Overview

Philosophy and Objectives

Description

Bilingual and Bicultural Counseling Certificate

Practicum

Training Facilities


Overview

The Counseling Psychology Program at the University of Miami is based on the scientist-practitioner model with training opportunities in the areas of families, multicultural perspectives, and health psychology. The Counseling Psychology Program strives to have a relatively equal balance on the scientific and practice dimensions of psychology. The Program has been granted full accreditation by the American Psychological Association* and is listed in the publication, Graduate Study in Psychology.

The Program values diversity in many senses. The variety of settings for research and clinical practice offer direct experience with a wide range of populations. Faculty and students regularly conduct diversity related research . Diversity also describes the theoretical orientations of the faculty: psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and family systems. We are also very proud of the diversity of our students and faculty.

Most students enter the program having already earned a master’s degree in the mental health field (e.g., in mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, or counseling/clinical psychology programs). These students typically complete the program with three years of academic coursework, a year-long internship and the completion of their dissertations. The Program does consider applications from highly qualified students with only an undergraduate degree and may admit one or two such students each year. These students are required to complete an additional year of academic coursework and an additional year of practicum training.

Throughout the Program, students and faculty work closely together through a variety of small group and individual instructional settings. All students with a master’s degree complete two academic yearlong practica. Students entering with a bachelor’s degree complete three years of practicum training. For all students the first practicum is located in our on-campus training clinic, The Institute for Individual and Family Counseling.

The practicum includes weekly supervision, in individual and group supervision formats with a Counseling Psychology faculty member. The second practicum (and third, when applicable) is arranged with an off-campus site that is aligned with the student’s career interests. It includes weekly on-site supervision and group supervision with a Program faculty member. In the first semester of the Program each student selects a research group and works with a professor in the research group during the entire doctoral student experience.  Theory, research, and practice are integrated throughout the Program.

Students are trained for professional roles within the psychological community. Graduates have been employed in academic and research settings as well as in administrative and direct service delivery positions, such as, hospitals, group and individual private practices, prisons, and mental health agencies throughout the United States.

The University of Miami prides itself on being “a global university in a global city.” It is a private, independent, international university, and an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. It is located on a tropical campus in beautiful Coral Gables. The Miami area is a growing, culturally diverse, cosmopolitan center. As with other major urban areas in the United States, living conditions within the greater Miami metropolitan area vary. Students are generally able to find affordable and acceptable housing within a short commuting distance from the University. While mass transit is available, most students find a car necessary.

Philosophy and Objectives

Training in the Counseling Psychology Program is designed to prepare scientist-practitioners who have a firm understanding of the many factors which contribute to human development. Although the study of theory, research, and practice in Counseling Psychology is oriented to both normal and abnormal human development, emphasis is given to specialty training designed to promote optimal psychological growth reflected in the multiple spheres of human functioning. Students completing the Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology will be knowledgeable about conducting psychological research, will acquire knowledge in important substantive areas of psychology, and possess a high level of applied clinical skills.

The Program does not adhere to any one theory of human functioning, nor any one theory of counseling and development. Faculty members work from a variety of theoretical orientations currently used by counseling psychologists including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and family systems perspectives. The study of diverse theories, research methods, assessment strategies and intervention approaches, are encouraged. The interdependence of theory, research, and practice is emphasized.

The Counseling Psychology Program has adopted three overarching and interrelated goals for training students to acquire knowledge and skills in the scientific, disciplinary, and practice dimensions of psychology. Each goal has multiple objectives and there are multiple, specific training experiences designed to assist students in acquiring and demonstrating their competence in each area. Training in research is conducted through a four-course didactic research sequence, the experiential learning in research groups, and culminates in the dissertation. Training in the discipline of psychology is conducted in the year-long seminar in Counseling Psychology and in a series of four psychology courses.

Training in the theory and practice of counseling is conducted through the seminar in counseling psychology, a year long assessment sequence, coursework in multiculturalism and supervision, two or three years of practicum, electives, and finally in a one year internship.

Description

The doctoral Program in Counseling Psychology is offered through the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies in the School of Education. The Counseling Psychology Program has seven full-time faculty members. The Counseling Psychology faculty meet regularly and make recommendations to the Department regarding admissions, retention, scheduling of classes, revisions, and other matters of policy. In addition to the Counseling Psychology Program, the faculty is responsible for a Master’s Program in Counseling with two areas of specialization: Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy.

Doctoral students must complete at least three years of full-time study. A one-year predoctoral internship is also required. The Program is composed of a unified, intensive series of learning experiences. Specialty workshop courses in a variety of areas including marriage and couples therapy, substance abuse, projective testing, and supervision are offered during the summer.

In addition to the didactic coursework and supervised practice offered by the Counseling Psychology faculty and other department faculty, students take a minimum of four courses from the Department of Psychology.

The Counseling Psychology Program administers and staffs the Institute for Individual and Family Counseling, a community-based, psychological services center located on the University of Miami campus. Practicum students provide individual, couple, family, and group counseling, career and lifestyle counseling, psychological and educational assessment, and other related psychological services to non-student clients. Students are also placed in community settings for additional experience, including university counseling centers, public schools, community mental health agencies, behavioral medicine sites, and correctional institutions.

On completion of the academic coursework, practicum, and doctoral qualifying exams, students complete a full-time calendar year internship. The vast majority of students are trained in APA accredited internships in a variety of settings including college counseling centers, VA Medical Centers, general medical centers, community mental health agencies, correctional facilities among others.

Bilingual and Bicultural Counseling Certificate

Individuals in the Counseling Psychology program or any of the other counseling programs, may elect to take two additional courses to receive a Certificate in Bilingual and Bicultural Counseling.  Students must be able to read and speak BOTH English and Spanish fluently.

Practicum

The Program has developed a practicum model that represents a major commitment of faculty and other resources. The first year practicum is coordinated through the Program’s on-campus community counseling center, the Institute for Individual and Family Counseling (IIFC). The IIFC is the primary practicum training site and all trainees complete their initial practicum experience there. The Director of the IIFC, a Counseling Psychology faculty member, oversees its daily management.

The IIFC is a community-based, psychological services center located on the University of Miami campus and is fully administered and staffed by the Counseling Psychology Program. Practicum students provide individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy, career and lifestyle counseling, psychological and educational assessment, and other related psychological services to non-student clients. Students are provided with individual and group supervision by a faculty member who is a licensed psychologist.

The IIFC also provides in-service training including invited community specialists on such topics as addressing child abuse, working with offender populations, gay and lesbian counseling, engaging adolescents, approaches with children, and the role of spirituality in counseling among others.

Students complete a second (and sometimes third) year of practicum experience in an outplacement site in the community. The outplacement is arranged by the Director of the IIFC and tailored to enhance the student’s expressed career interests and internship plans. The outplacement site provides an important way for students to further develop their expertise with a particular population. Students have the opportunity to work with diverse populations including clients with a wide variety of ages, ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles, and issues at both the Institute and outplacement sites.

Practicum students receive regular written and oral feedback on their performance from their supervisor, in consultation with outplacement supervisors/contacts. Students learn competence in such skills as preparing complete case presentations including assessment data, DSM IV diagnostic procedures, and theoretically-based and empirically informed treatment planning as well as conducting and writing full-battery assessment reports, involving clients of various ages and cultures.

Students can also complete an advanced practicum during their third year in the Program to increase their experience in specialized areas such as therapy with specific populations (e.g., children) in particular settings (e.g. counseling centers), or in particular areas of expertise (e.g., behavioral medicine, assessment, etc).

Training Facilities

The Institute has 7 individual and group therapy rooms, each equipped with modern video equipment. Some of the rooms are also constructed with a one-way mirror for live supervision. A children’s therapy room and computers are also available. In addition to these therapy rooms, the IIFC facility includes a staff room, a graduate assistant office, a testing room, and the Director’s office. The staff room contains six IBM PCs with word processing and spreadsheet software, internet access, and printers. The testing room contains a dedicated computer for administering and scoring assessment instruments. This system also has the technological capabilities to complete on-line assessment instruments. The IIFC also has an assessment library that contains materials for administering and scoring a full range of psychological assessment instruments.

Outplacement Sites Available
 
Counseling Centers
University of Miami Student Counseling Center
Florida International University Counseling Center

Hospitals
Veteran’s Administration Hospital of Miami
Jackson Memorial Hospital Behavioral Medicine Programs
Jackson Memorial Hospital Neuropsychology Program
Jackson Memorial Hospital Sylvester Center for Cancer Treatment
South Miami Hospital Center for Psychosocial Oncology
Miami Children’s Hospital

Other sites
Children’s Psychiatric Center
Renfrew Eating Disorders Clinic
Miami Veteran’s (Vet) Center
Mailman Center for Child Development

Practicum Hours Typically Obtained

Students are involved in a variety of practicum activities. Hours vary depending upon the client population with which the student would like to work and the type of therapy the student conducts. On average, students obtain over 300 client contact hours during the two years of practicum. Other hours include approximately 60 hours of individual supervision and 120 hours of group supervision. Total practicum hours are approximately 1000-1500 hours total during the practicum sequence.

Research Groups

Research experience is an integral part of the Program, and students have the opportunity to be continuously involved in an ongoing research group until they begin internship. Research groups provide experiential training in scholarly work. The purposes of this experience are to assist students in developing an understanding of research, cultivating student interest in scholarly activity, participating meaningfully in ongoing research activity, and preparing students to conduct a dissertation study. In short, the research group experience is designed to provide students with a research apprenticeship during which their interests and skills can be mentored.

In the first week of the first semester in the Program, the faculty members present their research interests to students and discuss their research groups.  Following that interaction, students rank order their choices of research group. In most cases, students are able to join their first choice of research group. Students typically express a preference for research groups in line with their developing interests. The faculty member coordinating the group frequently becomes chairperson of the student members’ dissertations. This provides students with the possibility of knowing their dissertation chairperson quite well and with the opportunity to develop mutual interests with that faculty member. Occasionally a student’s interests change during their training. In that case, students can change research groups.

During the first two years of graduate study, most students participate primarily in ongoing, faculty initiated research projects, though there are sometimes opportunities for initiating new projects in conjunction with the faculty leader of the group. Students have the opportunity to participate in many facets of research, including conceptualizing studies, literature reviews, collecting data, data analyses, assisting in drafting grants, and assisting in writing manuscripts. Each student will have different experiences depending on his or her knowledge, abilities, interests, and on what is needed in the particular research group.

Participation in the research group can lead to becoming a co-author of professional presentations and publications, depending on the student’s degree of involvement. We encourage students to participate fully in research so that they can have the experience of co-authoring papers. Most students co-author at least one presentation and/or publication during their training. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our students. You can look at the record of presentations and publications of current and former students compiled in our Program Vitae .

If you have the opportunity to present a paper at a professional conference, the University has some travel funds available through the Graduate Association Fee Allocation Committee and for Student Travel Awards through the Office of Student Affairs.

For a description of faculty research interests, please follow the link to Counseling Psychology Faculty .

Internship Placements

Our students are very successful in obtaining high quality internship sites. Students typically obtain full-time, paid positions in APA approved internship sites. Preparation for internship application and placement begins in the first year of the program and is ongoing throughout the program. The Director of Training coordinates meetings with students in each academic year that provide information and guidance in choosing practicum outplacements, coursework, assistantship opportunities, and volunteer activities that enhance students’ qualifications for obtaining the internship sites they desire.

Students obtain internship positions in local sites and in many places throughout the country, depending on the students’ career and lifestyle plans. The following is a partial listing of the internship sites that students have obtained:

University Counseling Centers

University of Miami Counseling Center, Coral Gables, FL*
University of South Florida Counseling Center, Tampa FL*
Florida State University Counseling Center, Tallahassee, FL*
Duke University Counseling Center*
Virginia Commonwealth University Counseling Center*
Pace University Counseling Center*
 University of Texas Counseling Center, Austin, TX*
Arizona State University Counseling Center, Tempe, AZ*
University of California at Irvine Counseling Center, Irvine, CA*

General Medical Centers

Franciscan Hospital for Children, Boston, MA*
Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL*
NYU Medical School/Bellevue, NY, NY*
Boston Medical Center, Multicultural Center*
Howard University Hospital, Washington, D. C.*

VA Medical Centers

Ann Arbor VA Health System, Ann Arbor, MI*
Miami VA Medical Center, Miami, FL*
VA Medical Center, Perry Point, MD*
VA Medical Center- Indian Health Service, Albuquerque., NM*
Edith Norse Rogers Memorial VA, Boston, MA*
Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA*

Psychiatric Center, Peekskill, NY*

Community Mental Health Centers

Children’s Psychiatric Center, Miami, FL*
Nova Southeastern Mental Health Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL*
Citrus Health Network, Miami, FL*
Osceola Mental Health, Inc., Kissimmee, FL*
Mendota Mental Health Institute, Madison, WI*
Aurora Mental Health Center, Aurora, CO*
Denver University Health Center, Denver, CO *

* APA approved, full-time, funded position

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientist-practitioner model?

The scientist practitioner model is based upon the concept that psychologists should be well versed both in research and clinical practice. If a psychologist is not conducting research but practicing in the field, it remains important to be able to critically evaluate published literature in order to continue to provide empirically supported services. Additionally, some practitioners may conduct their own research using single case designs to continue to add to the professional literature. Similarly, researchers function best when they are aware of the clinical utility of the research they conduct so that it may be reasonably applied in the field. Thus, an integration of the understanding of both clinical practice and research are vital to the advancement of the field of psychology.

How much emphasis is placed on research versus clinical training?

The Counseling Psychology Program adheres to the scientist-practitioner model. The Program aims to devote approximately equal effort to clinical and research training, and to integrating the two pursuits.

Is financial aid available/How do I finance my continued education?

Doctoral students typically obtain a graduate assistantship. The assistantship requires from 15 to 20 hours work per week. It carries both a stipend and a tuition remission benefit. The monthly stipend for this varies, but the current stipend for a graduate assistant in the School of Education who works 20 hours/week for 9 months is $18,000. This funding includes a full tuition waiver for the first three years of the program prior to going on internship. Additional funding in smaller amounts is also available through scholarships, the Graduate Student Association, and a variety of other funding sources. Students can also apply for loans.  Contact the Office of Financial Aid.

What is the application deadline?

January 2 of the entrance year; however, it is recommended that materials are submitted as soon as possible to ensure completion. Applications are only considered once a year for the program beginning in the Fall semester. International applicants should send their completed application to the EPS Graduate Admissions office by November 1 of the year prior to entrance. View the admission procedures

Is there a minimum GPA or GRE score to be considered for the program?

There are no absolute minimum scores required for admission. There are seven admissions critera including: (a) the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Verbal and Quantitative scores; (b) undergraduate and graduate grade point averages; (c) the relevance of the applicant’s academic background; (d) previous experience in counseling; (e) previous experience in research; (f) a personal statement; and (g) three letters of recommendation. Individual applications are considered as a whole and applicants may be able to compensate for relative weakness in one area with strengths in other areas. The more strengths the applicant has, the better are his or her chances for acceptance.

Must I have a Master’s degree in counseling or a related field to be admitted?
 
A Master’s degree is not required for admission. Keep in mind, however, that a Master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field is a valuable asset for admission. Applicants who do not have such a degree will need to have other strengths to compensate for the absence of training in counseling. We frequently accept students without Master’s in counseling degrees who are otherwise highly qualified. View the admission procedures.

Can I enroll in the program part time?

No. This program is quite demanding and thus part time enrollment is not possible. Our philosophy is that training in a professional discipline involves a significant degree of socialization into the profession. In other words, students learn a great deal from spending significant amounts of time with faculty and with other psychologists on campus in classes, research settings, and practicum. This can only be accomplished in a full-time program.

Will I have the opportunity to co-author professional presentations and papers?
 
Yes! The Program strongly encourages students’ participation in presentations and publications. Many students present papers with the faculty leader of their research group.  Many students have already co-authored publications by the time they graduate from our Program. We proudly maintain a record of our students’ accomplishments in our Program Vitae.

How many years does it take to complete the program?

As our program is individualized for each student, this will vary. However, if you enter the program with all the prerequisites and work at the typical pace, you will complete the coursework in three years followed by a one-year internship. Students complete their dissertations on varying schedules depending on the topic, their ability to focus their efforts, their motivation, and other contingencies. It is not unusual for students to complete their dissertations before they complete their internships, which results in completing the degree in four years. The average length of time for obtaining the degree is 6 years. View the course sequence sample.

What kinds of jobs do people who graduate from the program get?

Graduates from the Program work in a variety of settings. These settings include academic positions, clinical research positions, private practice, Veteran’s Affairs Hospitals, Medical Centers, College Counseling Centers, business positions, etc. View the alumni employment page Students prepare for these employment opportunities partly through internship positions. Our students have interned at a variety of different sites, including college counseling centers, VA hospitals, medical centers, community mental health centers among others.

What kind of license does the Program prepare me for?

Graduates of APA accredited programs* who complete APA accredited internships and a year of postdoctoral supervised experience, and pass a state licensing exam obtain a license as a psychologist in all 50 states. Psychology licensure is generic, meaning that trainees from all APA equivalent psychology programs are eligible to obtain a license in psychology.

Public Disclosure Information

Programs that are accredited by the American Psychological Association are required to make public certain information regarding program costs and statistics related to student success rates vis-à-vis program completion and internship placement. In compliance with this policy, the following information is provided:

• Total number of graduates : 36 (32 entered with a masters degree)
• Mean number of years to degree completion : 5.82
• Median number of years to degree completion : 5.17
• Percentage of students completing program in :
  <5 years: 44%
  5 years 17%
  6 years 11%
  7 years 14%
  >7 years 14%

Total tuition first year :	$34,176	(See Financial Assistance information below)
Tuition per credit hour :	$1,424
Additional Student Fees :
Activities fees :	$35
University fees :	$102

Financial Assistance : All full time doctoral students are currently receiving funding through graduate assistantships and fellowships. This funding includes a full tuition waiver for the first three years of the program prior to going on internship. Students with a 20 hr/week graduate assistantship within the School of Education receive a stipend of $18,900 over 9 months. Additionally, there are competitive fellowship options that may increase the stipend level to $22,900 and decrease the time commitment necessary to fulfill graduate assistantship obligations.

Year	# Applied	# Obtained	# Paid	# Accredited APPIC	# Accredited APA
2008	5	5	5	5	5
2007	4	4	4	4	4
2006	5	5	5	5	5
2005	5	4	4	4	4
2004	5	5	5	5	5
2003	8	8	8	8	8
2002	6	5	5	5	5
2001	7	7	7	7	7

Year of enrollment	# Enrolled	# Graduated w doctorate	# Currently enrolled	# No longer enrolled	% Not completing
2001	6	4	2	0	0%
2002	5	2	3	0	0%
2003	6	2	4	0	0%
2004	7	0	3	4	57.1%
2005	7	0	6	1	14.3%
2006	5	0	5	0	0%
2007	5	0	5	0	0%

For students who graduated from the program between the years of 1997 and 2005, licensing information is available for 30 graduates. Of these 30 individuals, 25 (83%) are currently licensed as psychologists.

For more information on EPS Doctoral Programs in Counseling please contact us at: 305-284-2260 or by email blewis@miami.edu .