Research
The Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program has extensive requirements related to research. In addition to coursework related to research methods and statistical analyses, students are expected to actively participate on research teams/research practica, complete a research competency project, pass a College-wide Research Methods certification exam, and complete a dissertation. These activities are described in detail below:
Research Practicum
All Counseling Psychology Doctoral students are required to take two semesters of Research Practicum (CCPJ 6572-79). Special permission is required from the faculty member. During their Research Practicum, students participate in ongoing research projects under the direction of a faculty member. Participation includes learning and implementing key components of conducting research, and integrating research theory and methods with actual hands-on research practice. As part of their involvement in Research Practicum students are expected to formulate hypotheses, build a conceptual framework, identify and select appropriate variables and instruments, understand research ethics and concerns, collect, code, and analyze data, and present research at a national conference. Students should be familiar with a range of qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches and become competent statisticians. In addition, students are expected to complete a Second-Year Research Project (see next section) under the supervision of the Research Practicum Supervisor and another faculty member. Research competencies obtained during the Research Practicum are evaluated by successful completion of the Second-Year Research Project.
Research Competency Project
During their second or third year, Doctoral students are required to complete a research project under the supervision of their Research Practicum Supervisor and another faculty member. This project must be empirically-based and of publishable quality. As part of this project, students must submit a 10-15 page research proposal (review of the literature, project design, and proposed method) to their Supervisor and another faculty member by
the end of their first year. In their second or third year, they will collect and analyze data and write up their results. This project should be prepared according to APA (2001, 5th Edition) specifications and formatted according to a typical APA journal article. Students will present their completed project in a Counseling Psychology colloquium of similar professional venue. Students should work toward completing the research project paper while completing their academic coursework.
Research Methods Certification Exam
All Counseling Psychology students must take and pass the College-Wide Psychology Research Methods Exam (Certification Exam). Students wishing to take the exam must be in good standing; consult with your Advisor regarding your readiness to take the exam. Students may take this exam after finishing the Program's research sequence, typically during the second semester of their second year or first semester of the third year in the Program. This exam is offered twice a year in October and February. Preparation materials and previous exam questions are on reserve online through Teachers College Library.
The Dissertation
For most Doctoral students, the completion of course requirements presents few problems. Successful completion of a dissertation is usually less easily managed. Unless carefully planned in advance, it can prove to be a difficult hurdle. Accordingly, the Program has several built-in features designed to facilitate the formulation and successful execution of an acceptable dissertation proposal; discuss this process fully with your dissertation Advisor to plan your sequence appropriately. Students must have an approved dissertation proposal before they can apply for an internship. The Counseling Psychology faculty also expects that the completion of a second year research project also will help to facilitate the dissertation process.