If you aim to become a leader in providing accessible and equitable mental health care, DU's Counseling Psychology PhD program is just for you. Here, you'll learn from renowned faculty, scholars and practitioners who direct groundbreaking research in the mental health field. Throughout your journey in our program, you'll gain training that equips you for various career paths, including research, teaching and clinical practice.
Our Counseling Psychology PhD program offers invaluable opportunities to collaborate closely with experienced mentors committed to nurturing your academic and professional development at every turn. Whether you need guidance on your dissertation research, assistance navigating the job market, or support in achieving your career aspirations, our faculty mentors will offer personalized attention and unwavering support.
Start Dates: Fall
Curriculum: 90 Credit Hours (for students entering with a master’s degree with clinical training)
135 Credit Hours (for students entering with a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree without clinical training)
Program Length: 5 Years (for students entering with a master’s with clinical training)
6 Years (for students entering with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree without clinical training)
Faculty Accepting Students:
1986 The first year of the continuous accreditation of our doctoral program by the American Psychological Association
100% Pre-doctoral internship match rate for the past decade
100% The percentage of admitted students receiving some form of tuition assistance from the Morgridge College of Education
PhD in Counseling Psychology
How our curriculum prepares you for your counseling psychology career
Gain hands-on counseling experience
Gain counseling skills in diverse community settings, leading to invaluable hands-on experience in therapy for underserved populations.
Learn from practicum placements and internship experience
Complete practicum placements in two community settings, with the option of an assessment practicum in your third or fourth year. Additionally, you can undergo a year-long pre-doctoral internship in your final program year.
Open doors to career opportunities in counseling
Our program offers multiple career paths, including research, teaching and practice.
Attain state licensure to practice counseling psychology
Acquire the educational requirements to become a licensed psychologist in Colorado.
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Application Information
Scholarships for PhD Students in Counseling Psychology
Rosetta Snipe Endowed Scholarship Fund
The Rosetta Snipe Endowed Scholarship was established to provide scholarship support to African American graduate students in the Counseling Psychology program or students who have demonstrated experience with, or commitment to serving or working with the African American community. Recipients are selected based on academic merit and demonstrated financial need and must be either a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology who aspires to pursue a PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Denver or a PhD student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Denver, in good standing with at least a 3.0 GPA.
Karen Kitchener Endowed Scholarship Fund
The Karen Kitchener Endowed Scholarship was established to provide support for women graduate students in the Counseling Psychology program. Recipients are selected based on academic merit and demonstrated financial need and must be a PhD student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Denver, in good standing with at least a 3.0 GPA.
Counseling Psychology PhD Courses
Degree Requirements
A total of 135 hours are required for a doctorate in the Morgridge College of Education. Up to 45 credits from a master’s degree may be eligible to be transferred, depending on the content overlap with current courses. Students can also transfer up to an additional 15 hours of other graduate work, provided the credits were earned after their master’s degree was awarded, and it does not conflict with the doctoral residency requirement.
Foundations
- CNP 4788 - Physiological Psychology
- CNP 4775 - Counseling Psychology: Cognitive and Affective Basis of Behavior
- CNP 4768 - Counseling Psychology: Social Psychology
- CNP 4794 - Counseling Psychology Seminar: Special Topics (Advanced Integrative Course)
- RMS 4921 - Psychometric Theory
- CNP 4702 - Introduction to Assessment (can be waived)
- CNP 4704 - Psychological Assessment
- CNP 4645 - Lifespan Development
- CNP 4706 - Cognitive Assessment
- CNP 4772 - Diversity Seminar: Psycho-Social Issues
- CNP 4773 - Diversity: Multicultural Counseling Psychosocial Issues (can be waived)
- CNP 4705 - History and Systems of Psychology
- CNP 4790 - Counseling Psychology Seminar: Ethics
Research Requirements
- RMS 4910 - Introductory Statistics
- RMS 4930 - Quantitative Research Design
- RMS 4941 - Introduction to Qualitative Research
- RMS 4911 - Correlation and Regression
RMS Electives: Select at Least Three Courses
- RMS 4913 - Multivariate Analysis
- RMS 4951 - Mixed Method Research Design
- RMS 4922 - Item Response Theory
- RMS 4914 - Structural Equation Modeling
- RMS 4915 - Hierarchical Linear Modeling
- RMS 4916 - Latent Growth Curve Modeling
- RMS 4942 - Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis
- RMS 4945 - Community-Based Research
- RMS 4932 - Meta-Analysis Social Science Research
- RMS 4939 - Topics in Quantitative Research Methods
- RMS 4946 - Advanced Qualitative Research
- CNP 5995 - Independent Research
Counseling Requirements
- CNP 4700 - Counseling Theory
- CNP 4701 - Advanced Seminar: Counseling Theory
- CNP 4710 - Career Counseling
- CNP 4720 - Group Counseling Theory
- CNP 4752 - Counseling Psychology Advanced Practicum I (3 quarters/ 3 credits each) *
- CNP 4752 - Counseling Psychology Advanced Practicum I (3 quarters/ 3 credits each) *
- CNP 4752 - Counseling Psychology Advanced Practicum I (3 quarters/ 3 credits each) *
- CNP 4753 - Counseling Psychology Advanced Practicum II (3 quarters/ 1 credit each) **
- CNP 4753 - Counseling Psychology Advanced Practicum II (3 quarters/ 1 credit each) **
- CNP 4753 - Counseling Psychology Advanced Practicum II (3 quarters/ 1 credit each) **
- CNP 4754 - Counseling Psychology: PhD Internship
- CNP 4756 - PhD Counseling Clinic (2 quarters/ 1 credit each) ***
- CNP 4756 - PhD Counseling Clinic (2 quarters/ 1 credit each) ***
- CNP 4770 - Counseling Psychology Seminar: Research
- CNP 4780 - Counseling Psychology Seminar: Supervision ****
- CNP 4792 - Pro-Seminar in Counseling Psychology
- CNP 4784 - Psychopathology (can be waived)
- CNP 4800 - Consultation
- CNP 4794 - Counseling Psychology Seminar: Special Topics (electives in Counseling Psychology/Special Topics, e.g., Grief and Loss, Health Psychology, Trauma Informed Counseling)
- CNP 4758 - PhD Field Experience
- CNP 5771 - Counseling Psychology: Doctoral Research Seminar
Featured Faculty and Notable Alumni
Dr. Chesleigh Keene
Assistant Professor, Northern Arizona University
Dr. Jeremy Coleman
Assistant Professor, University of Utah
Dr. Sandra Bertram Granto
Clinical Assistant Professor in the Counseling Psychology program and Class of 2024 graduate
Dr. Sree Sinha
Postdoctoral Fellow, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Comprehensive Gender Affirming Care Center
Get Started on Your PhD in Counseling Psychology
Advance your career with a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology