Best Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Programs

Adams State University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Counselors who want a live online doctorate in a small cohort, with three weeks on campus

Location: Alamosa, CO  |  Credits: 60
Format: Online (CACREP-confirmed), with live synchronous classes
Residency: Three one-week residencies, plus in-person interviews and orientation in Alamosa
Funding: Not named on the program pages. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: Adams State also offers a CACREP-accredited online school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2028

Adams State runs its doctorate online, but not at your own pace. Classes meet live, and each cohort is capped at 12 students or fewer, so you’ll know your classmates and faculty well. The program says it’s committed to equitable access to digitally delivered counselor education, which suits counselors who can’t move for a campus program.

Plan on time in Alamosa, Colorado. The program requires three one-week residencies. Applicants for the Fall 2027 cohort also attend required in-person interviews in February and a new student orientation in May. There’s no GRE.

Good to know: Adams State prefers applicants with a current independent clinical license or certification in their state of practice, but does not list it as a mandatory admission requirement. Applicants with school counselor certification should ask whether their credential meets that preference. The program also isn’t admitting international students at this time.

Duquesne University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Working counselors in the Pittsburgh area who want an in-person doctorate on a weeknight schedule

Location: Pittsburgh, PA  |  Credits: 60  |  Length: 3 to 4 years
Format: In person, with weeknight classes
Residency: Campus-based program
Funding: Competitive graduate assistant positions
School counseling connection: Prepares graduates for leadership in mental health and school settings. Duquesne also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through April 30, 2034 (Progress Report Required)

Duquesne built its doctorate around an executive model. Classes meet on weeknights, so many students keep full-time jobs while they study. Coursework takes about two and a half years, and the full program typically runs three to four years with the dissertation.

The program prepares graduates for faculty and leadership roles in mental health and school settings. One of its graduates now coordinates a school counseling graduate program at Millersville University. Duquesne has held CACREP accreditation for this doctorate since 1998. In 2024-25, 9 students graduated, and the program reported 100% job placement.

Good to know: Starting with the Fall 2026 cohort, the program requires 60 credits, up from 51. If you didn’t graduate from a CACREP master’s program, the program director reviews your transcript to identify any prerequisite coursework you’ll need first.

Florida Atlantic University: Ph.D. in Counseling

Best for: Licensed or certified counselors who want a full-time research doctorate with a school counseling research track

Location: Boca Raton, FL  |  Credits: At least 60  |  Length: Three years full-time
Format: In person, on the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses
Residency: Campus-based, full-time program
Funding: Graduate assistantship support available. Confirm amounts and eligibility with the department.
School counseling connection: School Counseling Outcome Research is one of four specialization areas. FAU also offers CACREP-accredited school counseling programs.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2032

FAU has a dedicated school counseling research path. Students take specialized coursework in one of four areas, and School Counseling Outcome Research is one of them. The department’s school counseling researchers have studied how small group counseling affects sixth graders’ emotional skills and connection to school.

The program is selective. It enrolls up to six new students per semester and can be finished in three years of full-time study. It’s designed for applicants with a 60-hour counseling master’s and licensure or certification as a professional counselor. The program won the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision’s 2020 Outstanding Doctoral Counselor Education and Supervision Award.

Good to know: FAU requires GRE scores. An older official admissions checklist explicitly accepted school counseling certification in place of a counseling license, but the current program page specifies professional counselor licensure or certification. Applicants with state-issued school counselor credentials should confirm their eligibility with the department. CACREP accredits the Ph.D. in Counseling under its Counselor Education and Supervision specialty.

Georgia State University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Practice

Best for: Counselors in metro Atlanta who want to train future school counselors and can commit to full-time residency

Location: Atlanta, GA  |  Credits: At least 92 semester hours
Format: Mostly in person, with some hybrid or online courses
Residency: At least two consecutive semesters of full-time study in residence
Funding: University-wide assistantships and fellowships. Ask the department what it offers doctoral students.
School counseling connection: School Counseling Systems is one of the program’s named areas of expertise. Georgia State also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2027 (Reaffirmation in Process)

Georgia State says its PhD is for people who want to educate, train and supervise future clinical mental health, clinical rehabilitation or school counselors. School Counseling Systems is one of its named areas of expertise, alongside play therapy, trauma and LGBTQ issues in counseling. Graduates’ careers include school counseling and administration as well as university teaching.

Expect a demanding, mostly in-person program in downtown Atlanta. You’ll spend at least two consecutive semesters in full-time residence and complete a one-year internship before the preliminary exam. Applicants submit a writing sample and name the faculty they want to work with, and selected applicants interview.

Good to know: Georgia State admits for fall only. Its accreditation cycle ends October 31, 2027, with reaffirmation in process. That’s a routine renewal review, but ask where it stands.

Kansas State University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: School counselors who want to train future school counselors, mostly online, with one short trip to campus

Location: Manhattan, KS  |  Credits: At least 96 beyond the bachelor’s, including 12 dissertation hours
Format: Online (CACREP-confirmed), with campus delivery in Manhattan and Olathe
Residency: One weekend in Manhattan, Friday evening to Sunday morning, in early August
Funding: Not named on the program page. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: CACREP’s record says the program emphasizes preparing school counselor educators. K-State also offers a CACREP-accredited online Ed.S. in school counseling.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2032

Kansas State is a strong fit for school counselors who want to teach. CACREP’s record says the program places particular emphasis on preparing school counselor educators. The university lists director of counseling programs in P-12 settings among its graduates’ career paths. If your goal is to teach the next generation of school counselors, that focus is hard to find elsewhere.

The program has moved to digital delivery, and CACREP accredited its online format in July 2025. Key courses meet live, including Advanced Group Counseling, Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling, and the practicum and internship sequence. You’ll come to Manhattan once during coursework, for a weekend residency held each August.

The degree requires at least 96 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s, with 6 hours in an outside area of focus you plan with your committee. K-State says the program includes coursework that supports applying for mental health counseling licensure. Applicants should confirm whether their complete educational and supervised experience requirements meet the rules of the state where they intend to practice.

Good to know: K-State replaces the GRE with a scholarly writing sample of about 5 to 8 pages on an issue in counselor education. Start it early.

Liberty University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Counselors who want an online doctorate with faith integration and a few week-long trips to campus

Location: Lynchburg, VA  |  Credits: 60 beyond the master’s
Format: Online (CACREP-confirmed)
Residency: Residential intensive courses, each a week on campus, plus an on-campus dissertation defense
Funding: Not named on the program pages. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: Liberty also offers a CACREP-accredited M.Ed. in school counseling.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2032

Liberty’s doctorate is online, with residential intensive courses that each bring you to the Lynchburg campus for a week of instruction. Plan time off for those weeks. You’ll also return to campus to defend your dissertation.

Fieldwork is flexible. You can complete the practicum and internship wherever you live. Liberty is a Christian university, and the program trains students to integrate faith and spirituality into counselor education and supervision ethically. That’s a draw for some applicants and a poor fit for others.

The program requires at least 60 credit hours beyond the master’s. Liberty’s catalog lists college and university teaching, administrative roles and advanced professional counseling among graduates’ career paths.

Good to know: Liberty’s program pages don’t say how many intensives you’ll attend. Ask before you apply so you can plan travel and leave.

Old Dominion University: Ph.D. in Education, Counseling Concentration

Best for: School counselors who want to start with advanced school counseling coursework and build toward a doctorate, full-time or part-time

Location: Norfolk, VA  |  Length: About three years full-time, four years part-time
Format: In person, Norfolk campus
Residency: Full-time or part-time study
Funding: Full-time students often receive assistantships that include tuition waivers.
School counseling connection: ODU prepares leaders in specializations including school counseling, and courses from its Ed.S. in Advanced School Counseling can apply to the PhD.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2028 (Reaffirmation in Process)

Old Dominion offers a direct on-ramp for practicing school counselors. Its Ed.S. in Advanced School Counseling is built for school counselors who already hold a master’s, its courses are mostly online, and ODU says they can be applied to the PhD. That lets you start with leadership-focused school counseling coursework and decide on the doctorate as you go.

The PhD itself prepares university faculty and leaders across counseling specializations, including school counseling. You can study full-time or part-time. The program says full-time students usually finish in about three years and often receive assistantships with tuition waivers, while part-time students usually take about four years.

Good to know: Applicants need a CACREP-accredited master’s or the equivalent. If you’re missing master’s-level coursework, ODU adds it to your doctoral plan of study. Admissions are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Oregon State University: Ph.D. in Counseling

Best for: Working counselors in the West who want a part-time hybrid doctorate

Location: Corvallis, OR (in-person sessions near Portland)  |  Credits: 150 quarter credits, up to 56 from your master’s
Format: Hybrid, as described by the university, for the first two years
Residency: Periodic in-person classes near Portland
Funding: Not named on the program pages. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: Oregon State’s Master of Counseling has a school counseling option, and a graduate of the PhD, a middle school counselor, credits it with making her a better school counselor.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2032

Oregon State built its counseling programs for working professionals. The PhD runs in a hybrid format for the first two years, blending online coursework with in-person classes held periodically near Portland. It’s a way to earn a CACREP-accredited doctorate without relocating to campus.

The degree requires 150 quarter credits, and up to 56 of them can come from your master’s. You’ll complete a 630-hour internship. The university highlights a graduate who works as a middle school counselor in Forest Grove and was named Oregon School Counselor of the Year. She says the PhD made her a better school counselor, which is a useful reminder that the degree doesn’t require leaving the school building.

Good to know: Ask for the current in-person session schedule before you apply. Older university materials describe it differently.

Pennsylvania State University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Counselors who want a full-time, funded doctorate with a school counseling focus at a major research university

Location: University Park, PA
Format: In person, in residence at University Park only
Residency: Full-time, campus-based program
Funding: The program says students are routinely funded for at least three years.
School counseling connection: Doctoral students can focus on school counseling as their specialty area. Penn State also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2027 (Reaffirmation in Process)

Penn State is a classic research doctorate. It’s offered only in residence at University Park, and it’s built to produce counselor educators with strong teaching, research and service records. Doctoral students choose a specialty focus, and school counseling is one of the options alongside mental health and rehabilitation counseling.

Funding is a selling point. The program says students are routinely funded for at least three years, and its application essays can be used for funding nominations. Applicants need a master’s in counselor education before admission.

Good to know: Penn State waived the GRE for applicants in its December 2025 cycle. Confirm the policy for the cycle you’re applying in. The accreditation cycle ends October 31, 2027, with reaffirmation in process, which is a routine renewal review.

Sam Houston State University: Ph.D. in Counselor Education

Best for: Texas counselors who want a cohort doctorate with training to lead school counseling programs, while still working

Location: Huntsville, TX, with classes at The Woodlands Center
Format: In person and online courses, at the Huntsville campus and The Woodlands Center
Residency: Cohort model, with at least 6 credit hours per term
Funding: Not named on the program pages. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: The program prepares leaders in counselor education and supervision or school counseling, and students can receive special training to lead school counseling programs.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2031 (Progress Report Required with a Notice of Concern)

Sam Houston State puts school counseling in the program’s description. The PhD prepares students for leadership positions in counselor education and supervision or school counseling. The program says students can receive special training to be leaders in school counseling programs. For a school counselor aiming at a district leadership role, that focus is worth a close look.

The program fits working counselors. Courses are structured to accommodate students who work full-time, and faculty teach face-to-face and online at the main campus and The Woodlands Center north of Houston. You’ll move through core courses with the same cohort, and you’ll build advanced counseling and supervision skills in the program’s clinics at both locations.

Good to know: CACREP lists this program as Accredited (Progress Report Required with a Notice of Concern), with its cycle running through October 31, 2031. Ask the program what it’s addressing and how that affects incoming students.

Syracuse University: Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education

Best for: Counselors who want a residential, assistantship-supported doctorate with strong job placement

Location: Syracuse, NY  |  Credits: 96 beyond the bachelor’s, plus 9 to 15 dissertation credits  |  Length: Typically three years full-time
Format: In person, on campus
Residency: Residential program, with part-time study also available
Funding: Applicants are automatically considered for graduate and teaching assistantships.
School counseling connection: The PhD page doesn’t single out school counseling, though graduates work as supervisors in schools. Syracuse also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2027 (Reaffirmation in Process)

Syracuse runs a residential doctorate on its main campus, and most students finish in three years of full-time study. Part-time study is available too. If your master’s wasn’t CACREP-accredited, you may need to make up missing courses as part of the program.

The program reports a 100% employment rate for graduates within six months. Graduates work as counselor education faculty, directors of counseling programs, and clinicians and supervisors in university counseling centers, agencies and schools. One program hallmark is college mental health counseling, with internships and assistantships across the university.

Good to know: The application deadline is November 1, and applicants are automatically considered for assistantships. The accreditation cycle ends October 31, 2027, with reaffirmation in process, which is a routine renewal review.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: Ph.D. in Counselor Education

Best for: Counselors who want a cohort doctorate with teaching assistantships and a track record of placing graduates in faculty jobs

Location: Corpus Christi, TX  |  Credits: 69
Format: In person, Corpus Christi campus
Residency: Cohort program
Funding: The program says teaching assistantships and scholarships are available.
School counseling connection: The PhD page doesn’t single out school counseling. The department prepares counselors to work in schools and offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2028

TAMU-CC’s doctorate is built to produce counselor educators. The program says more than 50 of its PhD graduates are working as university assistant or associate professors. It also says teaching assistantships and scholarships are available.

Students move through the 69-credit program as a cohort. Clinical training includes a 300-hour doctoral practicum and a 600-hour internship spread across clinical work, teaching, research, supervision, and leadership and advocacy. The department’s master’s program was named the 2020 Outstanding Master’s Counselor Education Program by the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.

Good to know: If school counseling is your focus, ask how doctoral students gain teaching and supervision experience with the school counseling master’s students.

University of Central Florida: Ph.D. in Education, Counselor Education Track

Best for: Counselors who want a full-time campus doctorate with assistantships and hands-on clinic training

Location: Orlando, FL
Format: In person (all doctoral courses meet face to face)
Residency: Campus-based program
Funding: Graduate assistantships, contingent on funding availability, that typically include a stipend, tuition waiver and student health insurance. Students still pay university fees.
School counseling connection: Faculty research and service areas include school counseling. UCF also offers CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s programs.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2030

UCF’s track prepares counselor educators for higher education and supervisors for schools and agencies. That second path makes it a good fit for school counselors who want to lead supervision in a district. Faculty research areas include trauma and loss, military counseling, supervision, addiction and school counseling.

Training is hands-on. Doctoral students complete clinical and supervisory work in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center, which provides free counseling to Central Florida residents. UCF reports that 81% of its doctoral graduates work as counselor educators.

Good to know: UCF awards a PhD in Education with a counselor education track, not a degree titled counselor education and supervision. CACREP accredits it in the CES specialty.

University of Iowa: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Counselors who want a full-time research doctorate with a formal school counseling emphasis

Location: Iowa City, IA
Format: In person
Residency: Campus-based program
Funding: Departmental reporting says 99% of CES doctoral students received scholarships in 2025. Ask about current scholarship amounts, assistantships and renewal terms.
School counseling connection: Iowa offers an optional school counseling emphasis, and the department also runs a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2028

Iowa’s PhD trains counselor educators across the profession, including clinical mental health, rehabilitation and school counseling. You can add an optional emphasis in school counseling, gifted education or professional leadership. For a school counselor who wants to teach, the school counseling emphasis keeps your doctoral work anchored in schools.

Graduates go on to faculty and clinical roles in counselor education programs, as well as supervision, research and consulting work. The program’s page points students to the American School Counselor Association and the Iowa School Counselor Association, a sign of how much school counseling runs through it.

Good to know: Iowa admits for fall, with priority given to applications received by January 1. Ask the department whether GRE scores are required for your admission cycle. Published university materials differ.

University of Missouri-St. Louis: Ph.D. in Education, Counseling Emphasis

Best for: Midwest counselors who want a social justice-focused doctorate led by school counseling faculty

Location: St. Louis, MO
Format: In person, St. Louis campus
Residency: Campus-based program
Funding: Not named on the program pages. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: The doctoral program coordinator is a school counseling faculty member, and graduates’ careers include school counseling director. UMSL also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2033

UMSL says its PhD in Education with an emphasis in counseling is the only doctoral counseling program in Missouri with CACREP accreditation. That makes it the in-state option for Missouri counselors who want to teach or lead without relocating.

School counseling is woven through the faculty. The doctoral program is coordinated by a school counseling faculty member, and the program lists school counseling director among graduates’ career paths, alongside professor and researcher. The 600-hour doctoral internship is split across teaching, supervision, counseling, research and leadership.

Good to know: Its accreditation cycle runs through October 31, 2033, one of the longest on this list.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Counselors who want a full-time doctorate where they’ll supervise and teach school counseling students

Location: Charlotte, NC
Format: In person, full-time
Residency: Designed as a full-time program
Funding: Department assistantships of 10 hours a week, and the program says doctoral students who seek an assistantship typically get one.
School counseling connection: Doctoral students supervise and teach in the school counseling concentration, and faculty expertise includes school counseling.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2034

UNC Charlotte gives doctoral students hands-on experience with school counseling from day one. You’ll supervise master’s students and teach courses across three concentrations: school counseling, addictions counseling and clinical mental health counseling. Faculty expertise spans school counseling, clinical mental health, play therapy, addictions, and couples and family counseling.

Funding is dependable. The department offers several assistantships each year that involve about 10 hours a week with faculty, and the program says doctoral students who seek one typically get one. The department also houses a Multicultural Play Therapy Center.

Good to know: The program is designed as full-time, with a maximum of nine years to finish. Its accreditation cycle runs through October 31, 2034, the longest on this list.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro: Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education

Best for: Experienced counselors who can commit to a full-time, daytime cohort for three years

Location: Greensboro, NC  |  Length: Three years full-time
Format: In person, on the main campus, with daytime classes
Residency: Full-time, cohort-based program
Funding: Not named on the program page. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: Graduates’ careers include director of a school counseling program. UNCG also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through April 30, 2034

UNCG runs an immersive doctoral experience. It’s a full-time, three-year cohort program designed for experienced counseling professionals, with courses held in person and mostly during the day. Each year, about five to eight doctoral students are recommended for admission, so you’ll know your cohort well.

Graduates go on to work as counselor educators, clinical supervisors, clinic directors, researchers and directors of school counseling programs. That last role is a natural next step for a school counselor who wants to lead a district program.

Good to know: Because classes meet during the day, this program is hard to combine with a full-time school counseling job. The application deadline is November 15.

University of North Texas: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Texas counselors who want to specialize in school counseling at the doctoral level

Location: Denton, TX  |  Credits: At least 72 beyond the master’s
Format: In person (doctoral courses require in-person attendance)
Residency: Campus-based program
Funding: Not named on the program pages. Ask the program.
School counseling connection: School counseling is one of the doctoral specialty areas, and UNT prepares graduates to direct guidance and counseling programs in schools. UNT also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through March 31, 2028 (Reaffirmation in Process)

North Texas lets you choose a specialty area at the start of the program, and school counseling is one of them. Graduates are prepared to work as counselor educators, supervisors, advanced practitioners and directors of guidance and counseling programs in schools. That last role is a direct path to district counseling leadership.

Expect an in-person program. UNT requires in-person attendance for its doctoral counseling courses, and you’ll complete at least 72 semester hours beyond the master’s. Along the way you’ll build a portfolio documenting your teaching, supervision, research and leadership skills.

Good to know: You need a master’s in counseling and GRE scores to apply. Admission starts as provisional until the program reviews your progress in core courses.

University of Northern Colorado: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision

Best for: Counselors in the Mountain West who want a school counseling emphasis and resident tuition across participating western states

Location: Greeley, CO  |  Length: 3.5 to 4 years full-time, 5 to 6 years part-time
Format: In person
Residency: Full-time or part-time study
Funding: WICHE-approved program offering resident tuition rates to eligible students from 14 other participating states. Verify eligibility and ask about assistantships.
School counseling connection: School counseling is one of the program’s emphasis areas, and graduates go on to work as school counselors and directors of school guidance.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2029 (Progress Report Required)

Northern Colorado lets you choose an emphasis area, and school counseling is one of the options alongside children and adolescents, couples and family counseling, and gerontological counseling. You can also substitute a 15-credit doctoral minor for the emphasis. Graduates work as faculty members, advanced clinicians, school counselors and directors of school guidance.

The program’s WICHE approval matters if you live in the West. It lets eligible students from 14 other states attend at the resident tuition rate, which can change the math for a multi-year doctorate.

Good to know: Part-time study is an option. Ask how part-time students fit teaching and supervision experiences around a job.

William & Mary: Ph.D. in Counselor Education

Best for: Experienced counselors who want a small, full-time doctorate with faculty research on schools

Location: Williamsburg, VA  |  Credits: 69  |  Length: Three years full-time
Format: In person, on campus
Residency: Full-time, campus-based program
Funding: Competitive graduate assistantships for full-time students (at least 9 credit hours per semester). Eligible applicants are also considered for scholarships.
School counseling connection: Faculty research includes trauma-informed practices in schools and support for first-generation students. William & Mary also offers a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s.
Accreditation: CACREP-accredited through October 31, 2032 (Progress Report Required)

William & Mary designed its PhD for experienced counseling professionals. Over three full-time years, you’ll study research methods, counselor education, supervision, leadership and counseling theory, and work closely with a faculty mentor to build a focused research agenda.

The faculty’s research lines up well with school counselors’ interests. It includes supporting first-generation and underrepresented students, advancing trauma-informed practices in schools and expanding STEM pathways. Doctoral students also take on leadership roles through the university’s Flanagan Counselor Education Clinic and get chances to co-author publications and present at national conferences.

Good to know: You’ll need a master’s in counseling, preferably CACREP-accredited, and a foundation in educational research before you start.