Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.: Program Admissions

The Counseling Psychology Program at the University of Maryland is a joint program between the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education and the Department of Psychology. Our Counseling Psychology Program has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1953. In ratings evaluating Counseling Psychology over the past three decades, the University of Maryland is always among the very top ranked programs in the United States. Our faculty represent a broad range of research interests, including psychotherapy process and outcome research, multicultural psychology, vocational psychology, and interpersonal relationships. 

The Counseling Psychology Program is designed to prepare students for academic, research, and practice careers at the doctoral level. The program is based on the scientist-practitioner model, which emphasizes the value of concurrent training in research, practice, and their integration. Consistent with this model, we strive to create a positive environment that trains students broadly in general psychology as a behavioral science, and enables students to become competent in conducting research and providing counseling. Our curriculum is designed to help students experience firsthand how these various activities can inform and enhance one another. Students receive rigorous training through a variety of educational modalities, including (a) general psychology courses, (b) small counseling psychology seminars, (c) research, and (d) applied counseling experiences with intensive personalized supervision.

The training program prepares our students for a diversity of career paths. A survey indicated that our recent graduates hold a wide variety of positions, the most common being staff psychologists in university counseling centers and tenure-track faculty members in universities. Graduates of the program are eligible for certification and licensing examinations as psychologists.

Per new US Department of Education regulations regarding state licensure disclosure, a determination has not been made as to whether this program meets the requirements for professional certification in any particular state or territory other than Maryland. We are in the process of reviewing state certification requirements and will update this page when more information is available.

Please explore the links under “Our Training Program” below to learn more about our training program, including our approach to training in research and practice, curriculum, geographic location, commitment to multiculturalism, and our history. https://counselingpsychologyumd.weebly.com/training-program.html