UWM’s PhD specialization in Counseling Psychology follows a scientist-practitioner model that integrates theory, practice and research to give you the scientific knowledge and skills needed to work with multicultural urban populations and in diverse settings.

Our PhD students are expected to conduct research and to advance the science of counseling psychology through scholarly inquiry. Our program, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association*, will prepare you to work as a counseling psychologist in a variety of settings, including universities, hospitals, mental health clinics and private practice.

Educational Psychology PhD

The goal of the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology is to prepare psychologists, researchers and educational professionals to effectively work on the unique challenges of promoting education, learning, and mental health in urban environments. The four areas of emphasis in the doctoral program are:

  • Counseling Psychology
  • Cognitive and Developmental Sciences
  • Educational Statistics and Measurement
  • School Psychology

See the Educational Psychology Website for more information on these areas.

The Counseling Psychology and School Psychology specializations at the master’s and doctoral level are accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Website: American Psychological Association Website

Admission Requirements 

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the program applicants must complete the Graduate School online application, and satisfy all UWM Graduate School admission requirements in addition to the following program requirements:

  • Optional: Submission of scores on the General Test portion of the Graduate Record Examination; test taken within last five years. GRE scores are not required for any program in educational psychology but may be submitted as supplemental material.
  • Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0; graduate GPA of at least 3.5 required.
  • A letter outlining the applicant’s academic and professional background, declaration of Area of Concentration (Counseling Psychology, Cognitive and Developmental Sciences, Educational Statistics and Measurement, or School Psychology) as well as specific research interests and goals for the PhD program.
  • Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s intellectual achievement and potential.
  • Applicants to the Cognitive and Developmental Sciences, School Psychology, and Counseling Psychology concentrations must submit at least one sample of their academic writing. You may add additional materials that highlight your professional and/or academic skills.
  • Applicants to the Educational Statistics and Measurement concentration must submit at least one sample of quantitative research/statistical analysis. You may add additional materials that highlight your professional and/or academic skills.
  • For the concentrations in Counseling Psychology and School Psychology: a resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Completion of the reason statement on the application.

Credits and Courses

Core Educational Psychology Requirements

All doctoral students are required to complete 43-46 core credits in the areas of Discipline-Specific Knowledge and Research Methods. In many cases, students entering with a Master’s degree will have completed some of these courses. Courses taken during Master’s preparation may be counted in meeting the core requirements. Elective credits are taken in consultation with the major professor.

Discipline-Specific Knowledge: Students must take 18-21 credits minimum of discipline-specific knowledge (history and systems of psychology, foundations of science, integration).

Research Methods Core: Up to 25 credits; students can do an additional 9 credits for an Educational Statistics and Measurement minor.

All doctoral students must show documentation that they have acquired research skills needed for dissertation work. To fulfill this requirement students must successfully complete 13 credits of coursework in the area of research methods at the 700 level or above, including ED PSY 724, and six credits at the 800 level or above. 

Discipline-Specific Knowledge
Category 1: History and Systems of Psychology
PSYCH 550History of Psychology3
Category 2: Foundations of Science
Biological Basis of Behavior (choose one):3
Cognitive Neuroscience
Behavioral Neuroscience
Cognitive Basis of Behavior
ED PSY 631Cognition: Learning, Problem Solving and Thinking3
Developmental Basis of Behavior
ED PSY 640Human Development: Theory and Research3
Affective Basis of Behavior
ED PSY 814Cognition and Emotion: The Affective Components of Human Thought3
Social Bases of Behavior (choose one)3
Social Psychology of Group Differences: Race and Ethnicity
Seminar in Social Psychology
Social Cognition in Educational Psychology
Category 3: Advanced Integration (choose one)3
Cognition and Emotion: The Affective Components of Human Thought
Cognitive Neuroscience
Research Methods Core
ED PSY 724Educational Statistical Methods II4
ED PSY 728Techniques of Educational Research3
ED PSY 838Research Practicum in Educational Psychology (4 semesters)12
Choose two from the following:6
Techniques of Educational and Psychological Measurement
Multiple Regression
Psychometric Theory and Practice
Item Response Theory
Structural Equation Modeling
Advanced Experimental Design and Analysis
Multivariate Methods
Analysis of Cross-Classified Categorical Data
Survey Research Methods
Instrument Development
Seminar in Measurement and Evaluation:
Seminar in Statistics and Research Design
Qualitative Research and Field Studies in Education Settings
Counseling Psychology Concentration: Profession-Wide Competencies
COUNS 803Vocational Psychology3
COUNS 807Advanced Counseling Strategies:3
COUNS 814Professional, Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling Psychology3
COUNS 815Advanced Multicultural Counseling3
COUNS 840Psychological Assessment3
COUNS 860Capstone-Research in Counseling Psychology3
COUNS 917Supervision of Counseling3
COUNS 975Doctoral Practicum in Counseling 3 (2 semesters)6
COUNS 976Doctoral Practicum in Counseling 4 (2 semesters)6
COUNS 977Advanced Doctoral Practicum in Counseling 5 (2 semesters)6
Total Credits85

Core Concentration Requirements

All students must complete core courses in their area of concentration. Minimum credit requirements vary with the area of concentration due to accreditation and certification requirements.

Other Requirements

In addition to the requirements listed below, please refer to the program handbook for each concentration.

Students Entering Without a Master’s

For the Counseling Psychology concentration, students entering without a Master’s degree in Counseling must also complete the following in order to meet accreditation/certification requirements:

ED PSY 624Educational Statistical Methods I3
ED PSY 720Techniques of Educational and Psychological Measurement3
COUNS 714Essentials of Counseling Practice3
COUNS 715Multicultural Counseling3
COUNS 751Multicultural Considerations in Lifespan Psychopathology3
COUNS 774Trauma Counseling I: Theory and Research3
COUNS 800Group Counseling Theory3
COUNS 975Doctoral Practicum in Counseling 33
COUNS 976Doctoral Practicum in Counseling 43
COUNS 977Advanced Doctoral Practicum in Counseling 53

Additional Requirements

Advising and the Major Professor

Upon admission to the doctoral program in Educational Psychology, students are assigned an advisor in their area of emphasis (e.g., Counseling Psychology, Cognitive and Developmental Sciences, Educational Statistics and Measurement, or School Psychology). This person is available to discuss course selection and provide general advice about the program. Selection of an advisor is by mutual consent between the student and faculty member; changes in advisor will follow Graduate School guidelines. Requests for a change in advisor can occur in consultation with the advisor, program chair, and/or graduate representative.

Residence

The student must meet minimum Graduate School residence requirements of one continuous academic year of full-time graduate studies at UWM. This can be satisfied by completing at least 8 graduate credits in each of two consecutive semesters, or 6 or more graduate credits in each of three consecutive semesters, exclusive of summer sessions. Residence credit cannot be earned at the master’s level.

Practicum

Students in the Counseling Psychology and School Psychology concentrations are required to complete practicum requirements to become licensed.

Internship

Following Practicum, students in the Counseling Psychology and School Psychology concentrations are required to complete a year-long internship in order to be licensed.

Minor

A minor is optional. Students should consult with their advisor.

Doctoral Preliminary Examination

The Doctoral Preliminary Examination is taken at the end of a student’s coursework. A description of the Preliminary Examination is provided in the doctoral handbook corresponding to the student’s specialization area within Educational Psychology.

The Preliminary Examination consists of a written component and, in some specializations, an oral component. The purpose of the Preliminary Examination is to determine whether the student demonstrates understanding of coursework and related bodies of knowledge and is qualified to proceed with dissertation planning. A minimum of three faculty members in the specialization area shall participate on a student’s Preliminary Examination.

Proposal Hearing

A doctoral student qualifies as a “doctoral candidate” upon completion of the doctoral Student Academic Plan, successful completion of the Doctoral Preliminary Examination for the PhD degree, and successfully passing a dissertation proposal hearing. The hearing is open and the date, time and location must be announced by the Doctoral Coordinator. Each member of the committee must sign the doctoral dissertation proposal hearing form, and indicate approval or disapproval. A simple majority of all committee members is required. No absentee ballots are acceptable.

Dissertation Defense

The candidate must write a dissertation that demonstrates the ability to pursue independent research. The candidate must pass an oral exam in defense of the dissertation.

Exit Requirements

Contingent upon satisfactory completion of program requirements, passage of the preliminary qualifying examination, and successful oral defense of the dissertation, the Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology will give final approval of the PhD in Educational Psychology.

Time Limit

It is expected that most students will complete all degree requirements within six years of initial enrollment in the doctoral program. All requirements MUST be completed within ten years from the date of initial enrollment.