Counseling

The CEPR Counseling Division has more concentrations than any other program in Tennessee and has the only Clinical Rehabilitation and Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling programs in the state. We are nationally ranked and known for our quality, dedication to students, and impact on the community. Our Master's programs and Doctoral program are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) (Access our recent CACREP reports). The programs in our Counseling Division are designed to prepare individuals for positions in a variety of counseling professions, and we give you the knowledge and tools to change lives for the better.

Program Mission

The University of Memphis Counseling programs are dedicated to:

• Providing a learner-centered environment for students to engage in experiential learning activities while also fostering the students' development of self-care and self-reflexive practices that will support their continued success as counselors beyond graduate school.
• Fostering multicultural competence and social justice through increasing self-awareness and respect for human dignity and diversity.
• Training ethical and competent counselors with a repertoire of skills grounded in evidence-based practice to engage in with the diverse communities in which they live.
• Assisting emerging counselors in developing a professional counselor identity that values a developmental, strengths-based, wellness approach to helping clients enhance their quality of life.  

Student Resources

 

Degrees & Certificates

Faculty & Research

Application Process

Applicants are selected during the fall and spring semesters based on their undergraduate record, graduate record (where applicable),  personal interview conducted by program faculty, completed goal statement, and letters of recommendation that address the applicant's suitability for the counseling profession, ethics, and demonstration of diversity related endeavors.

Applicants must apply to the Graduate School. The Master of Science degree in Counseling is a limited access program; not all eligible candidates are admitted. To be considered for admission, applicants must provide:   

• Official undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts of all academic work completed;
• Complete admission application including appropriate goals essay;
• Provide three letters of academic and/or professional reference; and
• Undergo an interview with the faculty.

Deadline for the completion of all admissions requirements is March 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. The program selection committee selects students after all application materials and the personal interviews are completed.

• All college transcripts should be sent directly to Graduate Admissions.

Guiding Documents

Five mission statements provide structure and purpose to the Department of Counseling. First, the Mission Statement of the University provides a framework for focusing on engaged scholarship, learner centered programs, and responsible stewardship. Second, the College of Education specifies the preparation of candidates to serve a diverse community. Third, The Mission Statement of the American Counseling Association (ACA) defines Professional Counseling and identifies the role of the Professional Counselor in various settings. Fourth, the mission statement of the counseling program connects the preceding mission statements to the art and science of educating Professional Counselors. Finally, each counseling concentration has developed a specific mission statement to further develop the precepts outlined by the counseling department mission statement. From these documents, the department faculty members have identified eight over-arching program objectives for student learning outcomes.

Program Objectives

1. Students will develop a professional counselor identity consistent with respective credentialing for specialty area (e.g. licensure, certification) and demonstrate professional and ethical behavior consistent with professional codes of ethics in their interaction with fellow student/colleagues, faculty, and clients that values a developmental, strengths-based, wellness approach to helping clients enhance their quality of life.
2. Students will develop cultural knowledge, self-awareness, skills, and strategies for counseling and advocacy within a diverse community
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of theory and practice as they relate to diverse developmental experiences across the lifespan and in diverse contexts and settings.
4. Students will describe and apply a variety of career counseling theories, models, assessment, and techniques and how they apply to diverse populations in a global community.
5. Students will demonstrate an ability to create an environment conducive to developing counseling relationships consistent with client goals and evidence based skills in assessment, counseling, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and documentation.
6. Students will understand principles of group dynamics, including group processing components, developmental stage theories, group members' roles and behaviors, and therapeutic factors of group work that include group leadership or facilitation styles and approaches and characteristics of various types of groups.
7. Students will demonstrate ethically and culturally competent test and non-test assessment selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation skills related to academic/educational, career, personal, and social development, including risk assessment in a variety of settings.
8. Students will demonstrate the ability to identify, critically evaluate, and apply quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research to inform and evaluate counseling practice.

An evaluation of our program for all objectives can be found here: 2020 Annual Report- Department of Counseling

University of Memphis – Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 4082. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. University of Memphis is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.