PhD in School Counseling Online Programs

Whether you’re hoping to counsel students on their next steps or pursue new scholarship in the field of educational counseling, earning a doctorate in school counseling may be the perfect path! School counseling graduate programs may help you make contributions to your field, like research, leadership, and advocacy. You could explore new theories and strategies for effective counseling, plus apply your knowledge to new challenges like counselor supervision and education.  

doctorate in school counseling

What You May Learn While Earning a Doctorate in School Counseling

Naturally, you’ll want to know which useful and inspiring courses you might find in school counseling graduate programs! However, that may depend on your doctorate in school counseling program’s focus, and your own career goals. For example, if you pursue a counseling and educational psychology doctorate program, you can probably expect to study principles of psychology ranging from personality assessment and psychological measurement to psychopathology and behavior therapy.

The goal of this program may be to help you prepare to address students’ personal and mental health issues, and guide their academic choices. On the other hand, if you plan to pursue a PhD in counselor education, you may focus more on strategies for teaching or supervising future generations of school counselors. In that case, you might study instructional methods and best practices that could help you teach, advise, supervise or lead other school counselors.

That said, here is a sampling of potential subjects you might study in a counseling and educational psychology doctorate program:

  • Foundations of counseling
  • Social psychology
  • Interventions to develop academic skills
  • Diverse learners
  • Principles of school psychology

And here’s a sampling of potential courses in a school counselor education and supervision doctorate program:

  • Advanced group counseling
  • Supervision and consultation
  • Counselor education
  • Family, systems, and development
  • Research design

Keep in mind that both types of school counseling graduate programs may require you to engage in an internship, plus write and defend an original dissertation.

Next Steps

Whether you’re hoping to pursue a new career path or enhance a current role, earning a doctorate in school counseling may help you pursue research, exploration, and leadership in your field. So, check out a few prospective graduate programs for school counseling or educational psychology and see what they may have to offer! On this page, you’ll find sponsored listings for school counseling graduate programs that may interest you!