Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

We're pleased you are considering applying to the Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology. We hope you have visited our Prospective Students and Faculty and Research links for information on our students and faculty and the exciting training we offer. The university uses an online application process that incorporates both the application to the Graduate School and the application to the Counseling Psychology program. You can find information on the application process and access the online system here. As you enter the online system, you will choose the Counseling Psychology program and will provide information specific to that program.  Please note that individuals who are writing letters of reference for you will need to complete a rating form in addition to the narrative letter. The rating form/ letter is a fillable Word document that can be obtained via the online system or can be accessed here and sent to your references.  Please contact Dr. Sara Bridges or Dr. Sue Lease with specific questions about the program.

Application Deadline: December 5, 2024 for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Application requirements:

• 4 letters of recommendation (rating form included)
• Personal Statement (This statement should address goals, perceived fit with Counseling Psychology, research interests, clinical experience, and diversity and inclusion experiences- see the online application for a complete description of what should be included in the personal statement.)
• Interview 

Applicants to the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology typically hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in counseling, psychology, or a related mental health field and often have had substantial supervised counseling work experience. The following master's level courses (or their equivalents) are typically completed as part of master's level training in counseling or psychology programs. However, if these were not completed in masters' programs, they are prerequisite to doctoral level courses in the content areas:

• Group Processes
• Theories of Counseling
• Career Counseling
• Assessment Techniques
• Pre-practicum techniques/Practicum
• Statistics/Research

Individuals without master's degrees are considered for admission with the understanding that they will be required to complete the necessary prerequisite courses early in the doctoral program. Completion of all required coursework will necessitate a minimum of four years of coursework prior to the predoctoral internship year.

Important Issues of Licensure. The Counseling Psychology doctoral program may lead to professional licensure. Please note that if you have been convicted of a felony or crime other than a minor traffic offense, been denied licensure as a mental health professional or been disciplined by a state's licensing board, or had a civil suit judgment entered against you or entered into an adverse civil settlement, it is possible that you may be denied licensure following graduation from the program. Please review the licensure requirements by contacting the specific state licensing board. 

Also, you should be aware that criminal convictions may make you ineligible for placement in clinical experiences required by the program, impacting your ability to successfully complete the course and program requirements.

Again, applications for both the Graduate School and Department program must be completed (that includes transcripts, test scores), and all of this information for both applications is contained in the single online application. Please refer to the Graduate School for the Graduate School admissions information or contact:

Office of Admissions
The University of Memphis
FedEx Institute of Technology, Suite 201
Memphis TN 38152
(901) 678-3685

Student Contacts

One important piece of information is how current students perceive the program, but applicants don't always know how to contact those students. At the Counseling Psychology program at The University of Memphis, several doctoral students (and graduates) in the program have volunteered to serve as contacts and information sources for students who are considering applying to the doctoral program at The UofM. These students and information about their year in the program are listed below. Please click on a name to send an email.

Financial Information

Financial considerations play a vital role in the decision-making process. Please click here for detailed information about funding in the department. Students may also benefit from additional knowledge about cost of living in Memphis, program amenities, etc. Please click on the link below for more details about living in Memphis.

• Additional Financial Information

If you have further questions, please contact Sara Bridges or Sue Lease.