A Guide to Graduate Programs in Counseling

Written for those considering a graduate degree in Counseling, this Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the counseling profession that distinguishes it from other mental health services and equips the reader with essential tips and practical tools for selecting a graduate program, navigating the admissions process, succeeding as a graduate student, and launching a career in Counseling. The Guide provides guidance on the process of identifying factors to be considered before pursuing a graduate degree in Counseling; the types of universities, graduate programs, and delivery modalities available; and how to select and apply for graduate programs. It also features vital information on accreditation and its importance regarding licensure, certification, credential portability, and employment opportunities. This new edition addresses the significance of field placements, the interstate Counseling Compact, the increased use of telehealth for delivery of counseling services, and the increased availability of digitally delivered counseling programs. New supplemental resources include practical tools for verifying program accreditation, a model for navigating the application process, and an annotated guide to national organizations in Counseling.

Table of Contents:
List of Contributors Section I. Deciding on a Graduate Degree 1: Dana Heller Levitt: Introduction 2: Jacqueline R. Smith Ed.D.;Suzanne M. Dugger Ed.D.: About the Mental Health Professions 3: Amy Milsom D.Ed.: Career Pathways in Counseling 4: Tahani Dari;April Lark;Matthew Worpell;Nina Nestorowich: Factors to Consider Before Pursuing a Graduate Degree in Counseling Section II. SECTION II. SELECTING AND APPLYING TO GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN COUNSELING 5: J. Kelly Coker Ph.D.: Types of Graduate Programs in Counseling 6: Tyra Turner Whittaker Rh.D.;Bridget Hollis Staten Rh.D.: Comparing Graduate Programs in Counseling: Finding an Ideal Fit 7: John J. S. Harrichand;Claudia Mai Nguyen: The Application and Interview Process Section III. Succeeding in Graduate Programs in Counseling 8: Devika Dibya Choudhuri, Ph.D.: Keys to Success in Graduate Programs 9: Victoria E. Kress, Ph.D.;Laura G. D. Caputo, Ph.D.;Emma Forner, M.S.Ed.: The Experience of Being a Graduate Counseling Student 10: Tara S. Jungersen, Ph.D.: Fieldwork Experiences Section IV. Becoming a Professional Counselor After Graduation 11: Kevin Doyle, Ed.D.: Licensure and Certification 12: Louisa L. Foss-Kelly, Ph.D.;Holly Hartwig Moorhead, Ph.D.: Professional Involvement 13: Suzanne M. Dugger: Summary and Conclusion Section V. Supplemental Resources Appendix A: Verifying Program Accreditation and Vital Statistics Appendix B: Specialized Practice Areas in Counseling Appendix C: Annotated Guide to National Organizations in Counseling Appendix D: Application Process Tools Index

About the Author :
Suzanne M. Dugger is a Professor in the Department of Counseling at Florida Gulf Coast University. For more than 25 years, she has dedicated her career to preparing excellent counselors at the master's and doctoral levels. A nationally recognized leader, Dugger has received numerous awards for her service to the profession of counseling and served on the CACREP Board of Directors for five years. She is widely published, with a focus on career counseling, school counseling, counseling children, diversity issues in counseling, and counselor education. Dana Heller Levitt is Associate Dean at the College for Community Health at Montclair State University. She has been a counselor educator for over 20 years, previously at Ohio University after earning her PhD at the University of Virginia. She has served on the CACREP Board of Directors, with three years on the Executive Committee, as Chair of the 2024 Standards Revision Committee, and in leadership positions in counseling organizations. Heller Levitt has published works on professional ethics and counselor development, including the first edition of A Guide to Graduate Programs in Counseling (OUP, 2016) and Values and Ethics in Counseling (Routledge, 2012). M. Sylvia Fernandez, CACREP President and CEO, was a Counselor educator at the master's and doctoral degree levels and an academic administrator for 29 years prior to joining CACREP. She has extensive professional service and elected leadership experience in state, national, and international Counseling professional membership, accreditation, and credential regulatory organizations. She has received numerous awards for her service to the profession of counseling. Her journal and book chapter publications and national and international presentations are in the areas of multicultural issues in Counseling and related disciplines, Counselor education and credentialing, Professional Counselor identity and ethics, and clinical supervision.