What Happens in the Program of Counselor Education?

Transcription

1 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.) DEGREE IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION & SUPERVISION Counselor Education Program Office Wardlaw, Room 266 Department of Educational Studies College of Education University of South Carolina Columbia, SC (803) Web page: Revised April, 2013

2 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.) DEGREE IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION & SUPERVISION Mission Statement The doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision is designed to prepare graduates to become counselor educators and supervisors, and to assume positions in institutions of higher education. In accordance with most recent CACREP standards ( the program s goals emphasize graduate counselor educators and supervisors who have: 1. knowledge of pedagogy and supervision, 2. advanced knowledge of counseling theory and practice, 3. demonstrated competency in the areas of counseling, supervision, and counselor education, 4. skills necessary to conduct and disseminate research relevant to the profession, and 5. a commitment to evaluating their own clinical, supervisory, teaching, and programmatic interventions. In addition, graduates will model leadership through service and advocacy in the counseling profession. We believe that counselor educators and supervisors will promote awareness, knowledge, and skills in interacting with economically, socially, and culturally diverse members of communities. In addition to coursework, doctoral students have the opportunity to obtain a variety of other professional experiences through graduate assistantships and individual work with faculty (e.g., research, scholarly writings, and conference presentations). To assist students in their professional development, Counselor Education faculty members strongly encourage students to collaborate with them on seeking external funding, teaching, research, publications, professional presentations, and service opportunities. The doctoral program is committed to recruiting and admitting students who reflect the diverse nature of our society. Our students represent our greatest strength, particularly in terms of their diversity, in terms of background, life experiences, and previous academic and work experience. In addition, preference will be given to applicants who have had two or more years of direct, supervised, full-time work experience as a professional counselor. The ideal candidate demonstrates openness to those opportunities designed to foster personal and professional development through a supporting and challenging learning environment. Furthermore, our students come with a deep interest in scholarship, research, and teaching. Students progress through a carefully designed curriculum in a cohort model. Program faculty intentionally design didactic and experiential coursework that fosters the development of professional knowledge, skills, and self-awareness; all integral to the profession of counselor education and supervision. The program participates in a collaborative partnership with professional counselors and educational leaders to monitor, evaluate, and improve the program s efforts to achieve its mission. Successful completion of the program requirements will earn the student the Ph.D. degree in Counselor Education and Supervision. 2

3 Diversity Statement The Counselor Education Program at The University of South Carolina is committed to multiculturalism by actively promoting diversity within a social justice framework by building a community of learners that fosters a climate of respect and values diverse racial, ethnic, and class backgrounds, national origins, native languages, religious, spiritual, and political beliefs, physical abilities, health status, ages, genders, and sexual orientations. Our program is committed to training counselors in becoming multiculturally competent scholars and practitioners who can meet the diverse needs of diverse clients. We are equally committed to recruiting diverse students and faculty to our program to enhance the richness of dialogue and experiences that will aid in the expansion of multicultural and culture-specific awareness, knowledge, skills relevant to the client and student populations we aim to serve. Using the scholar-practitioner model, we are committed to training our students to be multiculturally conscious change agents who actively engage in critical self-reflective scholarship and practice in an effort to effectively transform communities, institutions, and systems. I. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATIONS A list of the minimum requirements necessary to be considered for admission to a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Counselor Education and Supervision is presented below. A. Applications and Criteria When the following eight items of information are provided, an application for admission will be evaluated. All materials are submitted to the Graduate School in an on-line format before being forwarded to the Program. Applicants are advised to submit documents early in the fall term and to track the status of their application materials on the Graduate School web-pages to ensure that all documentation is submitted in a timely fashion. In addition, applicants are directed to send copies of all materials submitted to the Graduate School to the Counselor Education Program Office as well, located in Wardlaw, room 266. It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure the application is complete and received in the Graduate School by December 1 for fall term admission. 1. Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited college or university. 2. A Masters and/or Educational Specialist Degree from an accredited college or university. 3. Verification of the 30 semester hours of prerequisite work in the CACREP core and clinical areas of instruction. 4. A Cumulative Grade Point Ratio of 3.5 on a 4.0 point scale (or its equivalent on another computational scale) for all graduate work completed prior to application. 5. Two USC recommendation forms as follows: a. one from former graduate instructors (if possible) b. one from former or present employers 3

4 6. Examination scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Verbal and Quantitative sections or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). 7. A current Resume documenting: a. a minimum of two years post-graduate qualifying degree counseling experience b. related achievements c. professional affiliations and activities 8. A Letter of Intent providing: a. long-term goals in terms of benefits (to self and society) b. skills or competencies needed to achieve the goals c. a time line for completion of your degree d. barriers to achievement of those goals e. a statement clarifying when you expect to meet the residency requirement Exceptions to the above requirements (I.A. 1-6) are only considered in special cases. In such cases the applicant must submit a letter of petition, accompanied by supporting evidence, to the Counselor Education Ph.D. Program Committee, which will review the petition and make a decision. This Committee may require an interview, additional testing or remedial work for the applicant. A Committee report for each case will be included in the applicant's application folder and will document the reasons for denial or for waiver of the criterion. B. Admissions Procedures 1. After all applications are rated by the Counselor Education Ph.D. Program Committee and/or full Counselor Education faculty; selected applicants are required to attend an interview in late February or early March with the faculty. The day-long interview consists of the creation of a writing sample, followed by individual and group interviews. The interview protocol is scheduled once a year. 2. Notification of faculty recommendations regarding admission for study is sent to the Graduate Director for support within two days after the interviews. Formal admission into the Ph.D. program occurs upon completion of the Qualification Process (III.A.). 3. Students recommended for admission will receive notification of the Program s recommendation, with official acceptance coming from the Graduate School. 4. Students who are admitted for study are expected to respond in writing to the chairperson of the Counselor Education Ph.D. Program Committee by the date indicated in a letter of request. An appointment with the assigned temporary advisor should be scheduled prior to pre-registration (usually in April), and arrangements should be made to complete any remaining course prerequisites and/or deficiencies. C. Advisement Procedures and Orientation Upon acceptance as a student in the doctoral program, each student is assigned a temporary advisor, who assists the student in selecting courses during the first year of 4

5 study. It is the task of the temporary advisor to direct the student toward completion of the qualifying sequence of courses. Once the student has met all the qualifying criteria for candidacy, the student is charged with selecting a chair of the comprehensive exam/dissertation committee from the program faculty. That faculty member will help the student complete and file the doctoral program of study, and to select the other committee members. Orientation to the Ph.D. program, its requirements, policies, and procedures associated with matriculation will be emphasized as a part of the curriculum. The Professional Issues in Counseling course (EDCE 813), in which all students enroll during the first semester of their study, will provide an opportunity to discuss student s questions and concerns about matriculation, protocol, and other matters related to successful progress in the Ph.D. program in Counselor Education. These opportunities augment the normal advisement options and provide incoming students with an opportunity to develop peer group support. In addition, students enrolled in this course will meet all full-time teaching faculty either at an informal social occasion or in this class. As a part of their assignments, they select faculty whom they wish to interview to discuss issues relevant to selection of a permanent advisor. Through this structure, incoming students are encouraged to establish criteria for selecting an advisor/chairman for the student's Ph.D. committee. II. FUNDING The Program is committed to supporting each qualified doctoral applicant. Funding comes in a range of opportunities: 1. Entering Student Assistantship: Beginning in fall, 2013, the Program, and Department of Educational Studies, is intending to provide a graduate assistantship for each entering doctoral student. That award is based solely on admission and will serve to reduce any out-of-state fees to in-state levels. In addition, each entering student will be helped to secure additional on-campus employment as a GA or TA, as qualifications and opportunity permit. 2. Student Loans: It is strongly recommended that students in need apply for federal support funds. While under no obligation to use that award, students have found that approval a comfort as they move forward in their financial planning for doctoral study. 3. Tuition Reduction: For students who are employed in counseling positions, tuition credit can be earned through the supervision of an Ed.S. student during that student s practicum or internship. Participation in this collaboration allows supervisors a current reduction for 1 course to a cost of $ Please check with your advisor as to current practice and how to become involved in this work. 4. Teaching: The success of the Counseling Minor offers opportunities for full-time teaching for advanced (2 nd year and forward) doctoral students under the supervision of Dr. Crews, Coordinator of the Minor. The Program is endeavoring to expand course offerings, and availability of teaching opportunities, to summer sessions. Qualification for consideration for a teaching position and the application process can be obtained through Dr. Crews. 5

6 III. THE CURRICULUM The Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision requires a minimum of 96 semester hours or four years of graduate level preparation (including entry-level preparation). Curriculum for the program includes an integration of academic course work and applied learning experiences such as practicum and internships. Students are required to master course work considered essential to the doctoral level professional preparation of counselor educators and counselors. In providing the doctoral curriculum experiences in Counselor Education, the faculty are guided by the 2009 standards developed by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Adherence to these guidelines provides the broad foundation needed to insure quality doctoral training but also allows the students sufficient flexibility to outline a program meeting their particular career objectives. The program will facilitate an understanding of the individual in a multicultural and pluralistic society. Students are encouraged to evaluate their own specific needs and to take advantage of available resources for professional and personal development. Elective courses within or outside of the department, training provided by workshops and institutes, personal study, and working with individual faculty members are some of the resources available. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to seek group and individual counseling as a part of the doctoral educational experience. A. Counselor Education Courses (30 Semester Hours) Competence in the specialty of Counselor Education is demonstrated in knowledge and skill in counseling, clinical instruction, and supervision through completion of a minimum of 18 semester hours of core course work in Counselor Education and 12 semester hours of clinical courses. Required courses are: 1. Core Courses (18 Semester Hours) Semester Clock Hours Hours EDCE 723 Counseling Supervision Theory 3 EDCE 813 Professional Issues in Counseling 3 EDCE 820 Advanced Transcultural Counseling 3 EDCE 823 Advanced Counseling Theory 3 EDCE 830 Systematic Training Models in Counselor Education 3 EDCE 832 Practicum in Counseling Supervision Clinical Requirements (12 Semester Hours) Semester Clock Hours Hours Practicum and Internship EDCE 822 Counseling Practicum II EDCE 855 Counseling Internship (3 x 1 credit)

7 EDCE 856 Internship in Counselor Education (2 x 3 credits) Students must accumulate 1,000 clock hours of supervised experiences in counselor education and supervision (e.g., clinical practice, research, teaching). Doctoral students must be supervised in practicum and internship by site supervisors with doctorates in counselor education or a related field. Before arranging for site supervision, consult with your advisor and the course instructor regarding the appropriate site supervisor. As you plan your clinical experiences, be aware that many clinical sites require fingerprinting and clearance by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). If you have concerns about a background check, please contact your advisor prior to submitting the practicum or internship application. Doctoral students will engage in a series of 1-credit internship experiences. EDCE 855: Internship in Counselor Education is designed to prepare doctoral students for teaching, supervision, research, and service in higher education, and leadership of service delivery agencies. Students will be required to register for internship credit at the start of their program under the supervision of their assigned advisor. Students will enroll in two sections EDCE 855: Counseling Internship (one in teaching and the 2 nd in scholarship) during the first semester of their studies and take a second internship (1 hour of credit) in the second semester of their studies in counselor education. The program also requires two semesters of 3-credit EDCE 856 experiences. Doctoral students will gain experience in the teaching activities of counselor education while enrolled in EDCE 856: Internship in Counselor Education, for 3 hours of credit in a given semester and then complete a second teaching experience in EDCE 856: Internship in Counselor Education, for another 3 hours of credit. PLEASE NOTE: The Graduate School requires all doctoral students to participate in the Instructional Development Workshops for GTA's/GIA's. Counselor Education students are required to complete this training prior to enrolling in their program course work. These two day workshops are usually held in mid-august prior to the start of the fall semester. B. Assessment (9 semester hours) Competence in measurement, assessment and appraisal will be demonstrated by completing a total of 9 semester hours of course work to develop skills relevant to counseling, research, clinical instruction, and supervision. The requirements for this aspect of the curriculum and course recommendations are: EDCE 706 Assessment in Counseling 3 NPSY 757 Psychopathology for Counselors 3 7

8 NPSY 758 Classification and Assessment of Mental Disorders 3 C. Research and Scholarship (12 semester hours) Advanced training in research design, data collection and analysis in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies as decided by the candidate and chair. D. Dissertation (15 Semester Hours) EDCE 825 Empirical Basis of Counseling 3 EDCE 899 Dissertation Preparation 12 E. Cognate Courses (9 Semester Hours) Counselor Education students are preparing for careers in a variety of settings. Therefore, they are expected to have a knowledge base in a cognate area that relates to their professional goals. In developing the cognate area, students are to seek advice from their permanent advisor. F. Counseling Electives (21 Semester Hours) Students may transfer an additional 21 semester hours of counseling course work, earned as part of a previous Masters or Educational Specialist degree program into their Ph.D. program of study. The individual must do this with the advice of one s permanent advisor and in keeping with the university policy. Doctoral Course Rotation Year I Fall Term Spring Term EDCE 813 EDCE 723 EDCE 823 EDCE 822 EDCE 830 EDCE 855 (1 hour) EDCE 855 (1 credit: teaching) EDCE 856 (3 credits) EDCE 855: (1 credit: scholarship) Research Methods Research Methods Year II EDCE 820 EDCE 825 EDCE 832 Research Methods EDCE 856 (3 hour) Research Methods Note: The research methods courses plus the Foreign Language requirement are scheduled separate from the EDCE courses and must be integrated into the course registrations over the length of the Ph.D. program. Some of these courses may be 8

9 available during summer terms. Please consult with your advisor as to the choice and scheduling of your foreign language requirement and research methods courses. IV. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS A. Candidacy Students in Counselor Education must apply for candidacy to qualify for the Ph.D. Degree upon completion of the following requirements: EDCE 813 Professional Issues in Counseling 3 EDCE 822 Counseling Practicum II 3 EDCE 823 Advanced Counseling Theory 3 EDCE 830 Systematic Training Models in Counselor Education 3 Verification of a Paper Submitted for Presentation at a Professional State, Regional or National Conference or of the submission of an article to a national Counseling journal. The applicant must complete an Application for Candidacy form and attach a transcript validating the completion of the required courses. One must achieve a grade point of B+ (3.5) or better to be considered for candidacy. In addition documentation verifying a paper was presented at a Professional Conference must be attached. Include the cover page of the program and a copy of the description of the paper from the program or correspondence from the Journal verifying the review of the paper. When the application is formally reviewed by the Counselor Education faculty the student will be notified of the faculty's decision. Applications must be submitted by March 31. B. Form Doctoral Committee The doctoral committee should consist of the chair of the committee, and two other faculty members in Counselor Education as well as a fourth faculty member from another discipline at the University of South Carolina. In the event that there is a person outside of the University of South Carolina who has a special area of expertise related to the candidate s research interests, the candidate must submit a written request for permission from the Counselor Education faculty allowing this individual to serve on the committee. The candidate is responsible for securing the resume of the individual and presenting a letter of justification for the faculty to review. If an approval is granted, the candidate s program of Study and the Doctoral Committee Appointment form will be forwarded through the appropriate offices. C. File a Program of Study In keeping with the 2009 CACREP standards, students are to develop their doctoral committee and file a program of study before completing the fourth term of 9

10 enrollment in doctoral studies. The doctoral program of study can be found on the Counselor Education website at D. Complete Written Comprehensive Examination upon Completion of All Coursework Purpose of Examination The comprehensive examination is designed as a test of the basic knowledge and skills the candidate has acquired prior to proposing a dissertation. The candidate should be able to demonstrate the ability to synthesize content from the core counselor education courses. The comprehensive exam also tests the candidate's ability to analyze specific problem situations presented in the examination. Candidates should demonstrate a basic knowledge of theory, techniques, research, and ethical and professional issues related to counselor education. Application for Examination Each term, the Chair of the Ph.D. program will all current Ph.D. students soliciting feedback as to who is ready for the comprehensive examination process. Before responding to the e-inquiry, students are directed to confirm with the chair of their comps committee their readiness for the examination. Those exams will be scheduled in July or January, as needed. Once confirmed by the chair of their committee, students are directed to respond to June Cattell as to their intention to participate in the comp exams, and then await a follow-up from her as to the dates etc., for those exams. Components of Examination There will be four (4) questions. One hundred and eighty minutes (3 hours) are given to answer each question. Doctoral candidates may not leave the testing room except for restroom breaks. Candidates will sit for the exam over two days and answer two (2) questions per day. Candidates will take essay examinations over the areas of (a) counselor education and pedagogy (b) research (c) counseling and supervision theory, and (d) multicultural applications. Evaluation of Examination Responses Each answer to the written exam is evaluated by the program faculty who instruct in that content area. In addition, the outside member will be asked to provide an evaluation of the candidate s work. Scores will be recorded on the counselor education comprehensive exam rubric. 10

11 Development of the Examination Items for each question will be randomly chosen from the test pool generated by the Program faculty. Each candidate will write on the same question in each topic area. Responsibilities of the Advisor 1. Contribute to the development of the examination. 2. Arrange any necessary meetings with the candidate prior to the exam. 3. Check to see if the candidate for the exam has met the requirements to take the exam. 4. Insure that grading has been completed by the deadline. 5. Coordinate and facilitate the oral defense of the comprehensive exam. 6. Prepare and send letters to the candidate indicating whether the candidate has passed the exam. Copies of these letters will be sent to the Graduate School and the candidate s departmental file. Candidate Preparation and Recommendations Copies of previous comprehensive exams will not be available. The advisor will go over policy and answer questions related to the exam individually. However each candidate will receive written communication from the Chair of the Doctoral Program regarding guidelines and protocol. 1. You should outline your response to the question before you start to write your response. The preliminary outline will assist you in organizing your thoughts and in addressing the question completely. Your answers should demonstrate that you have knowledge of the subject, and that you understand and can discuss the subject matter competently. 2. You should write as much as you know about the subject. Use references, examples, analogies, case study information, research findings, etc., in order to answer the question thoroughly. A minimum of 5 references for each question is required. For the essay part of the exam, candidates are expected to provide intext citations to support their answers. In-text citations include author name and year of publication (i.e., Anderson & Goolishian, 1982 Keeney, 1982; Whitaker, 1965). Candidates are NOT EXPECTED to memorize the full citation (i.e., author, year, title, publisher). 3. The exam is Pass/Fail. You must pass all questions to pass the Comprehensive Exam. You will be required to take the entire exam over with different exam questions if you fail the exam. If you write very little, it will be interpreted that you know very little about the subject. Lack of information on the topic could result in a failure on the question. Use your best writing and grammar skills. 11

12 Oral Defense and Notification of Performance Each answer to the written exam is evaluated by a program faculty who instructs in that content area. The results are communicated to the chair of the student s comprehensive exam committee and the results tabulated to ascertain whether the quality of the student s responses merits moving to the oral examination. The oral exam is held with all four committee members, during which the student may be asked to expand on or revise the original answers and to enter into a professional discussion with the examining committee of those aspects of the profession of counselor education and supervision. Passing the comprehensive examination is based on a majority vote of the committee. Candidates will be notified of their performance as a perquisite to moving to the oral defense of their comprehensive exams. During that oral defense, candidates will be given an opportunity to further explain, expand, and/or defend their responses. When a candidate fails a portion of the exam, faculty will make specific recommendations to the candidate's advisor concerning the reasons for the failure and steps the candidate could take to aid passing the exam in the future. Candidates failing all or part of the exam are expected to arrange a meeting with their advisor to discuss the exam. In the meeting the advisor will share with the candidate the faculty s specific suggestions. Policy on Retaking the Comprehensive Examination Candidates may retake the comprehensive examination a maximum of one time. Candidates who fail only one area will retake only that area. If two or more areas are failed the candidate must retake the entire comprehensive exam (all four areas). Questions on retake exams will be different from those given to the candidate on the original examination. Candidates are expected to pass all areas of the examination no later than one (1) year from the date on which the candidate initially took the comprehensive examination. Use of Computers Candidates will take the exam ONLY on a department computer. Any candidate intending to use his or her own computer must notify their advisor at least one (1) week in advance of the administration date. Special Needs The Counselor Education Program cooperates with the Office of Disability Services to make reasonable accommodations for qualified candidates with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability, you should register with the Office of Disability Services and present your written Accommodation Request for the comprehensive exam to your advisor at least one month prior to the examination. 12

13 Appeals Candidates may appeal the committee s decision to the Counselor Education Program faculty. Any appeal must be made in writing within one week of receiving their comprehensive examination results. The faculty will render a final decision regarding the completion of the comprehensive exam. The faculty will also be available to meet with the candidate to discuss findings and provide suggestions for remediation. E. Complete Foreign Language Requirement or Alternative Option As per Graduate School requirements, each student must complete a foreign language requirement. Students may elect to demonstrate a reading competency in one foreign language. The language selected must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School and Department. Courses are offered each term (see Schedule of Classes) in which you can enroll to meet this requirement. Students may also consider suitable Educational Technology (EDTE) courses to fulfill their requirement. Students are advised to discuss their options with the chair of their committees. If a candidate wishes to pursue another option, a letter requesting this option must be sent to the Counselor Education faculty. In this letter, a detailed justification for the option must be presented along with a clarification how this will enhance the candidate s professional goals and aspirations. F. Participate in Open Review of One's Dissertation Proposal The dissertation represents the culminating academic experience for students in the Ph.D. program. Intended as a piece of original research and as a demonstration of one s potential to contribute to the professional knowledge base in the counseling field, the dissertation proposal represents the initial three chapters of this research idea. The student proceeds to dissertation after completion of all Ph.D. coursework and successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination. Presented in written form to one s committee and then defended orally, this paper marks the student s doctoral research agenda. There is no set time line for this defense, as its scheduling is dependent upon agreement between student and chair of the readiness of the paper for review by the dissertation committee and then positive responses from those members. G. Participate in an Open Defense of One's Dissertation Upon completion of the approved research from the proposal plus attention to needed revisions, the student and chair again collaborate to develop the entire dissertation which, based on mutual agreement, is then forwarded to the committee for review pending an oral defense. The protocols for the dissertation and applicable documentation are presented to all students in the first class of EDCE 825: Empirical Basis of Counselor Education and are available on the Graduate School website. 13

14 V. POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES A. Transfer Credit and Time Limitations A limited number of credits may be transferred into a doctoral program. The exact number of transfer hours varies among programs. Course work transferred for credit toward a doctoral degree must: 1) be approved by the student s academic unit; 2) be from an accredited institution recognized by USC; 3) carry graduate credit with a grade of B or better (or equivalent marks if different grading system is used); 4) be dated within the eight-year period for courses used in the doctoral program; and 5) not constitute more than 50 percent of the hours listed on a program of study (not including 899 or the equivalent). B. Residency Requirement The intent of a residency requirement is to ensure that doctoral students benefit from and contribute to the full spectrum of educational and professional opportunities provided by the graduate faculty of a comprehensive university. When establishing residency, the student should interact with faculty and peers by regularly attending courses, conferences, and seminars and using the library, library services, and other resources that support excellence in graduate education. The doctoral residency requirement may be satisfied only after admission to a doctoral degree program. It requires enrollment in at least 18 graduate credit hours within a span of three consecutive semesters (excluding summers). Enrollment in a summer term is not required to maintain continuity, but credits earned during summer terms (including May Session) will count toward the 18 hours required for residency. Each graduate program faculty has the responsibility to consider establishing residency requirements that exceed these minimum standards. In doing so, a graduate program faculty may exclude certain courses and credit hours from meeting the residency requirement. All additional requirements and a list of excluded courses and credit hours will be forwarded to The Graduate School and made available to doctoral students. The student s advisory committee certifies, on the program of study, the time period, and the courses with which the student satisfied the residency requirement. C. Contribution to the Profession All Ph.D. students in the Counselor Education program must make a professional presentation at an appropriate meeting of a professional organization or publish an article in a refereed journal prior to graduation. Evidence of this activity must be provided by the student and placed in the student's file in the Counselor Education Office. Typically, students who are selected to make their presentations for which a proposal was prepared in the EDCE 813 course are requested to submit a photocopy of the program, title page and the program listing in which their name and program 14

15 title appear for verification as soon as possible after the presentation is made. D. Carolina Community Review of the Carolina Community ( is essential to understand the requirements placed by the university on all students. This student handbook clearly delineates that students represent the university at all times and are responsible for deportment that would reflect that representation. It is important to read the material in this handbook, especially that which is related to plagiarism and grievance procedures. All Ph.D. students in Counselor Education study ethical standards in the first semester of coursework. Adherence to the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice both in student and all other professional activities is essential. Failure to do so will jeopardize one's student status. ` E. Professional Performance Review Process Rationale: In addition to meeting the academic standards set forth in the Counseling Program, students are expected conduct themselves in an ethical, responsible and professional manner. They must be knowledgeable of and at all times adhere to the general standards of professional ethics and practice set forth by the American Counseling Association (ACA) as well as the additional standards set forth for counseling practice in specific settings (e.g., the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, American School Counselors Association, etc.). The general and specific ACA standards for ethical practice are listed on the ACA web site at At the onset of their academic program, students are directed to review these standards and seek any clarification needed from their respective advisors. As future professional counselors, the faculty expects students to be concerned about other people, to be stable and psychologically well adjusted (personally and professionally), to be capable of effective interpersonal relationships, to be able to receive feedback willingly, and to give feedback constructively. Further, students are expected to behave generally in a manner that demonstrates fitness for a role in the counseling profession. Finally, we expect students to be committed to continued personal growth and professional development and to demonstrate that commitment through self-reflection and responsiveness to supervision in all activities related to their degree program. The faculty believes that it is ethically imperative that counselors be willing to do in their own lives what they ask their clients to do in theirs. For all the reasons cited above, the faculty will regularly monitor not only students' academic progress but also selected personal characteristics that will affect their performance in the field. The purpose of this monitoring process is to ensure that all graduates of the University of South Carolina Counselor Education Program possess 15

16 those characteristics sufficiently that they do not impede their professionalism or helping capacity. The Professional Performance Standards: Students' fulfillment of ten Professional Performance Standards is reviewed by individual faculty during each class and at the conclusion of the fall semester by the combined Counseling faculty. The Standards include: 1. Openness to new ideas 2. Flexibility 3. Cooperativeness with others 4. Willingness to accept and use feedback 5. Awareness of own impact on others 6. Ability to deal with conflict 7. Ability to accept personal responsibility 8. Ability to express feelings effectively and appropriately 9. Attention to ethical and legal considerations 10. Initiative and motivation The Professional Performance Review Process: Each Professional Performance Standard is rated on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) as described in the Criteria for Professional Performance Standards Evaluation (Appendix A). Students receiving a rating below 3 on one or more of the Professional Performance standards will be considered deficient in professional performance and subject to the following procedure: 1. The student and the issuing faculty* will meet to discuss the Professional Performance concern(s). The student will be presented with a Notification of Professional Performance Concern (Appendix B) that will list the deficient rating(s), provide the issuing faculty's explanation for the ratings and describe the specific remedial actions to be taken to correct each area of professional performance deficiency. If revisions to the remedial plan are made at this meeting, a revised Notification of Professional Performance Concern form will be issued to the student for review and signature within two working days after the meeting. Signatures of both the issuing faculty and the student will verify their understanding of the concerns, the required remedial actions, and the schedule for completing them. Both the student and issuing faculty will retain copies of the signed Professional Performance citation, and a copy shall be forwarded to the student's academic advisor. * Note: Issuing Faculty refers either to the individual professor who issues the Notification of Professional Performance Concern or to the academic advisor if the Notification is issued by the combined faculty. 16

17 2. If a student receives more than one Notification of Professional Performance Concern during his/her Program of Study or fails to show reasonable progress in resolving deficiencies previously cited, he/she will be required to meet with the issuing faculty and his or her academic advisor in accordance with the procedure described in #1 above. Depending upon the nature of new performance concerns and/or the reasons for the student's failure to comply with previously determined remedial action plans, the issuing faculty and academic advisor will consult the full Counseling Program Faculty regarding the development of alternative remedial strategies and/or evaluation of the student's fitness for continuation in the Program. The issuing faculty, the student, and the academic advisor will retain a signed copy of any subsequent revision made to the Notification of Professional Performance Concern. 3. Faculty will initiate the Professional Performance Review protocol at any time for students who knowingly engage in illegal or unethical activities or for students whose professional performance is deemed to present an immediate threat to the wellbeing of others. In such cases and depending upon the level of perceived threat, the combined faculty may recommend discontinuation in the Program without opportunity for student remediation. 4. Note: All faculty recommendations for denial of a student's continuance in the Counseling Program will be forwarded to (and will be the ultimate decision of) the Dean of the College of Education. VI. COUNSELING AND OTHER RELATED STUDENT ACTIVITIES A. Liability Insurance for Supervised Counseling Activities All students must obtain and maintain liability insurance throughout their enrollment in the program. Applications regarding the American Counseling Association Insurance Trust can be obtained from the departmental offices. Each year students must present evidence of insurance coverage and give a copy of this information to their advisor for inclusion in their permanent file. B. Non-Supervised Counseling Activities of Graduate Students The position of the faculty in Counselor Education is that students enrolled in counselor education programs should not engage in unsupervised counseling activities. It is the purpose of this statement to clarify the conditions under which students can obtain permission to engage in helping activities independent of required practicum and internship experiences. This policy applies to any student enrolled in a degree program or in a non-degree program of study approved by the faculty. The policy does not apply to part-time students who engage in counseling under the auspices of a school or agency in which they are employed or who are licensed to practice counseling. Any student wishing to engage in counseling (individual or group) should secure the permission of his/her advisor and the coordinator of 17

18 Counselor Education. Permission will be granted only when it is clear that the student (a) is competent to perform the counseling; (b) has arranged for acceptable supervision on a regular basis; (c) will conduct the proposed activities during acceptable hours in a professional setting. The approvals of the advisor and the Coordinator of Counselor Education must be obtained. (Any student found in violation of this policy is subject to immediate removal from the program.) VII. ADDITIONAL COURSE OPTIONS Doctoral students must complete the minimum course requirements (96 semester hours) specified in this document, but because student's goals differ each program of study is likely to differ both in total semester hours and in specific courses taken. For example, students may add any courses in counselor education, which could contribute to development of expertise in working with or supervising specific clientele. Please contact your permanent advisor prior to enrolling in additional courses. VIII. RETENTION POLICY - TWO "C" POLICY In keeping with Graduate School policy, students must maintain a minimum overall graduate GPA of Unique to the Counselor Education Program, students can only earn one grade less than B in Counselor Education (EDCE) courses and remain a student in good academic standing with the Program. Earning a second grade less than B in Counselor Education (EDCE) courses will result in recommendation for academic dismissal from the Program. This policy is referred to as the two "C" policies. 18

19 FACULTY IN COUNSELOR EDUCATION and THEIR RESEARCH INTERESTS Ryan G. Carlson, Ph.D., 2012, University of Central Florida Couples counseling, relationship education, intimate partner violence, and recruiting and retaining economically disadvantaged families in research and practice. Moody Crews, Ph.D., 2006, University of South Carolina Ethics, character development, career development and at-risk populations. Kathy Evans, Ph.D., 1989, Pennsylvania State University Multicultural counseling and supervision, racial identity, feminist identity, and career development. Joshua Gold, Ph.D., 1991, Kent State University Spirituality, marriage and family counseling, counselor supervision and "personalization" issues of counseling students. Russell Haber, Ph.D., 1978, University of South Carolina Supervision, consultation, therapist personal/professional development, client feedback, Couples/family counseling, social network interventions, transgenerational approaches. 19

20 APPENDIX A Criteria for Professional Performance Evaluation 1. Openness to new ideas (rated from Closed [1] to Open [5]) Was amenable to discussion of perspectives other than own. - Accepts constructive feedback without defensiveness. - Some evidence of effort to incorporate relevant feedback received to change own behavior. - Was dogmatic about own perspective and ideas. - Ignored or was defensive about constructive feedback. - Showed little or no evidence of incorporating constructive feedback received to change own behavior. 2. Flexibility (rated from Inflexible [1] to Flexible [5]) - Showed little or no effort to recognize changing demands in the professional & interpersonal environment. - Showed little or no effort to flex own response to changing environmental demands. - Refused to flex own response to changing environmental demands despite knowledge of the need for change. - Was intolerant of unforeseeable or necessary changes in established schedule or protocol. - Solicited others' opinions and perspectives about own work. - Invited constructive feedback, and demonstrated interest in others' perspectives. - Showed strong evidence of incorporation of feedback received to change own behavior Effort to recognize changing demands in the professional & interpersonal environment was evident but sometimes inaccurate. - Effort to flex own response to new environmental demands was evident was evident but sometimes inaccurate. - Flexed own response to changing environmental demands when directed to do so. - Accepted necessary changes in established schedule or protocol, but without effort to understand the reason for them. - Showed accurate effort to recognize changing demands in the professional & interpersonal environment. - Showed accurate effort to flex own response to changing environmental demands. as needed. - Independently monitored the environment for changing demands and flexed own response accordingly. - Attempts to understand needs for change in established schedule or protocol to avoid resentment. - Accepted necessary changes in established schedule and attempted to discover the reasons for them. 3. Cooperativeness with others (rated from Uncooperative [1] to Cooperative [5]) Engaged in collaborative activities but with minimum allowable input. Accepted but rarely initiated compromise in collaborative activities. Was concerned mainly with own part in collaborative Showed little or no engagement in collaborative activities. Undermined goal achievement in collaborative activities. Was unwilling to compromise in collaborative activities. Worked actively toward reaching consensus in collaborative activities. Was willing to initiate compromise in order to reach group consensus. Showed concern for group as well as individual goals in 20

21 activities. collaborative activities. 4. Willingness to accept and use feedback (rated from Unwilling [1] to Willing [5]) Was generally receptive to supervisory feedback. Showed some evidence of incorporating supervisory feedback into own views and behaviors. Showed some defensiveness to critique through "overexplanation of own actions--but without anger. Demonstrated greater willingness to receive feedback than to give it. Discouraged feedback from others through defensiveness and anger. Showed little or no evidence of incorporation of feedback of supervisory feedback received. Took feedback contrary to own position as a personal affront. Demonstrated greater willingness to give feedback than receive it. Invited feedback by direct request and positive acknowledgement when received. Showed evidence of active incorporation of supervisory feedback received into own views and behaviors. Demonstrated a balanced willingness to give and receive supervisory feedback. 5. Awareness of own impact on others (rated from Unaware [1] to Aware [5]) Effort to determine how own words and actions impacted others was evident but sometimes inaccurate. Respond as necessary to feedback regarding negative impact of own words and actions on others, but at times, with resentment. Words and actions reflected little or no concern for how others were impacted by them. Ignored supervisory feedback about how words and actions were negatively impacting others. 6. Ability to deal with conflict (rated from Unable [1] to Able [5]) Effort toward recognition of how own words and actions impacted others was impact on others through words and actions. Initiates feedback from others regarding impact of own words and behaviors Regularly incorporates feedback regarding impact of own words and behaviors to effect positive change Attempted but sometimes had difficulty grasping conflicting points of view. - Would examine own role in a conflict when directed to do so. - Was responsive to supervision in a conflict if it was offered. - Participated in problem solving when directed. - Was unable or unwilling to consider others' points of view. - Showed no willingness to examine own role in a conflict. - Ignored supervisory advisement if not in agreement with own position. - Showed no effort at problem solving. - Displayed hostility when conflicts were addressed. - Always willing and able to consider others' points of view. - Almost always willing to examine own role in a conflict. - Was consistently open to supervisory critique about own role in a conflict. - Initiated problem solving efforts in conflicts. - Actively participated in problem solving efforts. 21