• Program Application
• Master’s degree in Counseling or related profession from an accredited college or university or Post-Graduate NAAP-Certification and State Certification or Licensure as a psychoanalyst
• GPA of at least 3.2
• Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate degree programs
• Prior coursework in the following content areas required prior to acceptance:
  • Human Growth and Development over the Lifespan
  • Psychopathology and Diagnosis
  • Appraisal and Evaluation
  • Research Methods
  • Career Counseling and Development or Lifestyle
  • Cultural and Social Diversity
  • Group Process
  • Counseling Theories
• Documentation of Supervised Practicum (at least 100 hours) and Internship (at least 600 hours)
• Two professional references from employers, supervisors, or faculty members
• Writing sample in APA format and/or copy of published work; a supplemental writing course may be required to develop proficiency in doctoral level writing in counseling
• Personal statement outlining objectives for entering the program and prospective research interest (2 pages)
• Current résumé highlighting any practice, supervisory, or research experience
• Proof of license or credential that supports practice in residence or work location
• Personal interview with the Graduate Program Coordinator

Current students may receive early conditional admission to the doctoral program as a graduate counseling student if they meet the following criteria:

• Program Application
• Acceptance to, or currently enrolled in, a Caldwell University Master’s degree program in Counseling
• GPA of at least 3.2
• Personal statement outlining objectives for entering the program and prospective research interest (two pages, double spaced)
• Personal interview upon request of the Graduate Program Coordinator
• Full admission requires proof of license or credential that supports practice in residence or work location

DOCTORAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

1. Teaching and Pedagogy – Prepare graduates to effectively deliver instruction in Counseling with Emphasis in the Expressive Therapies by developing advanced skills in pedagogy, curriculum design, assessment of learning, and inclusive instructional practices in higher education and training settings.

2. Clinical Supervision – Prepare graduates to provide advanced, ethical, and culturally responsive clinical supervision by integrating counseling theory, expressive therapies, supervisory models, and reflective practice across diverse clinical contexts.

3. Scholarship and Research – Prepare graduates to design, conduct, evaluate, and disseminate rigorous scholarship that advances Counselor Education and Supervision with Emphasis in Expressive Therapies through a range of research methods and applications to practice through action research.

4. Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice – Prepare graduates for Advanced Counseling Practice while integrating Expressive Therapies across a range of populations and settings.
Our 60-credit program consists of four required components:

Foundational Knowledge Courses | 12 Credits
Core Experience Courses | 24 Credits
Dissertation Course Sequence | 12 Credits
Elective Courses | 9 Credits

The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with Emphasis in Expressive Therapies is intentionally designed to be an accessible graduate program that welcomes students from a range of academic backgrounds, accepting mental health professionals; those who have established themselves for practice through licensure or credentialing. Applicants must hold a master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution. Applicants who require further competency in writing are required to take CPS-500: Writing in Counseling, as a prerequisite.


FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE COURSES (15 credits, 5 courses)
CES-700: Teaching in Counseling (3)
CES-701: Research Methods and Program Evaluation (3)
CES-702: Advances in Clinical Supervision (3)
Choose 703 or 704:
CES-703: Advanced Practice in Counseling: Expressive Arts Therapies (3) or
CES-704: Advanced Practice in Counseling: Psychodynamics of Psychotherapy (3)
CES-709: Leadership and Advocacy I (3)

CORE EXPERIENCE COURSES (24 credits, 8 courses)
CES-705: Supervised Advanced Practice Internship I (3)
CES-706: Teaching in Action Experience I (3)
CES-707: Supervision in Action Experience I (3)
CES-708: Qualitative Research Design and Data Analysis (3)
CES-715: Supervised Advanced Practice Internship II (3)
CES-716: Teaching in Action Experience II (3)
CES-717: Supervision in Action Experience II (3)
CES-719: Leadership and Advocacy II (3)

DISSERTATION SEQUENCE (12 credits, 4 courses)
CES-810: Dissertation I: Proposal Writing (3)
CES-811: Dissertation II: Research Design and Data Collection (3)
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense (0)
CES-812: Dissertation III: Results and Analysis (3)
CES-813: Dissertation IV: Discussion and Dissemination (3)
Doctoral Dissertation Defense (0)

ELECTIVES (9 credits, 3 courses)
CPS-600: Treatment of Trauma (3)
CPS-615: Spirituality and Creativity (3)
CPS-620: Advanced Seminar in Creative Techniques (3)
CPS-621: Crisis Intervention in Counseling (3)
CPS-623: Marriage and Family Counseling (3)
CPS-637: Substance Abuse Counseling (3)
CPS-640: Advanced Experiential Methods (3)
CPS-641: Study Abroad – Integrated Topics (3)
CPS-643: Working with Children and Families (3)
CPS-647: Counseling and Spirituality (3)
CPS-657: Issues of Grief in Counseling (3)
CPS-699: Special Topics in Counseling – Technology Applications (3)
CPS-698: Seminar in Special Topics (3)
CES-720: Arts in Healthcare (3)
CES-721: Modern Psychoanalytic Techniques (3)
CES-722: Expressive Arts Therapies I (3)
CES-725: Supervised Advanced Practice Internship III (3)
CES-726: Teaching in Action Experience III (3)
CES-727: Supervision in Action Experience III (3)
CES-729: Leadership and Advocacy III (3)

SUPPLEMENTAL COURSES (Not required – If Needed)
CPS-500: Writing in Counseling (3)
CES-815: Dissertation: Continuing Progress (3)



 
 
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE COURSES (12 credits, 4 courses)
CES-700: Teaching in Counseling Education (Asynchronous)
This course explores foundational theories, principles, and practices of teaching and learning in higher education settings. Emphasis is placed on counselor education pedagogy, including experiential, relational, and expressive arts–informed teaching approaches. Students examine adult learning theory, curriculum development, inclusive and culturally responsive instruction, and assessment of learning, with attention to integrating psychodynamic and arts-based methods when developing an instruction style and professional identity.

CES-701: Research Methods and Program Evaluation (In Person or Synchronous) This course introduces research literacy, design, range of methodologies, and program evaluation techniques relevant to counseling, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, expressive arts therapies and counseling education. Students examine an overview of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

CES-702: Advances in Clinical Supervision (Asynchronous)
This course reviews supervisory roles and functions with review of foundational theories, models, and practices within ethical, legal, technology-assisted, and multicultural frameworks for a range of supervisory settings from agency to private practice. Additional topics include leadership styles, supervisor self-care, parallel process, and countertransference reactions to the supervisee, handling conflicts, building and maintaining relationships with peers and treatment collaborations and working within the culture of an organization. A range of supervision modalities will be explored with an emphasis on supervision for expressive therapies.
Advanced Practice Courses (Choose One)
CES-703: Advanced Practice in Counseling: Expressive Arts Therapies (In Person)
This course expands upon theoretical, clinical, and scholarship in counseling and expressive therapies practice. Students will develop and engage in arts-based research practices which will strengthen professional identity development, and enhance the application of expressive therapies within clinical settings. There will be an emphasis on ethical, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed practice.
CES-704: Advanced Practice in Counseling: Psychodynamics of Psychotherapy (Synchronous)
This course examines psychodynamic theories and their application through therapeutic practice, with emphasis on understanding unconscious processes, relational dynamics, resistance, and transference countertransference phenomena. Students explore and compare contemporary and historic psychodynamic approaches. Students develop advanced skills in the application of psychodynamic principles across diverse clinical populations and settings.

CORE EXPERIENCE COURSES (27 credits, 9 courses, including Part II to 705, 706, 707, and 709)
CES-705: Supervised Advanced Practice Internship I (Synchronous)
This course provides supervised field experience in advanced counseling practice with focus on clinical skill development for the expressive therapies. Process recordings are reviewed each week during group supervision. Students’ sites and supervisors must be vetted and meet the credentialing requirements outlined in the doctoral fieldwork manual in advance of the course. To begin, students must have demonstrated compliance with the policies as outlined in the doctoral fieldwork manual and will indicate their agreement to uphold fieldwork standards. (Prerequisite: CES 703 or 704)

CES-706: Teaching in Action Experience I (Synchronous)
This course provides mentored fieldwork teaching experience involving instruction and facilitation in counselor education contexts. Course development, planning, instruction, and assessment are addressed. Applications of technology to teaching delivery are reviewed. Students participate in the intersection between course delivery and program evaluation. Weekly mentoring sessions with faculty and group supervision integrate theory into practice. Students’ sites and supervisors must be vetted and meet the credentialing requirements outlined in the doctoral fieldwork manual in advance of the course. To begin, students must have demonstrated compliance with the policies as outlined in the doctoral fieldwork manual and will indicate their agreement to uphold fieldwork standards. (Prerequisite: CES 704)

CES-707: Supervision in Action Experience I (Synchronous)
This course provides an opportunity for applied field experience in supervision within clinical settings under small group supervision of supervision. This field experience includes mentorship by site personnel. Supervisory sessions are reviewed during weekly group supervision. Students’ sites and supervisors must be vetted and meet the credentialing requirements outlined in the doctoral fieldwork manual in advance of the course. To begin, students must have demonstrated compliance with the policies as outlined in the doctoral fieldwork manual and will indicate their agreement to uphold fieldwork standards. (Prerequisite: CES 704).

CES-708: Qualitative Research Design and Data Analysis (In Person or Synchronous)
Explores research design and data analysis strategies suited to furthering the knowledge and practice of the expressive therapies such as single case study, ethnography, phenomenological, and action research. The course reviews existing literature in these areas. Students will learn how to develop a research proposal with a statement of problem, research question, literature review and selected methodology with rationale. Students will learn how to prepare a proposal for IRB review. (prerequisite: CES 701)

CES-719: Leadership and Advocacy in Action  II (Asynchronous)
This course examines leadership roles, policies, and processes for counselors and human service professionals in expressive therapies. Students participate in professional and policy contexts impacting policy, services, and professional activities. Emphasis is placed on participation in leadership teams that maintain and influence institutional and systemic processes and changes.

DISSERTATION SEQUENCE (12 credits, 4 courses)
CES-810: Dissertation I: Proposal Writing (In Person or Synchronous)
This course focuses on the development of a doctoral dissertation proposal, including problem identification, literature review, and prospective methodologies. The doctoral candidate will complete the dissertation process as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook. Students may be approved to convene a dissertation committee and granted a dissertation proposal defense upon faculty recommendation.

CES-811: Dissertation II: Research Design and Data Collection (In Person or Synchronous)
This course emphasizes refinement of the research methodology, finalizing a research proposal, the IRB process, implementation of the approved methodology, including data collection procedures. The doctoral candidate will complete the dissertation process as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook. Students may be approved to convene a dissertation committee and granted a dissertation proposal defense upon faculty recommendation.

Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense (In Person or Synchronous)
This course requires formal presentation and defense of the dissertation proposal before a faculty committee.  The doctoral candidate will complete the dissertation process as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook.

CES-812: Dissertation III: Results and Analysis (In Person or Synchronous)
This course Focuses on data analysis, interpretation of findings, and presentation of results within the dissertation framework. The doctoral candidate will complete the dissertation process as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook.

CES-813: Dissertation IV: Discussion and Dissemination (In Person or Synchronous)
This course guides students in completing dissertation discussion chapters and preparing research for dissemination through an identified venue such as publication or presentation. The doctoral candidate will complete the dissertation process as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook.

Doctoral Dissertation Defense (In Person or Synchronous)
This course consists of the formal oral defense of the completed doctoral dissertation. The doctoral candidate will complete the dissertation process as outlined in the Doctoral Handbook.

SAMPLE ELECTIVE COURSES (Select 3 with advisement to support dissertation topic/specialization.)
CES-720: Arts in Healthcare (In Person)
This doctoral-level course will introduce the history and development of arts in health as a discipline and the global impact it has on societies. Emphasis will be placed on scholarship highlighting research driven public art initiatives leading to engaging communities and providing change. Students will conceptualize arts in health programming through proposal development.

CES-721: Modern Psychoanalytic Techniques (In Person)
The course provides an overview of the theory and practice of Modern Psychoanalysis. Intervention strategies are outlined that connect emotional communication to the treatment dynamics. Students learn to utilize countertransference as data about the case and as a catalyst to understand the case material. This treatment approach supports the ego with strategies that improve client compliance and cooperation in treatment. Its applications to a wide range of disorders and settings are considered.

CES-722: Expressive Arts Therapies I (In Person)
This doctoral-level course introduces foundational theories, principles, and practices of expressive arts therapies. Students will integrate expressive therapy approaches that can be utilized within clinical, supervisory, leadership, and research settings. Students will engage in multiple expressive modalities to support personal and professional growth. Interdisciplinary assessment, clinical intervention, and professional practice, with attention to ethical, cultural, and experiential dimensions of creative therapeutic work.

CPS-600: Treatment of Trauma (In Person)
This course explores the psychological impact of trauma on individuals and cultures including intergenerational trauma. The affective, behavioral, cognitive, social, cultural and spiritual challenges faced by survivors are examined. Resiliency factors, treatment approaches, trauma-focused interventions and the concept of vicarious traumatization experienced by mental health professionals who work with survivors are considered.

Dr. Daniel Summer, Associate Professor, co-authored Making Nature Personal: Fostering Vulnerability, Compassion, and Personal Growth Through a Transpersonal Eco-Art Process. Access the full article.

Our faculty recently published an article that reports on how artmaking as an experiential learning strategy supports the development of professional dispositions—such as self-awareness, empathy, interpersonal competence, and professional identity—among counselors-in-training:

Bitondo, T., Baggs, A. S., Wilde, B., & Vaccaro, A. (2026). Artmaking as experiential learning: Nurturing professional dispositions in counselors-in-training. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 21(2), 207–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2025.2535971

For more information about the program, contact Dr. Annette Vaccaro, Professor, Program Coordinator, at avaccaro@caldwell.edu.

For more information about the admissions process, contact Gene Soltys, Office of Graduate Admissions, at 973-618-3216 or esoltys@caldwell.edu.

Alumni of any Caldwell degree program are eligible to receive a 25% tuition discount on graduate tuition.