Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.

• Scientist–Practitioner Focus: Learn to integrate research, theory, and clinical practice to inform ethical, evidence-based work.
• APA Accreditation: Graduate from a nationally recognized program that supports licensure and professional mobility.
• Comprehensive Clinical Training: Build advanced skills in assessment, counseling, and psychotherapy through supervised experiences.
• Strong Research Preparation: Develop the expertise to conduct meaningful research and contribute to the field.
• Broad Career Outcomes: Prepare for diverse professional roles across academic, clinical, healthcare, and community settings.
• Licensure-Aligned Curriculum: Complete training designed to meet psychologist licensure requirements.

Students engage in rigorous, integrated coursework that balances scientific foundations, advanced clinical training, and research development within a scientist–practitioner framework. Studies emphasize understanding human behavior across biological, cognitive, emotional, social, and developmental contexts while building strong skills in psychological assessment, counseling, and psychotherapy. Students also receive extensive training in research design, quantitative analysis, and scholarly inquiry to support evidence-based practice and knowledge generation. Supervised clinical experiences are woven throughout the curriculum to foster professional identity, ethical decision-making, and applied competence. This broad-based preparation equips graduates to work effectively across diverse settings, including academic institutions, counseling centers, community agencies, healthcare systems, and private practice, while meeting expectations for psychologist licensure and professional practice.

The program emphasizes the importance of addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse society. To that end the program strives to increase the educational opportunities of racial minorities and diverse student populations. The program creates an atmosphere where unique values and concerns receive attention and respect. Racial minority and other diversity concerns are integrated into coursework, practica and supervision. Three courses in multicultural counseling are required: two of which have a focus on race and ethnicity and one in an elective area such as further racial minority studies, psychology of women, and lesbian and gay issues in counseling and development. Many faculty and students maintain active professional and research interests concerning various aspects of multicultural and diversity studies.

The program is also committed to recruiting and supporting diverse faculty and students. Among the students who are currently most active in coursework and department life (the last four admissions classes 2021 through 2025):

• 33 percent are African or African American
• 47 percent are White or Caucasian (non-Hispanic or Latinx)
• 11 percent are Hispanic or Latinx
• 6 percent are Asian
• 2 percent are multiracial

Of the students admitted into the program since 2021, about 53 percent of the students are U.S. racial or ethnic minorities and approximately 83% are female. Also between 2016-2019, prior degrees of students at admission vary with:

• 61 percent of students hold Master's degrees
• 39 percent of students hold Bachelor's degrees

Students are also diverse in a number of other ways—there are openly lesbian and gay students, students with disabilities, etc. There is also diversity among the faculty in regard to gender, age, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, and other considerations.

This option is specifically designed to meet the educational curricular requirements as a State of Michigan Licensed Psychologist. Because the program is accredited by APA, students are typically in a good position to meet curricular requirements for licensure in other states.

The program has been accredited for over 30 years by the Commission on Accreditation of American Psychological Association.

• Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data

Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to:

Commission on Accreditation
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street NE
Washington DC 20002-4242
Phone: (202) 336-5979
Email: @email

• Cost of attendance
• Scholarships
• CEHD assistantships
• WMU assistantships
• Grants
• Loans
• Employer-paid tuition
• Military and veterans