College of Education, Department of Educational, School & Counseling Psychology Counseling Psychology (Ph.D)

Counseling Psychology PhD programs accept less than 12% of the students who apply (APA Graduate Study in Psychology Summary Report, 2017).  Given the extremely competitive nature of doctoral admissions, students often choose to first complete a counseling psychology master’s program, where they can develop the professional identity and skills needed to be accepted into a counseling psychology doctoral program.

The University of Kentucky’s Master of Science (M.S.) in Education is a two year, full-time (12 credits per fall/spring semester), 48 credit hour terminal degree program that provides students with the comprehensive, foundational training specifically designed to prepare students to successfully apply for Counseling Psychology doctoral programs. 

Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

Meet our alumni

Delivery Method: In-person

Credit Hours: 48

Department of Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology

Students graduating from our doctoral preparation M.S. program who apply to doctoral programs have a strong track record (92% success rate as of May 2024) of obtaining offers of admission to counseling psychology PhD and/or PsyD doctoral programs.

We seek to train future health service psychology (HSP) professionals, by using a broad focus on biological, psychological, social, and cultural aspects of health and behavior. The philosophy of the program is rooted in the values and goals of a society that prioritizes the optimal health and well-being of all persons in that society. We envision a society where everyone has access to healthy environments that support healthy development and functioning. By preparing our scholars to facilitate optimal well-being at many levels, from individual to community to systems approaches, we empower them to address structural challenges and foster well-being through science and practice.

The program is not designed for people who may want to stop their graduate education after getting their master’s degree (i.e., for people who want to get licensed at the master’s level as a mental health counselor or psychological associate in order to provide psychological health services to clients). Students who may want to become licensed as master’s-level talk therapists/counselors should consider other programs, such as UK’s 60-credit hour CACREP-accredited Counseling master’s program.

Through rigorous courses, supervised clinical practica, and research lab involvement, our students learn the research, psychotherapy, professional, and cultural humility skills needed to succeed in advanced doctoral study. Students received doctoral preparation mentoring from faculty and doctoral students during both years of the program to help students learnlearn how to navigate the higher education environment (e.g.,  rules and norms, resources, community engagement, support, and belonging), doctoral admissions, succeeding in graduate school, and crafting a sustainable career path in counseling psychology.  Students receive tailored feedback on their doctoral application materials and interviewing skills to help them make the right impression during the doctoral application process.

To keep class sizes small, we accept a limited number of students each year.  This ensures an excellent student-to-faculty ratio (4 students to 1 core counseling psychology faculty member), which is an important metric to consider when choosing a master’s program.

To ensure the highest-quality training, students complete the program on-site in Lexington, KY, where they work face to face with faculty.  The program cannot be completed part-time or via online distance learning.

There are limited on-campus funding opportunities (e.g., graduate assistantships) available to M.S. students via the UKJobs website (https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/search).  During 2023-2024, 37% of our M.S. students were able to secure full-time funding (i.e., a 20/hrs/wk graduate assistantship/fellowship that provides full tuition remission, monthly stipend [minimum of $14,520 for 9-month assistantship], student health insurance plan).  This percentage is higher than the percentage of many mental health master’s programs across the country (be sure to ask each program you are applying to for this percentage so that you can incorporate this into your admissions decision making). Second year students are significantly more likely to receive funding than first year students, as they have the opportunity to apply when many positions for the next academic year are posted the prior December-March.

A detailed description of the requirements for the M.S. program are fully described in the M.S. Handbook

We use a competency-based approach to training. Our training model aligns with the prevailing standards of our field, as articulated by CCPTP’s Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity and APA’s Preparing Professional Psychologists to Serve a Diverse Public and Professional Practice Guidelines.

A detailed description of the requirements for the M.S. program are fully described in the M.S. Handbook.

The annual M.S. program application deadline is February 1. 

Generally, students who enter the master’s program have completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related discipline (e.g., sociology, pre-med). GRE scores are optional. There is no minimum GRE score requirement or cut-off.

Applications for admission are evaluated by the program faculty who carefully review the applicant’s (a) GPA; (b) GRE scores, if provided; (c) letters of recommendation addressing academic, research, and counseling experiences and interpersonal skills; (d) match with the doctoral preparation emphasis of the program; (e) Statement of Purpose outlining professional goals (i.e., is it commensurate with our training model and values, and does it demonstrate excellence in written communication); and (f) capacity to contribute to creating a world in which belonging and community engagement is prioritized. The program faculty holistically considers the entire application of a prospective student and makes decisions based not only on numerical criteria but also on perceived fit with program goals, needs, and values. Therefore, a low score in one area can be off-set by professional strengths in another area. Minimum GPA is >2.75 for undergraduate and >3.00 for graduate. Minimum TOEFL score is 79. It is crucial that students articulate in their Statement of Purpose how their career goals match the doctoral preparation emphasis of the program.

We conduct a master’s interview day (via the Zoom teleconference platform) where top applicants meet with program faculty and current students.  Master’s interview day is held each year on a Friday in March (the 2025 interview date is to be determined).  This interview process helps the program faculty and prospective students further assess fit with the program. After the interview day, the program faculty meet to review, discuss, and make final decisions about admission offers.

Your professional training will be guided by the program faculty, who are highly productive, cited, and awarded counseling psychologists. 

Check out our videos, in which we answer students’ questions about Counseling Psychology and our programs and our master’s students answer six questions about their experience with the UK Counseling Psychology M.S. program. If you have questions about the program that you would like to ask someone who has been through the master’s training, contact Melanie Miller (memi257@uky.edu).

To complete this degree, students must:

• Engage in full-time study (9-12 credits per fall/spring semester), residing in Lexington.  
• Complete a dissertation 
• Complete a one-year, full-time internship at an APA accredited site, which usually requires relocation to another state.