Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

Student support and costs:

During the 2010-2011 academic year tuition for graduate students with Ohio residency is $469.25 per credit. For out of state residents tuition is $637.55 per credit. For the first two years of the program students register for 12 credits per academic semester and at least 6 credits for each of the two summers. Full time enrollment (12 credits per semester amounts to $7650 for non-Ohio residents and $6100.50 for Ohio residents).

The program strives to provide graduate assistantships for all first and second year students who request funding. To date, we have achieved this goal. After that period of time, students may be eligible for additional assistantships if positions exist in our program. In the 2009-2010 academic year, three students beyond the second year requested an assistantship, and two were awarded one. Assistantships are given for one year and students must reapply on an annual basis. The Co-Directors of Training organize student applications for assistantships, and make placement decisions in coordination with the Directors of the various student service areas. Students who are awarded a graduate assistantship must be enrolled as full-time doctoral students with at least 9 semester hours of credit each semester.

A variety of 10 hour (tuition remission for 10 semester hours per semester) and 20 hour (tuition remission for 10 semester hours plus stipend for each semester) graduate assistantships have been made available to students including research, teaching and professional service (i.e., University Counseling Center, University Disability Services, and University Tutoring Center ). For 2009-2010 the stipend per semester was $3,900.00. A tuition scholarship was also provided recently to an international student. The specific times students work are negotiated with the supervising faculty member so as not to conflict with any courses students may be taking. Typically, graduate research assistants are involved in research activities such as library searches, literature reviews, data collection, data entry and analysis, manuscript preparation, report writing, often resulting in opportunities to collaborate on presentations and publications. In addition, assistants may be asked to help with classes faculty are teaching by grading exams, keeping records, helping with library research for classes, and other tasks.

Internship Acceptance Rates

As a new program we have had only 4 students complete a pre-doctoral internship. The first 3 who completed internships did those experiences in non-APA accredited and non-APPIC sites. One of these 3 students completed a half-time two year internship. In the 2009 – 2010 year one student applied for pre-doctoral internship and that student was accepted into an APA accredited predoctoral internship that begins in September, 2010. We have 6 students completing the APPIC process in Fall, 2010.

Licensing Outcomes:

One of our two graduates was licensed as a psychologist in Ohio and Michigan in 2009. The other graduate has completed his post doctoral hours and is preparing to take the licensing examination in Ohio. All graduates from the prior counseling program who sought licensing have been declared license eligible or are already licensed as psychologists in Ohio or other states.

Applicant Data:

Mean GRE Scores of Admitted Students Enrolling in the Program 2006 - 2009
Verbal 491
Quantitative 505
Mean Undergraduate GPA: 3.23
Mean Master’s GPA: 3.84
Mean GRE Scores, 2010 Admitted Students Enrolling in 2010-2011
Verbal 449
Quantitative 514
Mean Undergraduate GPA 3.08
Mean Master’s GPA 3.74

Structure of the program:

Year 1: Full time course enrollment for each semester and summer session
Year 2: Full time course enrollment for each semester, practicum, and at least one summer session course
Year 3: Practicum, half time courses, and comprehensive examinations
Year 4: Dissertation research
Year 5: Predoctoral internship*
*Students who elect to do a 2-year half time internship will complete the program in 6 years.

Practicum and Internship:

Students begin a 4-semester sequence of enrollment in practicum at the beginning of their second year of enrollment. The first practicum focuses on psychotherapy and the second on assessment. All practicum placements are community based. Three students have completed pre-doctoral internships and another is in progress. All practica and internships have been supervised by licensed psychologists. One has been APA accredited to date. Currently, all students are required to apply for pre-doctoral internship through APPIC. When students enter the doctoral program with limited counseling and psychotherapy experience, they may elect to enroll in a third year of practicum to strengthen their skills and competitiveness in the internship match process.

Accreditation:
The University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities and by the American Psychological Association. Contact information for the The Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association is as follows:

American Psychological Association
Office of Program Accreditation and Consultation

750 First Street NE
Washington, D.C. 20002-4242
Phone: (202) 336-5979
Fax: (202) 336-5978
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Website:http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Counseling Psychology Faculty

There are 5 core counseling psychology faculty members, along with numerous other faculty who teach research, general psychology courses, Urban Education and Urban Studies courses, and counselor education faculty. All are available to assist students with their development as competent professionals. Faculty profiles are available at http://facultyprofile.csuohio.edu/csufacultyprofile/index.cfm?college=EDU

Core counseling psychology faculty are:
R. Elliott Ingersoll, Ph.D. Professor
Justin C. Perry, Ph.D. Assistant Professor
Donna P. Schultheiss, Ph.D. Professor and Co-Director of Training
Sarah M. Toman, Ph.D. Associate Professor
Elizabeth Reynolds Welfel, Ph.D. Professor and Co-Director of Training

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions requirements?

The Doctoral Program in Urban Education: Counseling Psychology seeks applicants who have a master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field, research experience, experience in an applied setting, a strong academic record, above average GRE scores, good communication skills, and strong letters of recommendation (including letters from graduate faculty). An undergraduate GPA of 2.85, a graduate GPA of 3.5, and combined GRE scores of 1000 are preferred. Admissions decisions also are influenced by space limitations, students' evidence of commitment and interest in urban multicultural issues, and a match between student interests and faculty expertise. Approximately 6-7 Counseling Psychology doctoral students are admitted yearly. The admissions deadline is January 15th.

Application Materials
Graduate application, resume, personal statement, official copies of all academic transcripts, and official GRE score reports (Scores must be within the past 5 years. Only the general test is required. We do not require the Psychology Subject Area Test. Three letters of recommendation are required (at least one must be from a faculty member from previous graduate work). Applicants may elect to submit one or two extra letters of recommendation if desired.

Personal Statement
A 3-page personal statement regarding your professional interests and goals should be included with your application. We are interested in knowing what attracted you to the field of counseling psychology and to doctoral program at Cleveland State University. Describe your experiences in applied settings (e.g., hotline experience, residential treatment staff, field placements) and your research experiences (e.g., assisting with a faculty member’s research, professional presentations, publications, or master’s thesis). Please describe your goals for graduate study, as well as your goals for your professional career. Be specific in describing your interests in research and practice (e.g., specific settings and/or populations).


If a student is missing a few of the Master’s course requirements, can they be taken during doctoral study?
The omission of a few of the Master’s courses (or their equivalents) does not make any applicant ineligible for the program. Students are notified about which pre-requisites they need to make up either at the point of admission, or at the beginning of their doctoral program when they design their program of studies with their advisors. Students may take these courses concurrent with the Urban Education core courses. Several students have elected to enroll in their courses or their equivalents the summer prior to entry into the program.

How important is prior research experience?
Research experience is important. It can be obtained through the completion of a Master’s thesis, other collaboration with faculty or community-based psychologists on research projects. In some cases a student may demonstrate this experience based on an exceptional undergraduate thesis.

From whom should an applicant obtain letters of recommendation?
Letters should come from professionals who are familiar with an applicant’s skills and potential as a practitioner and as a scholar. At least one letter must come from a faculty member with whom the student has worked. All letters may come from faculty if the candidate so chooses.

How many students are admitted each year?
Approximately 6-7 Counseling Psychology doctoral students are admitted yearly.

Are admissions interviews required?
Yes. Once all applications are reviewed, the faculty determines the group of applicants whom they wish to interview. Interviews are scheduled in February. If traveling to the University presents a hardship, telephone interviews may be substituted and do no reduce the individual’s likelihood of acceptance.

How are advisors assigned and can a student request a change if his or her interests change?
Advisors are assigned by the Training Directors at the time of admission, based on research and practice interests of the student and faculty member. Students may request a change of advisor through the Administrative Coordinator of the Urban Education Program, Ms. Wanda Pruett-Butler. If a student’s research interests shift during the program, a change in advisor for the purposes of dissertation direction is easily made. In fact, the faculty strongly encourages students to work with the faculty member most suited to assist the student on the dissertation.

What exactly does the placement of the program within the Urban Education Ph.D. program mean for the training of counseling psychologists?
The placement of the program offers students an interdisciplinary experience. Some of the courses they take in the first two years of doctoral study include students from other specializations in the Urban Education program, including disciplines such as adult development, educational policy, learning and development, and educational leadership. In addition, students enroll in 2 courses in the College of Urban Studies to help them understand how the urban context affects the psychosocial functioning of urban populations. In other words, this program is designed for counseling psychology students who seek to learn about other disciplines and interact with professionals and doctoral students in those disciplines while they are developing as competent counseling psychologists.

Can a student work while completing the program?
The faculty discourages outside employment during the first two years of this highly demanding program. Students who have worked even one day per week have found juggling work, classes, practicum, and assistantships exceptionally stressful. It is important to keep in mind that all students are expected to join research teams and engage in scholarly activity beyond their courses and practica.

How many semesters of doctoral practicum are required?
Four semesters, beginning in the second year. At least one placement must be in a setting that serves a diverse urban population. The first year of placement focuses primarily on psychotherapy and the second on assessment. An option for a third year of practicum is available.

What settings are available for practicum and internship placements?
Over the past several years placements have been available for students at settings including University Hospitals of Cleveland, Berea Children’s Services of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth Medical Center, Oberlin College. All placements are community based.

Will a student be allowed to complete internship on a half-time basis over 2 years?
Yes. One student completed a half-time predoctoral internship at the Department of Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland.

What research topics have been of interest to recent doctoral students?
The topics of the dissertations of our recent graduates are as follows: Culturally sensitive in-home psychotherapy for urban low-income African American adolescents. And, African American psychologists' attitudes toward psychotherapy. In addition, doctoral students have collaborated with faculty on projects dealing with career and self development of urban youth, the interface of work and family life, work and family issues for immigrant families, the duty to protect with clients at risk for violence, ethics and technology in psychological practice, psychotherapy and spirituality, models for ethics education, and others.

What kinds of jobs have graduates obtained?
We have two counseling psychology graduates – one directs an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Center for adolescents at a major Cleveland hospital, the other works as a therapist at a community mental health center. Graduates of the prior counseling program who are licensed as psychologists have taken positions as faculty in counseling programs, as sole practitioners, as professional staff members at college counseling centers, and as directors of major mental health services.

Where should an applicant go to get additional questions answered?

Applicants may contact Dr. Elizabeth Welfel at welfeler@yahoo.com or by phone at 216 687 4605. For information about the status of their application file, applicants should contact Ms. Wanda Pruett-Butler at w.pruett-butler@csuohio.edu or by phone at 216 687 4697.Graduate Admissions contact information can be found at http://www.csuohio.edu/engagecsugradschool/

What are the licensing requirements for psychologists in Ohio?
Licensing requirements vary somewhat by state. Ohio is one of the few states that recently changed its regulations to waive the post-doctoral supervision requirement. Ohio allows new graduates who have completed sufficient pre-doctoral internship and practicum experiences to sit for the licensing examination. However, the clinical experiences that are required during training are extensive and any doctoral students or prospective doctoral students entertaining this option should carefully discuss this matter with an advisor and should consult the details of the regulations. (See http://www.psychology.ohio.gov/pdfs/HB503%20Summary%20of%20Rules.pdf for a summary of the new rules). It is also important to note that most states still require at least a year of post-doctoral supervision to qualify for licensing. Any prospective student seeking licensing in a particular jurisdiction after graduation should consult the board of psychology licensing requirements in that state.

Will I need a criminal background check to qualify for licensing as a psychologist?
The answer is affirmative in Ohio and several other states. Again, a check of board websites is likely to provide that information.


Links

Link to the Urban Education Ph.D. program Website
http://mycsu.csuohio.edu/cehs2011/departments/DOC/doc_dept.html

Links to Professional Associations

American Psychological Association (APA)
Based in Washington, DC, the American Psychological Association (APA) is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States. With 150,000 members, APA is the largest association of psychologists worldwide.

American Counseling Association (ACA)
Founded in 1952, the American Counseling Association (ACA) is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings.

American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS)
The American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) is the voice of student concerns within the APA.

Counseling Psychology Division 17
Division 17 brings together psychologists, students, and international/professional affiliates who are dedicated to promoting education and training, scientific investigation, practice, and diversity and public interest in professional psychology.

Student Affiliates of Division 17
SAS is a national graduate student organization that is associated with APA Division 17 - The Society of Counseling Psychology. It is designated to address issues specifically related to counseling psychology students.


APA Accreditation
APA Accreditation Self Study