About this Program

The Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Counseling is intended to prepare professional counselors to provide leadership in the profession of counseling. Counseling leaders must be excellent counselors, supervisors, teachers, researchers, and scholars. The program is designed to enhance the counseling skills of doctoral students, prepare counselors for the roles of clinical and administrative supervision, develop the teaching skills of students, teach students to conduct research, and prepare students to become counseling scholars. The program prepares doctoral students to become university faculty members in counselor education programs and leaders in a variety of counseling specializations (e.g., clinical mental health counseling, school counseling).

Program Highlights

  • Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

  • Study full-time or part-time

  • Full-time students usually complete their degree in three years

  • Part-time students usually complete their degree in four years

  • Opportunities for research collaboration with nationally-known counseling faculty

AT A GLANCE
Degree Level
Graduate
Degree Earned
Doctor of Philosophy
Delivery Modes
On-Campus

Careers

Check out these ideas from Â鶹´«Ã½'s Center for Career & Leadership Development and the . A median salary is a midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

Education Administrators, Postsecondary

$107,670 Median Salary

Plan, direct, or coordinate research, instructional, student administration and services, and other educational activities at postsecondary institutions, including universities, colleges, and junior and community colleges.

Survey Researchers

$60,700 Median Salary

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

Medical and Health Services Managers

$111,680 Median Salary

Plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.

Education Teachers, Postsecondary

$72,410 Median Salary

Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Alumni Careers

Assistant Professor
University of Arkansas
Mental Health Director
LGBT Life Center
Assistant Professor
University of Toledo
Director of Academic Development
Eastern Virginia Medical School

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Counseling at Â鶹´«Ã½?
Students entering the Doctor of Philosophy program in Counseling should meet the minimum university admission requirements Graduate Admission.

Students who are admitted to the Ph.D. program in Counseling must have a master's degree from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program (CACREP) or the equivalent. Admitted individuals who do not have a CACREP-accredited master's degree in counseling must complete any missing master’s level coursework as part of their doctoral program of study as a part of their Ph.D. program. Upon reviewing application materials, counseling faculty will make a decision on each applicant’s potential for success and fit for the doctoral program. Then,ÌýselectedÌýapplicants will be invited toÌýparticipate inÌýthe following processes:ÌýEthical Dilemma Writing Sample: Each individual applicant will be given an hour to respond to an ethical dilemma at a designated day and time. Live Interview:ÌýApplicantsÌýwill attend a 30-minute online interviewÌýwith faculty members and have an opportunity to interact with current doctoral students.ÌýÌý

  • Application Deadlines forÌýFall, Spring & Summer:ÌýThe Â鶹´«Ã½ Ph.D. program in Counseling uses a rolling admissions review process. Review of completed applications from domestic and international applicants will begin on October 1Ìýand continue until April 1 or until all of the available positions in the new doctoral class are filled.Ìý Ìý

For Admission to the Counseling Program

GPA

Based on transcripts from all prior graduate programs

Recommendation

Minimum two, maximum three recommendation letters. If possible, include one from a former instructor in your master's program, and one from your internship or job supervisor (letters from others are also acceptable).

Essay

Write and submit an original double-spaced 3 to 5 page essay that will be reviewed for content and will be used to judge your written communication skills. Your essay should include a summary of your work experiences, reasons for wanting a Ph.D. in Counseling at Â鶹´«Ã½, evidence of cultural sensitivity and awareness, how you believe you have been, or will be a leader and advocate for the counseling profession, and ideas about scholarship you might pursue in your doctoral program (e.g., dissertation).

Cost of Attendance

We believe in providing students with transparent and accessible information about the cost of attendance.Ìý

Review the estimated tuition rates for the 2024-25 academic year (subject to change). Non-resident rates are charged for anyone who is not a current Virginia resident, including international students.

Virginia Resident
Cost Per-Credit $620
Technology Delivered Courses Outside Virginia and/or the United States
Cost Per-Credit $642
Non-Resident
Cost Per-Credit $1,486

Ways to Fund Your Degree

There are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending Â鶹´«Ã½, including scholarships, assistantships, and student loans.ÌýFor more details about financial aid at Old Dominion, visit the Financial Aid Office page.

Full-Time Students

Students who study full-time often are awarded assistantships which include tuition waivers.

Part-Time Students

Students who study part-time are eligible for student loans.

Contact

Counseling Graduate Program Director

2106 EDUCATION BUILDING
NORFOLK, 23529