About the Program
Program Home
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ed-cpasst@utah.edu
The Ph.D. Program in Counseling Psychology is offered through the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education at the University of Utah. Students who complete the Counseling Psychology Program develop comprehensive knowledge and skills in core areas of scientific psychology, psychological inquiry, and the professional practice of psychology. Upon graduation, students accept a wide variety of entry-level positions in higher education (academic departments or counseling centers), hospital and medical settings, community mental health centers and agencies, managed care organizations, departments of corrections, private agencies, and business and organizational settings with diverse clientele. Students graduating from our program will have completed all requirements to apply for licensure as a psychologist, with the exception of states that require additional coursework or postdoctoral supervised hours for licensure.
The Profession
Counseling Psychology is a generalist health service (HSP) specialty in professional psychology that uses a broad range of culturally-informed and culturally-sensitive practices to help people improve their well-being, prevent and alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to function better in their lives. It focuses specifically but not exclusively on normative life-span development, with a particular emphasis on prevention and education as well as amelioration, addressing individuals as well as the systems or contexts in which they function. It has particular expertise in work and career issues.
Specialized knowledge
Psychologists have an understanding of and capacity to engage in evidence-based and culturally-informed intervention, assessment, prevention, training, and research practices. They focus on healthy aspects and strengths of their clients (whether they are individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, or communities); environmental/contextual influences (such as cultural, sociopolitical, gender, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic factors) that shape people’s experiences and concerns; the role of career and work in peoples’ lives; and advocacy for equity and social justice.
Problems addressed
Counseling psychologists focus on normative developmental and mental health issues and challenges faced by individuals across their lifespan, as well as systemic challenges (such as prejudice and discrimination) experienced in groups, workplaces, organizations, institutions, and communities. They use strengths-based perspectives and practices to prevent and ameliorate emotional, relational, physical/health-related, social, cultural, vocational, educational, and identity-related problems.
Population served
Counseling psychologists serve persons of all ages and cultural backgrounds in individual, group (including couples and families), workplace, organizational, institutional, and community settings. They work with groups and communities to assist them in addressing or preventing problems, as well as to improve the personal and interpersonal functioning of individual members. Counseling psychologists also intervene in organizations, institutions, workplaces, and communities to enhance their effectiveness, climate, and the success and well-being of their members.
Program Objectives
Goal 1 Science
Produce graduates who understand and apply inquiry skills to issues that relate to the science of psychology and professional practice.
Goal 1 Objectives
Objective 1A: Students will acquire knowledge of the current body of knowledge in the behavioral science core of psychology.
Objective 1B: Students will acquire the knowledge and skill of psychological inquiry that will enable them to identify and apply relevant inquiry strategies to various research questions that are germane to the field of counseling psychology.
Objective 1C: Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to produce independent research projects.
Goal 2 Practice
Produce graduates who have the requisite knowledge and skills for entry into the practice of professional psychology.
Goal 2 Objectives
Objective 2A: Students will acquire knowledge in the scientific, methodological, and theoretical foundations of psychological practice including areas such as individual differences in behavior, lifespan human development, and human problems or distress.
Objective 2B: Students will acquire knowledge and skill in the professional practice of counseling psychology and its connection to the broader field of psychology.
Objective 2C: Students will acquire knowledge and skill in the application of counseling practice, including diagnosis, assessment, conceptualization, appropriate interventions, and outcome evaluation.
Goal 3 Individual and Cultural Diversity
Produce graduates who have the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to address issues of human diversity (defined broadly) and multiculturalism and who are capable of advocating for the needs and issues of underrepresented populations.
Goal 3 Objectives
Objective 3: Students will acquire the awareness, knowledge, and skill that will enable them to provide culturally competent counseling services to clients from diverse backgrounds.
Goal 4 Professional Identity and Development
Produce graduates whose professional identity is that of a counseling psychologist and who have developed knowledge and skills in one or more proficiency areas that facilitate entry and subsequent careers in academic or professional psychology
Goal 4 Objectives
Objective 4A: Students will acquire the identity of a counseling psychologist and engage in a process of continuing education that contributes to personal and professional development.
Objective 4B: Students will acquire knowledge and competency in one or more designated special proficiency area(s) that supplements their foundation as counseling psychologist.
Goal 5 Ethics, Professional Standards, and Legal Issues
Produce students who consistently apply the highest accepted standards of ethical and professional conduct to their work.
Goal 5 Objectives
Objective 5A: Students will acquire knowledge and skill in the application of ethical standards for psychologists to their work in clinical and research settings.
Objective 5B: Students will demonstrate the application of an ethical decision-making model by applying it to ethical dilemmas.
Objective 5C: Students will display ethical values and conduct and integrate their own moral principles/ethical values in professional conduct.
Attend an Information Session
Please contact ed-cpasst@utah.edu and specify which date to participate.
Upcoming Info Session Dates/Times
The information session will primarily be a question-and-answer session about the
program. Video Conference Times are in Mountain Time, so adjust if you are in a different
time zone.
Mar 24, 2025 07:15 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Apr 21, 2025 07:15 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Our Faculty
A.j. Metz
Associate Chair, Associate Professor
School Counseling Director
Educational Psychology
Profile for A.j. Metz
Karen Tao
Associate Professor
Counseling Psychology Director
Educational Psychology
Profile for Karen Tao