COUNSELOR EDUCATION. Doctoral Program Student Handbook

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Department of Counseling & Educational

Leadership

COUNSELOR EDUCATION

Doctoral Program Student Handbook

2014-2015

Counselor Education Program

Montclair State University

One Normal Avenue

Montclair, New Jersey 07042

973-655-3133

[email protected]

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Table of Contents

Introduction ... 1

Counselor Education Program Faculty and Staff ... 2

Introduction and General Information ... 6

Program Description ... 7

Program Philosophy ... 7

Program Objectives ... 7

Desired Student Qualities ... 8

Curriculum Goals and Policies ... 9

Path to Degree: Progressing Through the Doctoral Program ... 10

Advising and Advisory Committees ... 11

Doctoral Student’s Record of Progress ... 12

Degree Program Course Requirements ... 12

Professional Core Courses ... 12

Clinical Experience ... 12

Research Core ... 13

Congnate or Elective Courses ... 13

Prerequsiste Courses ... 13

Additonal Internships ... 13

Doctoral Practicum ... 13

Doctoral Internships ... 14

Program Planning Considerations ... 14

Clinical Experience: Overview of Internships... 16

Overview of Internship I: Instructorship Experience ... 16

Overview of Internship II Requirements ... 18

Doctoral Comprehensive Examination ... 19

Written Componenet ... 20

Evaluation of Written Responses ... 21

Moving to the Oral Examinatiomn ... 21

Overview of the Oral Exam ... 22

Evaluation of the Oral Exam ... 22

Summary of Responsibilities for Comprehensive Examination ... 23

Faculty Responsibilities ... 23

Student Responsibilities Prior to the Exam ... 23

Program Assistant Responsibilities ... 24

Student Responsiblities During the Exam ... 24

Dissertatio Committee ... 25

Proposal ... 26

Institutional Review Board Appproval ... 26

Writing the Dissertation ... 27

Dissertation Oral Examinatiom... 27

An Overivew of the Doctoral Dissertation Procedures and Guidelines ... 29

Graduation ... 30

Professional Organizations ... 30

Other Program Information and Program Policies ... 32

Doctoral Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships ... 32

Endorsement ... 32

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Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity ... 32

Student Impairment ... 32

Retention ... 33

Counselor Education PhD Program Review and Retention Policies ... 33

Faculty Evaluation of Students’ Fitness and Performance ... 33

Student Remediation ... 34

Dismissals from the Program ... 35

Process Remediation and/or Dismissal ... 35

Appeal of Decision ... 36

University Policies ... 36

Time Limitations for Completion of Doctoral Degree Program ... 36

Transfer Credits... 37

Course Load ... 37

Residency Requirement for Doctoral Program ... 37

Independent Study ... 37

Continuous Matriculation Requirement ... 38

Leave of Absence ... 38

Grades of Incomplete ... 38

Grades and Maintenance of Grade Point Average ... 39

Academic Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students ... 39

Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual Health Wellness-Resources ... 39

Academic Tools ... 41

Appendix: PhD Counselor Education ... 42

Approval of Advisory Committee ... 45

Faculty Annual Evaluation of Doctoral Dtudent Performance and Progress ... 49

Annual PhD Student Self-Report of Progress ... 50

COUN 826 Doctoral Intenrship II; Fieldwork Application ... 52

Application for Comprehensive Examination ... 55

Comprehsnive Exam Summary of Ratings ... 56

Comprehensive Examination Evaluation on Written Responses ... 57

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INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your acceptance to the PhD program in Counselor Education at Montclair State University. I welcome you on behalf of the faculty; we are pleased that you have decided to pursue your doctoral education with us and we are committed to helping you make this

experience both professionally and personally rewarding. Our goal is to help you gain new and advanced knowledge and skills that allow you to meet your professional goals and to enable you to make unique and significant contributions to the counseling profession and the individuals and communities you will serve.

The Doctoral Student Handbook is intended to be a reference to increase your understanding of program expectations and the resources available to you. It is designed as a program introduction and guide to assist you in progressing toward completion of your PhD program. Answers to the questions most frequently asked by students are contained in these pages. The faculty and department staff wants you to have a successful experience in the program and are prepared to help you with any questions you may have, just please consult the Handbook first.

We recommend that you retain this Handbook as a reference guide throughout your enrollment. You are also urged to maintain a file copy of the various forms and documents you submit as you progress through your program. Also note that the most recent edition of the Handbook will be posted on our Doctoral Program website each September at

http://www.montclair.edu/cehs/academics/departments/cel/academic-programs/counselor-ed/ Basic program requirements and policies delineated in this guide will apply throughout your program and you are responsible for knowing and abiding by these. While every attempt has been made to include the most current information and forms in this handbook, you are expected to keep yourself informed of any procedural changes that may have been instituted since the date of your original admission. Changes in policies and procedures made by the Counselor Education faculty and will be disseminated to students by e-mail and/or through the Counselor Education PhD Canvas Community website. Graduate School rules and regulations appear in the Graduate School Catalog as well as on the Graduate School website (http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/). In addition, the forms included in the Appendix to this Handbook are intended to serve as samples only. When you are ready to file a particular form, please obtain and print the most current copy of the forms, which can be obtained from the Doctoral Program Assistant, the Registrar's website, and/or the Graduate School's website.

Again, on behalf of the Counselor Education Faculty, welcome to the program! We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

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COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF Department Chair and Staff

Suzanne McCotter, Department Chair, Counseling and Educational Leadership* (CEL) Office: College Hall, Room 3161

Phone Number: (973)655-4366 Email: [email protected]

Education: Ph.D., University of Georgia; MLS, Rutgers University; B.A., Rutgers

Professional Research/Interests: Instructional supervision, professional development, teacher reflection. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~mccotters

Kim Booth, Program Assistant, Ph.D. Program in Counselor Education Office: University Hall, Room 3162

Phone: (973) 655- 3133

Email: [email protected]

Mary Andreoli, CEL Department Secretary Office: University Hall, Room 3162

Phone Number: (973) 655-7216 Email: [email protected]

Lucille A. Gesualdi, CEL Department Administrator Office: University Hall, Room 3165

Education: M.A., Montclair State University; B.A., Montclair State University Kathleen M. Mangano, Clinical Coordinator

Office: University Hall 2170 Phone Number: (973) 655- 3455

Email: [email protected]

Education: M.A., Montclair State University; B.S., Montclair State University

Program Faculty

Muninder Kaur Ahluwalia* Office: University Hall, Room 3185 Phone Number: (973) 655-762

Education: Ph.D., New York University; M.A., New York University; B.A., New York University

Professional Research/Interests: Multicultural Counseling Training, Issues of Identity and Self Among South Asians, Discrimination, and Asian American Women, and methodological issues in qualitative research. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~ahluwaliam

Vanessa Alleyne

Office: University Hall, Room 3171 Phone Number: (973) 655-6996 Email: [email protected]

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University; B.S., Wheelock College

Professional Research/Interests: Addiction Treatment Outcomes, Multiculturalism and Racial Identity, Group Processes, Forensic Evaluation. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~alleynev Amanda L. Baden *

Education: Ph.D., Michigan State University; M.Ed., University of Georgia; B.A., Pennsylvania State University

Professional Research/Interests: Multicultural Counseling Competence, Racial and Cultural Identity, Counseling Adoption Triad Members, Transracial/International Adoption, Licensed Psychologist (NY). Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~badena

Kathy A. Gainor Office: University Hall, Room 3152

Education: Ph.D., Michigan State University; M.A., Boston College; B.A., Waynesburg College Professional Research/Interests: Multicultural Counseling, Career Counseling, Counselor Training and Pedagogy. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~gainork

Harriet L. Glosoff, * Director Ph.D. Program in Counselor Education Office: University Hall, Room 3189

Education: Ph.D., American University; M.A, University of Maryland-College Park; B.A., State University of New York, Buffalo

Professional Research/Interests: Professional ethics and ethical-decision making; spirituality in counseling, supervision, and counselor education; preparing counselors as social justice advocates; and best practices in counseling supervision.

Michael D. Hannon

Education: The Pennsylvania State University; Ed.S. Rider University; M.Ed. University of Delaware; B.S. University of Delaware

Research/Interests: Wellness of racial/ethnic minority fathers and families of children with autism; urban school counseling

Leslie Kooyman*

Education: Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Charlotte; M.A., University of North Carolina, Charlotte; B.S., University of Santa Clara

Professional Research/Interests: High-risk sexual behavior of gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM), HIV/AIDS Prevention, Gay men and Aging, Acculturative Stress of International Students, GLBT issues, Counselor Development. Website:

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Dana Heller Levitt * Office: University Hall, Room 3169 Phone Number: (973) 655-2097 Email: [email protected]

Education: Ph.D., Counselor Education, University of Virginia; M.Ed., Counselor Education, University of Virginia; B.A., Psychology, James Madison University

Professional Research/Interests: Ethics, Religious/Cultural issues in counseling, Pedagogy, Counselor Education, Body image/Eating disorders, Gender issues.

http://www.montclair.edu/~levittd Sandra Lopez-Baez *

Office: University Hall, Room 3192 Phone Number: (973) 655 3186 Email: [email protected]

Education: Ph.D. Kent State University; M.S. Marshall University; B.A. University of Puerto Rico

Professional Research/ Interests: diversity, multiculturalism, and social justice issues in counseling; the internationalization of the counseling profession and training mental health counselors globally; the development of counselor trainees; and the sense of self of Latino counselors.

Gloria Pierce

Education: Ed.D., Columbia University; M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University; M.A., Fairleigh Dickinson University; B.A., Douglass College, Rutgers, The State University Professional Research/Interests: Holistic approaches to counseling; Ecotherapy & Ecofeminist Therapy; Gender/ Women's Issues; Feminist Counseling; Feminist pedagogy; Faculty

Development, Organization Development & Management Education; Cultural Analysis. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~pierceg

Edina Renfro-Michel

Office: University Hall, Room 3215 Phone Number: 973-655-5381

Education: Ph.D., Mississippi State University; M.Ed., University of New Orleans; B.A., University of New Orleans

Professional Research/Interests: Counselor Supervision, Adult Child Attachment, Technology in Counselor Education. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~renfromichee

Angela I. Sheely-Moore *

Office: University Hall, Room 3158 Phone Number: 973-655-7389

Email: [email protected] Education: Ph.D., University of North Texas; M.A., University of North Carolina at Charlotte;

B.A., North Carolina Central University

Professional Research/Interests: School counseling for economically disadvantaged children and their families, early mental health intervention for Head Start Programs and Pre-K Programs, play therapy, filial therapy, multicultural counseling, and counselor education.

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W. Matthew Shurts *

Office: University Hall, Room 3230 Phone Number: (973)655-7190 Email: [email protected]

Education: Ph.D., Ed.S., M.S., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro; B.A., Wake Forest University

Professional Research/Interests: Premarital counseling, Romantic relationship development, consultation, holistic wellness, Counselor preparation and supervision, Technology and counseling. Clinical Specializations: Include premarital counseling, Marriage and family counseling, Emergency/crisis assessment, Play therapy, Child and adolescent counseling. Website: http://www.montclair.edu/~shurtsm

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INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

The primary objective of the Counselor Education PhD program is to prepare culturally responsive scholars, faculty, advanced practitioners, clinical supervisors, consultants, and directors of counseling services in mental health and educational settings, and social justice counseling advocates to be leaders in maximizing the mental health and quality of life for individuals, families, communities, and educational organizations.

The PhD Counselor Education Program at Montclair State University (MSU) is part of the Department of Counseling and Educational Leadership (CEL) within the College of

Education and Human Services (CEHS). The Dean of the College is Dr. Francine Peterman; the Chair of CEL is Dr. Suzanne McCotter; the Doctoral Program Director (DPD) is Dr. Harriet Glosoff; and the Doctoral Program Assistant is Ms. Kim Booth. All programs that offer graduate degrees at MSU are coordinated by the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School is Dr. Joan Ficke. The Graduate School sets university-wide policies and procedures for graduate programs in partnership with individual colleges. The DPD is charged with all administrative and academic responsibility of the doctoral program, in conjunction with the Chair of the Department. In order for the College, Department, and PhD Program to operate efficiently, all concerned must be aware of the procedures involved. These procedures are primarily addressed in documents postedon the Graduate School website (http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/).

In addition to the doctoral program, the Department grants two different Master of Arts degrees (Counseling and Educational Leadership). In the M.A. Counseling program,

students are prepared to work with diverse populations of all ages in the following four areas: addictions counseling, clinical mental health counseling (until fall of 2014 this was the community counseling program), school counseling, and student affairs/ higher education. The Master's Counseling Program Coordinator is Dr. Matthew Shurts; the Department Administrator is Ms. Lucille Gesualdi; and the Clinical Coordinator is Ms. Kathleen Mangano.

The department also offers a number of post-Master's programs for the professional development of counselors. These programs of study allow students to: (a) gain the requirements for New Jersey Licensed Professional Counselor (LAC/LPC); (b) meet the requirements toward New Jersey State School Counselor Certification; (c) meet the

requirements to become a NJ Clinical Supervisor (note that students in our doctoral program take these courses as part of their doctoral program); and (d) meet the requirements to become a Director of School Counseling Services. Dr. Edina Renfro-Michel is the Coordinator for the first three programs (a-c). Eunice Grippaldi is the Coordinator for the last program (d).

Accreditation

Our Master's program concentrations in community counseling, school counseling, and student affairs counseling in higher education are accredited by the Council for

Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is CACREP accredited as a Community Counseling program under the 2001 standards (www.cacrep.org). The faculty intends to submit an application for the program to be accredited under the current Clinical Mental Health

Counseling standards, no later than our accreditation renewal date of 2017. We have had our first students graduate from the doctoral program and will submit our application for accreditation of the PhD in the fall 2014 semester.

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

It is the goal of the program to prepare outstanding counseling professionals who: (a) demonstrate multicultural awareness, (b) are sensitive to life developmental issues, (c) can recognize and successfully address mental health needs, (d) are effective social justice advocates who can assist individuals and communities overcome barriers to well-being, and (e) are prepared to teach counseling students, supervise practicing counselors, and to conduct research and evaluations that make significant contributions to schools, agencies, the counseling profession and society. The first cohort of students was admitted into the PhD Counselor Education in the fall of 2009. To date, we have had eight students graduate who have obtained positions as faculty members in counseling programs, directors of counseling services in higher education settings, and advanced clinical supervisors. Individuals with counselor education doctoral degrees work as:

• Academic Faculty members in higher education

• Administrators and Supervisors in health care agencies, nonprofit organizations, community agencies, private practice, employee assistance programs, K-12 schools, student affairs/academic affairs units in colleges and universities, and in businesses • Consultants for agencies on specific projects (e.g., as consultants to state departments of

education concerning counseling outreach to underserved populations) • Program Evaluators

• Researchers

The Montclair State University PhD Program in Counselor Education combines scholarly preparation and advanced counseling, teaching, and supervision practice in preparation to facilitate many opportunities for professional growth and varied career opportunities. A state-of-the art curriculum, faculty mentoring, and state-of-the thoughtful choice of a cognate in state-of-the doctoral program will contribute to these opportunities. In addition, as well as encouraging students to collaborate on research being conducted by faculty member, the faculty members are committed to mentoring doctoral students in developing their own areas of professional practice, research, and leadership.

Program Philosophy

The guiding philosophy, goals, policies, and practices of the Counselor Education program are shaped by its central commitment; to provide learning experiences allowing each

graduate to become a fully functioning helping professional in an evolving and diverse world. Inherent in the concept of a fully functioning individual is the notion that emotional and intellectual growth and the worth of each person is emphasized, in addition to academic and professional activities.

Program Objectives

By completion of the program, doctoral students will:

1. Design and conduct scholarly research that yields an understanding of research literature and produce results that will make significant contributions to the counseling profession.

2. Utilize and integrate theory and proficient counseling skills into clinical practice, supervision, teaching, and research.

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curricula, and professional policy.

4. Demonstrate cultural competence, leadership and sound ethical decision making in counseling, supervision, teaching, and consultation.

5. Investigate and be aware of local, regional, national and international social contexts and policies concerning human behavior of diverse populations and provide leadership on advocacy and social justice issues in working with marginalized and disenfranchised populations.

6. Provide leadership and participation in local, state, regional, and national professional counseling organizations and conferences.

7. Develop consistent and ongoing self-motivation towards a path of holistic professional growth and life-long learning in the field of counseling.

Desired Student Qualities

Students admitted to the Counselor Education program are engaged in a professional

preparation curriculum, are accepted as professionals-in-training, and are expected to conduct themselves in accord with professional standards. In this context, a professional is a person engaged in an endeavor which requires advanced training in a body of knowledge that is based on theoretical and applied research, on a set of appropriate skills, and on ethical standards adhered to by members of the profession.

Doctoral students in Counselor Education are expected to demonstrate the following: • Academic aptitude for doctoral-level study

• Previous professional experience

• Fitness for the profession, including self-awareness, and emotional stability • Verbal and written communication skills

• Potential and interest for scholarship, professional leadership, and advocacy Appropriate to their progress in the sequence of course work, doctoral students are encouraged to display an increasing refinement of the following qualities:

Accountability

The most respected students and professionals take responsibility for their actions and apply initiative.

Personal and Professional Growth

The Counselor Education faculty believes that the most effective professionals and students continually evolve, and that one avenue for growth is personal counseling in either a group or individual setting. However, because of the ethical prohibition against dual relationships, students should not expect therapy to be provided by the program faculty, in courses or otherwise.

Commitment

The faculty places emphasis on:

• Equal accessibility—students should be sensitive to the inequities many groups and individuals experience, and embrace a multicultural and diverse worldview.

• Advocacy—as appropriate, students advocate at individual, group, institutional, and societal levels to not only identify but also address potential barriers and obstacles that negatively impact individuals' access to resources, development, and mental health. • A lifespan perspective—students are expected to be aware of the developmental stages of

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they serve.

• Ethical practice—students are committed to their ethical responsibilities as counselors, supervisors, instructors, researchers, leaders, and advocates; they aspire to meet the spirit, not simply the mandates, of the ACA Code of Ethics.

• The counseling professional—participations is encouraged in academic, honors, and the American Counseling Association and other professional counseling organizations, on the national, regional, state and community level.

Evolving Personal Philosophy

The Counselor Education program does not espouse a favored theoretical/philosophical approach regarding counseling; instead, the program exposes students to a variety of perspectives and expects students to formulate a personal philosophy of counseling. Students are expected to become capable of designing effective strategies for counseling which consider the nature and purposes of clients and the competencies of the counselor or consultant.

Professional Identity

Again, students are expected to be involved in the American Counseling Association and other professional counseling associations relevant to their areas of specialization, to conduct themselves ethically as professional counselors, and identify as members of the counseling profession in multi-disciplinary settings.

Research Orientation

The doctoral program is a research and practice degree. Students will gain a comprehensive awareness of pertinent research during their training, and will develop personal research skills appropriate to their academic and professional goals.

Leadership

Members of the faculty strive to model professional leadership and to make students aware of leadership opportunities. Examples of student opportunities include service to the community, positions in student organizations, graduate assistantships, presentations to professional groups, publication in professional journals, voluntary work for the Counselor Education program, and participation in service/leadership roles in professional organizations. Membership in the American Counseling Association is required and active affiliation in ACA and ACA divisions and other organizations related to students' goals is strongly encouraged. Students are encouraged to seek out leadership roles appropriate to their interests and faculty members can be instrumental in this process.

Curriculum Goals and Policies

The doctoral program is built on the CACREP standards for master's-level counseling programs. It is assumed that PhD students already have a broad foundation in counseling and successful counseling experience. Previous graduate work must include coursework in the Counselor Education common core areas described in the CACREP standards for entry-level (Master's) programs. If students are missing any coursework, they must complete that early in their doctoral studies (such courses will not count toward the PhD). The common core courses students are expected to have had in their Master's programs include:

• Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice- studies that provide an understanding of all aspects of professional functioning including history, roles, organizational structures, ethics, legalities, standards, and credentialing.

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context of relationships, issues and trends in a multicultural and diverse society. • Human Growth and Development - studies that provide an understanding of the nature

and needs of individuals at all developmental levels.

• Career Development - studies that provide an understanding of career development and related life factors.

• Helping Relationships - studies that provide an understanding of counseling and consultation processes in a multicultural society.

• Group Work - studies that provide both theoretical and experiential understandings of group purpose, development, dynamics, theories, methods and skills, and other group approaches in a multicultural society.

• Assessment - studies that provide an understanding of individual and group approaches to' assessment and evaluation and evaluation in a multicultural society.

• Research and Program Evaluation - studies that provide an understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation.

Building on the foundation gained at the master's level of preparation, the learning experiences of the Counselor Education program include activities that focus on three domains:

• Knowledge; using primarily didactic methods to convey theories and facts. • Skills; using both didactic and experiential methods in conjunction with

individual supervision.

• Personal Development; by encouraging self-examination, responsibility, and openness to diverse experiences.

To encourage student growth in the three named domains, each faculty member strives to meet the following goals:

• Prepare each student to work in a dynamic counseling profession and world; • Train students to be professional counselors first and specialists second; • Immerse each student in the fundamental knowledge and skills that current

professionals deem essential in counseling, counselor education, and counseling supervision.

Based on the above considerations, CACREP standards, and several years of curriculum formulation, the faculty designed the Counselor Education program to address the following categories: experiential, theoretical, clinical, research. Following, we provide an overview of the program requirements along with program planning considerations for students and advisors. Throughout the program, we advise students to consult closely with their advisors, members of their advisory committees, and the Doctoral Program Director in planning their program of study.

PATH TO DEGREE: PROGRESSING THROUGH THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM The PhD program serves both full- and part-time students. To best meet students’ individual needs it is helpful for students to consider the following:

• Get to know your program advisor and the faculty!

• Carefully review the information in the Doctoral Student Handbook and discuss any questions with your advisor and the Doctoral Program Director.

Path to Degree

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You may use this as a checklist.  Application

 Reviewed by faculty

 Interview and writing sample

 Admission and acceptance of admission offer  Assignment to a temporary faculty advisor

 Doctoral Program orientation (typically the week before classes begin)

 Establishment of an Advisory Committee and submission of Approval of Advisory Committee Form (by end of March of first year—See Appendix for form)

 Advisory Committee approves Proposed Program of Study (see Appendix), including cognate courses, potential courses to be taught during Internship I: Instructorship, and plans for Internship II: Fieldwork and Program of Study Form submitted (by end of March of first year)

 Completion of coursework

 Written and Oral Comprehensive Examination (Application Form required)  Dissertation Committee formed after successful completion of the Comprehensive

Examination; Approval of Dissertation Committee Form completed and signed by DPD and Graduate School Dean

 Notify Doctoral Program Assistant of date of dissertation proposal meeting  Dissertation Proposal approved by Dissertation Committee (form required)  Approval for study from Institutional Review Board (IRB)

 Collection of dissertation data and completion of dissertation

 Application for graduation—filed as follows: June 1 for the following January graduation; October 1 for the following May graduation; March 3 for the following August graduation

 Final dissertation defense (forms required to schedule defense and to submit results of defense)

 Graduation

Advising and Advisory Committees

When students are accepted into the program, the Doctoral Program Director will initially serve in an advisory role to help students register in the spring for their first fall courses. After that, each doctoral student is assigned a Temporary Advisor, who will shepherd the student through the first semester and a half of study at maximum. Any time after the completion of the first semester's work, a student will choose an Advisory Committee, composed of three faculty members from the Counselor Education doctoral faculty. A fourth member may be chosen within a specific

specialization area but it is not required.

During the first semester of the program we strongly encourage students to get to know faculty members by making appointments with them. This will help students make informed decisions about who they invite to serve on their Advisor Committees (rather than relying only on

information from their temporary advisors and other students). Students are required to submit an approved Program of Study to the Doctoral Program Director by the end of March of the first spring semester in the program.

When forming the program committee, students may ask their initial advisor to chair the program committee but they are not required to do so. Students may elect to ask another Counselor Education doctoral faculty member (faculty member who has been granted doctoral faculty status) to chair the program committee. In that case, students need to decide whether they want their initial advisor to continue on as a member of the committee or not and discuss this with the faculty member. Once the Advisory Committee is finalized, the student and committee members

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meet to discuss the student's goals and program of study and an "Approval of Advisory

Committee" form is submitted to the Program Assistant. The form requires the signature of the student and the three faculty members who agree to be on the committee, and must be signed off on by the Doctoral Program Director (DPD).

The members of the Advisory Committee are charged with assisting the student in choosing courses, making a program to follow in order to reach the student's goals, approving changes in that plan as needed, mentoring the student professionally, and working with students until the comprehensive examination is completed. That three-person committee is also responsible for writing the Doctoral comprehensive examination questions for the student and for evaluating responses to the questions. The Advisory Committee also holds the Oral part of the

comprehensive exam. Upon successfully passing the comprehensive examination, the Advisory Committee no longer exists, and students form a Dissertation Committee.

Doctoral Student's Record of Progress

The PhD program serves both full and part-time students, and it can be tailored to meet students' individual needs. Students are expected to maintain "normal progress" in their degree programs. It is, however, impossible to establish a single standard for normal progress. Obviously, normal progress differs for part-time students versus full-time students. Normal progress may also be impacted by the need to accommodate the student's needs, or interruptions to the program caused by events in the student's life. Therefore, it will be up to the student's advisor and the DPD to define normal progress for each student. Factors to be taken into consideration include, but are not limited to: (a) grade point average; (b) courses successfully completed toward the degree; (c) unresolved incompletes; (d) progress toward comprehensive examination; and, (e) progress towards completion of the dissertation. Doctoral students with the Advisor, Dissertation Chair, and committee members will submit various forms to document their progress throughout the program. The program forms required are included in the appendix at the end of this handbook and are posted on Canvas. The forms generated by the Graduate School are available online at the Graduate School website (http://www.montclair.edu/graduate/) as well as being posted on

Canvas. In each instance, it is the students’ responsibility to: (a) initiate the approval process for each of the forms; (b) secure appropriate signatures; (c) submit completed forms to the relevant person (e.g., the Doctoral Program Director, Program Assistant); and (d) submit an Annual PhD Student Self-Report Of Progress Form (see Appendix for forms).

The student's ability to maintain normal progress will be assessed each year during the faculty’s annual review of graduate student progress.

DEGREE PROGRAM COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Professional Core Courses (18 credits) Semester Hours COUN 810 Advanced counseling theories and Methodologies 3

COUN 812 Counselor supervision 3

COUN 814 Advanced Social And cultural Issues in counseling 3 COUN 816 Clinical, Leadership and Organizational assessment 3

COUN 818 Advanced Group Counseling 3

COUN 820 Advanced Career Counseling Techniques & Practices 3 *All students are required to take COUN 810 in their first semester

Clinical Experience (6-9 credits)* Semester Hours

COUN 824 Professional Internship I: instructorship 3 COUN 826 Professional Internship II: Fieldwork 3

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*Please refer to Clinical Experience in the next section for more information.

Research Core (15 credits) Semester Hours

COUN 822 Research seminar in Counseling 3

EDFD 820 Qualitative Methods I 3

EDFD 821 Quantitative Methods I 3

EDFD 822 Advanced Quantitative Methods II 3

EDFD 823 Advanced Qualitative Methods II 3

Cognate or Elective Courses (9 - 12 credits)

Students are to complete a minimum of three courses from a discipline that is relevant to the study of counseling, to be approved by the student's doctoral advisory committee. The cognate courses create a specialization (expertise) in a given area beyond the general doctoral courses. Examples of such academic areas might include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced school counseling and leadership

• College student development and administration

• Social justice/advocacy for social change in counseling

• Issues of gender and multiculturalism in counseling

• Couples and family counseling

• Adult development

• Counseling children/counseling adolescents

• Measurement and evaluation in counselor education

• Program evaluation and consultation

*Program requires 9 credits of Cognate courses and 9 credits of Clinical Experience or 12 credits of Cognate courses and 6 credits of Clinical Experience (3 credits of COUN 824 and 3 of COUN 826).

Doctoral Dissertation: COUN 900 Dissertation Advisement minimum 15 credits

TOTAL CREDITS 66

Prerequisite Courses

Students whose admissions into the program entails prerequisite courses are required to complete those courses as soon as possible. If possible, it is helpful to complete

prerequisites before beginning the first fall semester. Depending on the actual course(s) needed, students will not be allowed to enroll in the related doctoral level courses until these prerequisites are completed.

Additional Internships

Students admitted into the program with the condition that they complete additional internship experiences may be required to complete them before they can enroll in Counseling Supervision (COUN 812) or Internship I: Instructorship (COUN 824). Doctoral Practicum

All doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of practicum, 40 hours of which must be direct service. Students complete the practicum across the following three courses: COUN 812 Counseling Supervision, COUN 816 Advanced Clinical, Leadership, and

Organization Assessment, and COUN 818 Advanced Group Counseling. Students are responsible for documenting their hours across the courses using appropriate logs (refer to our Counselor Education PhD Canvas Community for the most current forms and information).These logs are

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kept in the student’s permanent file at the end of each practicum experience. In addition, the data are entered into an excel database and tracked to ensure that students complete the required hours across the practicum experiences. Supervision is provided by the instructors of each course, all of who are core counselor education faculty.

Doctoral Internships

Doctoral internships are planned according to the student's previous experience and professional goals, and approved as a part of the student's doctoral plan of study. All doctoral students are required to complete two doctoral-level internships; one in teaching (COUN 924 Internship I: Instructorship) in which they demonstrate teaching competence and one in clinical practice, teaching, supervision, or research (COUN 826 Internship II: Fieldwork for a total of a minimum of 300 hours in Internship II and a minimum of 600 total clock hours across the two semesters. During all internship experiences, students must receive weekly individual or triadic supervision, which may be performed by a site supervisor or university supervisor. Group supervision will be provided by the university during the Internship Seminar throughout the duration of all internship experiences.

Students complete one semester or COUN 824 (Instructorship) at Montclair State University under the supervision of Counseling faculty. During this internship, students co-teach one three-credit master’s counseling course, other than practicum or internship (which may be co-taught or taught as part of Internship II. Specific requirements for Instructorship are further delineated in the Overview of Instructorship Experience section of this handbook.

All students must complete one semester of COUN 826 Internship II: Fieldwork and may elect to complete two semesters during which they complete a minimum of 300 hours of fieldwork. Note that if students complete 9 rather than 12 semester hours of cognate courses, they must complete two semesters of COUN 826 (and 600 hours of Internship II). Internship II experiences may include a combination of counseling teaching, supervision, program and/or policy development, program evaluation, and research activities as approved by students’ advisory committees. Student describe the type of work to be completed during Internship II on the Doctoral Internship

II: Fieldwork Application Form (please refer to our Counselor Education PhD Canvas

Community for forms). Regardless of the foci of students’ fieldwork, they are expected to perform most of the activities of a regularly employed professional in the chosen setting, with specific arrangements being approved by each student’s advisory committee. Students may complete Internship II on either a full-time or a part-time basis and can be paid or unpaid experiences. Specific requirements for Instructorship are further delineated in the Overview of

Internship II Requirements section of this handbook.

PROGRAM PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS Following is information that will be helpful for you to consider in planning for progression through the doctoral program.

1. Students are responsible for: (a) becoming familiar with the procedures of the University (see the MSU Graduate Catalog and other materials available through the Graduate School); (b) knowing the deadlines for registration, add/drop, filing for graduation, and so forth; (c) meeting with their advisor and using that person for advice and counsel; (d) getting to know program faculty early in the program (e.g., during the 1st semester)-set up appointments to talk with faculty about their research and clinical interests and to share your interests with them. This will help students when selecting Advisory Committee members.

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2. Out-of-class requirements: Many of the doctoral courses require time commitments beyond the actual class meetings. For example, students in the Counseling Supervision (COUN 812) course, working under faculty supervision, provide supervision of master's students (typically in practicum classes). This will require approximately three to four hours per week (to meet with supervisees and review recordings of counseling session, and prepare for and document supervision meetings). When students take COUN 818 (Advanced Group Counseling), they facilitate five to six sessions of a personal growth groups for master's students (or similar assignment) during the scheduled time of the master's class and then supervise pairs of master’s students in their co-leading a group. When taking COUN 816 (Advanced Clinical, Leadership, and Organizational

Assessment), students administer and interpret standardized instruments, meet with each other as well as with a student in our master's program, and engage in assessment of an organization. In addition, throughout the program, there may be other expectations for out-of-class activities as well, for example, immersion and social advocacy projects in the advanced multicultural counseling courses.

3. Practicum and internships: As previously noted, all students must complete a minimum of 100 hours of advanced practicum (hours accrued in advanced assessment and

counseling supervision) and a minimum of 600 hours of internship, which includes three credits of COUN 824 Internship I: Instructorship and three credits of COUN 826

Internship II: Fieldwork (300 hours). As a reminder, students who enroll in one semester of Internship II must complete 12 credits of Cognate courses. Please refer to the Clinical Experience section of this handbook for additional information.

4. Course offerings: Most of the doctoral courses are offered in the evening (5:30-8:00), with a few being offered at 8:15-10:45 p.m. and some on alternate Saturdays for longer periods of time. If we offer a class on a Saturday schedule one semester/year, the next time we offer it will usually be during the week. Each fall the Doctoral Program Director will post a tentative schedule of courses to be offered for a 2-year period to assist students and advisors in their planning. The following are just a few things that we think may be helpful to know about course offerings:

• Fall courses usually include: COUN 810, 812, 814, 818, 824, 826 (dependent on adequate enrollment).

• Spring courses usually include: COUN 812, 816, 820, 822, 824, 826 (dependent on adequate enrollment); 818 may be offered depending on fall enrollment. • We usually offer 1-2 summer courses (e.g., COUN 820, 822, 826, and/or a special

topics class).

• Research course offerings are scheduled through the Educational Foundations Department. All four required EDFD courses are typically offered each fall and spring with introductory courses being offered on Wednesdays and advanced courses offered on Thursdays. The EDFD Department also periodically offers special topics courses. EDFD 820 and EDFD 821 are typically offered during alternate summers (EDFD 821 was offered summer 2014 and EDFD 820 is scheduled to be offered summer 2015 during a 6-week session). Please note that the EDFD courses are for students in all the doctoral programs in the College of Education and Human Services and they fill up very quickly. Because of this we strongly recommend students to register for any of the required EDFD courses as soon as registration opens.

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5. Cognate courses: As noted, students are required to complete three-four elective courses (9-12 semester hours) related to their area of specialization. Students who complete three cognate courses must complete one semester of Internship I and two semesters of

Internship II (6 credits/600 hours). Cognate courses must be approved by the members of students' Advisory Committees. Because of this, we recommend that students focus on completing core course requirements (including their research courses) until they have formed their Advisory Committees. Note that with Committee approval, cognate courses may be taken from any program on campus, including special topics courses offered by the EDFD Department (e.g., survey construction).

6. Eligibility to take comprehensive exams: Students are eligible to take the

comprehensive exam after completing the core requirements. Upon recommendation of their Advisory Committee and approval of the Doctoral Program Director, students may be enrolled in Internship II, their last cognate course, and/or an advanced research course. See the section in this handbook on the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination.

7. Personal and professional issues: Course work frequently requires students to deal with personal and professional issues, both situational and developmental in nature. Students' openness to self-examination and constructive feedback are integral parts of professional development. Moreover, as professionals who adhere to the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association, the faculty are committed to an on-going screening process designed to assist students whose issues interfere significantly with their progress in the program

8. Collaboration with faculty members: We strongly encourage students to seek opportunities to collaborate with faculty members on research projects, conference

presentations, professional organization involvement, and other professional and scholarly activities. This will enrich your experience and enhance your professional standing.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE: OVERVIEW OF INTERNSHIPS Overview of Internship I: Instructorship Experience

Internship I provides a wonderful, mutually beneficial opportunity for doctoral students and faculty mentors; one in which doctoral students are mentored in developing their teaching skills while sharing their counseling expertise and life experiences with our master's students as they teach approximately one-half of the course content (under faculty guidance) of a master’s-level counseling class. Doctoral students may co-teach any of the courses in our master’s counseling curriculum, other than practicum or internship, based on their professional interests and advisory committee approval. The goal is that the COUN 824 course instructor, the faculty mentors, and the doctoral interns work together to make Instructorship a productive and engaging learning experience for both doctoral and master’s students.

Although faculty members who teach COUN 824 may have different requirements, there are certain objectives and experiences that we expect will be consistent (based on the course as it was approved and what we are using for Middle States assessment data). Once the COUN 824 instructor has the syllabus prepared, he or she will share that with students registered for COUN 824 and with faculty mentors. The following information includes an overview of the

instructorship experience, including requirements and expectations of both students and faculty mentors.

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The goal is for students to develop pedagogical knowledge and skills, and to connect theory and research with the practice of teaching rather than rely solely or primarily on their own

experiences. Through the Instructorship experience (the Instructorship course, meeting with faculty mentors, and co-teaching a master’s class), students examine the diverse ways in which the core courses in a CACREP-accredited counseling program (other than practicum or

internship—these can be co-taught as part of Internship II) might be approached to facilitate students learning, empathic understanding, cultural competence, and to promote best practice. Students explore a variety of techniques, ideas, and philosophical constructs concerning teaching and learning in general, and specific to the discipline.

Overview of Key Aspects and Requirements of the Instructorship Experience

• Instructorship course assignments must be approved at least six (6) weeks before the semester in which doctoral students are scheduled to begin COUN 824 so that students can have time to prepare for their teaching responsibilities. The Doctoral Program Director will email a “call for faculty mentors” each semester for the following semester and then share information on potential co-teaching opportunities with doctoral students and advisors. Students make arrangements to meet with potential faculty mentors Doctoral students work with faculty mentors to co-teach a master’s-level counseling course. Students must consult with their advisors and advisory committee members about what course(s) most closely align with their professional goals and cognate and advisory committee members must approve the course to be co-taught during Instructorship.

• Notify Doctoral Program Assistant of Instructorship assignment (course to be co-taught) and the name of the doctoral faculty mentor at least

• Preparation is critical! The work for COUN 824 actually begins before the class ever meets. Faculty mentors and doctoral interns review the syllabus before classes begin. Faculty mentors involve interns in co-constructing parts of the course syllabi to the extent possible. For

example course objectives have been agreed on by faculty so that the faculty know what knowledge and skills they can expect students to have by the end of each course) and some assignments (e.g., the poster session for COUN 552) will be “set.” At the same time, the goal is for interns to share their ideas about assignments, structuring the course, topics, etc. and to be involved in all aspects of developing and teaching the master’s course so that the students can teach it (or a similar course) on their own after the completion of Instructorship.

• Faculty mentors and doctoral students agree on topics for which interns will be

responsible/take the lead. By the end of the semester, interns are expected to have prepared for and implemented plans for a minimum of 15 class hours; ideally they will take the lead on facilitating closer to ½ of the content/class time. Faculty mentors often share PowerPoints and other resource materials with the doctoral interns. A key, however, is for interns to make things "their own,” and to understand what they want to achieve in the classroom and then prepare lessons and materials that will help them meet the stated goals for each lesson. • Interns and faculty mentors (instructors of record) meet weekly to plan for and to debrief

about each class period. This is similar to facilitating groups; making sure that co-facilitators are on the same page about ultimate goals even though styles may be different. • Going along with the previous two bullets, in addition to submitting lesson plans to their

COUN 824 instructor, doctoral interns develop lesson plans for their assigned topics and submit those to faculty mentors before they conduct the lessons (at least initially). • Faculty mentors are the equivalent of “site supervisors” and have a responsibility to the

professional development of doctoral interns while also having ultimate responsibility for the grading and overall learning experience of the master's students. As part of their professional development, doctoral interns need to learn how to grade assignments. Although faculty

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members teach doctoral students to grade in different ways, by the end of Instructorship, interns must demonstrate the ability to assess if course/lesson objectives are being met and to evaluate the student learning through the use of appropriate evaluation methods.

• Students must document the time spent during Instructorship using the appropriate internship logs (posted on Canvas), which will be kept in the student’s permanent file. It is important to log all hours completed relevant to the teaching, preparation, and other activities as part of their documented Instructorship experience. Following are examples of activities to include: time spent preparing before classes (e.g., meeting with faculty mentors to discuss teaching philosophies, working on syllabi with faculty mentors, reading materials that will be assigned to the master’s students, reading additional materials to gain a deeper understanding of topics to be taught, preparing lesson plans, etc.); time actually teaching the master’s

students/facilitating discussion; time in the master’s class observing faculty mentors and contributing to facilitation of discussion; ongoing research for development and

implementation of lesson plans, in-class activities, and homework; reviewing and/or

commenting on discussions on Canvas; grading assignments; weekly planning and debriefing meetings with faculty mentors.

• Interns will learn Canvas (and other platforms used by our faculty) and are strongly encouraged to learn effective ways to use technology in their teaching.

• Faculty mentors will provide doctoral interns with written feedback at mid-semester and at the end of the semester (forms to be provided by the COUN 824 instructor). These evaluations are to be submitted to the COUN 824 instructor. As a note, it is helpful to have a separate course evaluation form for faculty and for student co-instructors at the end of the semester so it is clear that the feedback is about the intern and not the faculty instructor. An additional option is to do an anonymous mid-semester and/or end-of-semester course evaluation via Canvas to elicit feedback for the doctoral interns.

Overview of Internship II Requirements

Each item below provides additional information for students’ paths toward completing doctoral internship experiences at MSU. The items are “requirements” not “preferences or options.” They will also provide you with accurate information to discuss with potential site supervisors.

1. Meeting with advisory committee members to discuss potential sites and tasks is the first step students should take toward being approved for an internship site. Advisory committee members must approve sites and responsibilities.

2. The next step is to attend an orientation meeting. Notices will be sent each semester as to the date/time of orientation.

3. Before Internship begins, students must submit: (a) an Internship II Application (posted on Canvas), which must be signed by advisors; and (b) documentation of professional liability insurance at a minimum of 1M – 3M annual aggregate if students are providing counseling or supervision (available through your ACA membership).

4. For all internship experiences, supervision contracts must be completed. Contracts define the roles and responsibilities of the student as well as those who supervise the student (e.g. faculty supervisor, on-site supervisor, and triadic/individual supervisor). Students must file learning contracts with the Doctoral Program Director two weeks prior to any internship (with a copy given to the Internship course instructor).

5. Students must have an approved placement site no later than April 15th_{for summer; July 15}th for fall, and October 15st_{for spring placements. While students have a responsibility to} identify potential placement sites and responsibilities, the ultimate approval of the site for your internship work rests with the Director of the Doctoral Program (based on Advisory Committee approval). The following guidelines relate to placement sites.

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To be approved, a site must be able to guarantee that:

A. Students will receive weekly individual or triadic supervision with a qualified site supervisor (preferably someone with a doctorate in counselor education or closely related field) (this is in addition to attending the class seminar);

B. A site supervisor will be available to consult with the class instructor via telephone at least three times during the semester;

C. Site supervisors will complete a mid-semester and end-of-semester written evaluation of the intern’s work. These evaluations are to be shared with interns and submitted to the Internship II instructor;

D. Students will be able to audio and/or video tape sessions if providing counseling or supervision and be able to record teaching activities or be observed;

E. If counseling, interns will be able to do individual counseling, group counseling, workshops and other related activities (where appropriate), write case notes, attend staff meetings, and engage in other tasks as appropriate for staff;

F. If teaching (as sole instructor), site supervisors will review syllabi before classes begin; G. If teaching (as sole or co-instructor), site supervisors will review lesson plans, samples of

grading, etc. and either observe the intern teaching or review recordings of teaching; H. If doing program evaluation, program development, policy development, and/or research,

interns’ responsibilities are similar to what would be expected of staff and that work products are reviewed by supervisors and sample work products submitted to the Internship II instructor.

6. Hours: As noted, students are required to accrue a minimum of 600 hours across their Internship I (Instructorship) and Internship II (Fieldwork) experiences (with a minimum of 300 hours for each semester of Internship II). Please note that if students complete 9 semester hours of cognate courses, they must complete two semesters (6 semester credits) of Internship II. In those cases, students are required to accrue a minimum of 900 hours between their Internship I and Internship II experiences.

7. Site supervisors must hold credentials appropriate to intern’s specialization. If doing teaching for Internship II, supervisors must be doctoral-level faculty (must hold a doctoral degree). 8. Internship Seminar: Each student will attend an internship class for the duration of internship.

During this class, students will discuss issues, readings, and research related to their internship foci, present cases and samples of work products, and review internship site activities.

9. Students must document the time spent for internship experiences using the appropriate internship logs (posted on Canvas), which will be kept in the student’s permanent file.

10. Officially, the logging of internship hours begins the first day of semester and ends the date of the final class meeting except when teaching as part of Internship II or attending site

orientation/training sessions. When teaching, under the direction of site supervisors, students may count preparation for class (e.g., reading, creating your syllabus, posting documents on Canvas, preparing lessons and exams, etc.) toward internship hours. Other exceptions can only be made and approved in advance by the internship instructor.

11. Professionalism: As always, doctoral students are expected to conduct themselves professionally and abide by any regulations, policies, and procedures in place at their

internship site. In addition, students are expected to conduct themselves according to the ACA Code of Ethics as well as any relevant specialty area ethical guidelines (e.g., ASCA).

12. The Internship instructor, along with the Director of the Doctoral Program, reserves the right at any time to withdraw a student from an internship class (thus from the placement site) when there is evidence that the student’s work may be doing “more harm than good” for the

intended population. If this should occur, a remedial plan will be established for the student. DOCTORAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

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fall and spring semesters and summer pre-session. The primary goal of the comprehensive exam is to ensure that students have attained the knowledge and demonstrated the competencies specified for program graduates by the faculty of the Counselor Education Program. Students are expected to demonstrate their ability to:

1. Analyze and synthesize information from their doctoral coursework and professional literature;

2. Apply this information to effectively assess issues in counseling, counselor education, counseling supervision, their cognate areas, and related professional issues;

3. Appropriately apply research methodology to issues impacting practice.

In addition to students demonstrating the above, the comprehensive exam is meant to be a meaningful experience (versus a proverbial hoop to jump through); a way to help students

integrate what they have learned through the doctoral program with their professional experiences before moving on to their dissertations.

Students may take the comprehensive exam after completing core required courses or, with approval their Advisory Committee and the Doctoral Program Director, students may take the comprehensive exam while concurrently enrolled in Internship II, the last cognate class required, or either Advanced Quantitative or Qualitative Methods of Inquiry. Students must be enrolled in a course or ask the Doctoral Program Director (DPD) to be enrolled in COUN 920-Qualifying Exam during the semester in which they intend to take the exam. With approval of their Advisory Committee Chairs (on behalf of the Advisory Committee), students submit an Application for Comprehensive Examination by the dates on the Application form (form is in Appendix). If the student has not completed all required course work, advisors consult with DPD before moving forward. Following is an overview of the policies and procedures for the written and oral components of the comprehensive examination as of August, 2014. As mentioned in the

introductory letter at the start of this handbook, students will be notified if the faculty revise any policies or procedures.

Written Component

The comprehensive exam includes a two-day written exam taken using computers supplied by the program. The comprehensive examination is offered fall, spring, and pre-summer sessions. During the fall and spring administrations are typically the fifth week of classes and the summer administration is usually the week after commencement. Regardless of the semester, students will respond to two questions on the first day of the exam and to two questions on the second day (9:00-noon and 1:00-4:00 p.m. each day). Please see pages 56-57 for additional details about the procedures and logistics of the written exams.

Members of each student’s Advisory Committee are responsible for writing the Doctoral Comprehensive questions for that student, and for evaluating the responses. There will be a question on each of the following topics: (a) Theory, (b) Supervision, (c) Research, and (d) the student’s Cognate area. Advisory Committee Members come to agreement on who is to write each question and which two members will evaluate each of the questions. To meet the goals of having a qualifying exam, faculty will frame questions in ways that allow students to demonstrate how they may apply theory and professional literature to the topic at hand, and to have a concrete relation to the student’s work rather than asking students to primarily look back at what they’ve read in their different classes.

After Advisory Committee members come to agreement on who is to address each of the four topics, each member meets with the student to discuss the student’s doctoral and professional work as it relates to the specific topic being addressed by that faculty member. Committee

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members talk with students about their interests and strengths related to the specific topic as well as any gaps students believe exist for them in terms of the topic. Based on this conversation, the faculty member develops an individualized question on the topic specific to the student's interests, professional and doctoral work, future career and research plans, and/or other relevant areas. Faculty members do not share the actual questions with students before the written exam but do discuss enough details of the question's content with the student in advance of the examination to allow students to focus their preparation. All committee members review and agree on all four questions.

Evaluation of Written Responses

Although Committee members may choose to review responses to all four questions, responses to each question will be evaluated independently by the committee member who wrote that question and one additional committee member (determined by committees). Each committee member is to inform the Committee Chair of her or his evaluation. If one committee member rates a response as Unsatisfactory and one member rates the response as Pass with Conditions or Satisfactory, a third committee member will evaluate the response.

The criteria by which the written exam responses will be evaluated include: (a) clarity and organization; (b) depth of conceptual understanding; (c) completeness of response; and, (d) consistency and logical support. Students are expected to follow the latest APA publication format in preparing their responses. However, because students are not permitted to bring materials (e.g., reference lists) into the exam, although they are to cite their sources they are not required to include years of publications of the authorities cited. For example, they might indicate that Joan Smith researched a particular topic, but would not have to indicate the year in which her article was published.

Faculty members report their evaluation of each of the written responses using the scale/criteria noted below. If they evaluate the response as “pass with condition” or “unsatisfactory” they are to include a comment explaining the rating.

3 = Satisfactory: Given the timeframe provided, the student’s response reflects a good understanding of the material and the ability to articulate thoughts in a cogent manner. The information presented is accurate and the student demonstrates the ability to analyze, summarize, and synthesize literature information at a level appropriate for doctoral work. Adherence to APA style is acceptable and there are few, if any, grammatical or technical errors.

2 = Pass with Condition: The student demonstrates an understanding of key concepts and an ability to summarize points from the literature in relation to their topic. There are, however, some gaps in the response or problems with writing that requires follow-up during the oral examination. 1 = Unsatisfactory: The response is considered to need significant improvement. The student presents weak or fuzzy premises; there may be disjunction between elements of the question and the student’s discussion. Examples and evidence may be offered to show that the student has researched the topic or has read related literature but the student does not synthesize information from across sources or adequately connect the information to their topic. The response lacks organization and depth, the student presents inaccurate information, and/or there are significant issues in the student’s writing.

Moving to the Oral Examination

Students must successfully pass the written component of the comprehensive examination before scheduling the oral examination. Success is defined as earning ratings of Satisfactory (3) or Pass