled a slightly higher number of women than men. In terms of ethnic diversity, students of color typically make up approximately 35 to 45 percent of our program. The age distribution of students is from early 20s to early 50s. Historically, our attrition-dropout rate is about five percent. These data are current as of Fall 2007.
Students entering the program have a variety of undergraduate majors and previous employment experiences. Those students who do not have undergraduate majors in psychology or who have not had psychology course work are encouraged to take basic courses in psychology before applying to the Counseling Psychology program.
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