PhD in Counseling Psychology

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To be eligible for admission to the Graduate School at Marquette University, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution or international equivalent must be completed prior to starting graduate school.
• A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
• Demonstrated English proficiency for non-U.S. citizens.

Many students accepted into the doctoral program have already completed a master’s degree in counseling or counseling psychology, though some have only have a bachelor's degree. Students applying to the doctoral program without a master’s degree must complete prerequisite master's courses as part of their doctoral program requirements. We also highly recommend that students without a master’s in counseling or counseling psychology obtain experience in a human service setting (e.g., fieldwork, volunteering, or employment) to discern if the field is a good fit for their long-term professional goals. 

Application Requirements

Read all application instructions prior to beginning an application.

•  A completed online application form and fee.
• Transcripts:
  • If coursework was completed within the United States, submit copies of all current and previous college/universities except Marquette¹
  • If coursework was completed outside of the United States, a transcript evaluation is required. A copy of a course-by-course evaluation is approved for the application process.²
• Three letters of recommendation along with recommendation forms.
• A statement of purpose. (i.e., why you are interested in counseling psychology, Marquette University, and our department in particular; how your research experiences and career goals are congruent with the scientist-practitioner model of our department; a ranking of up to three department faculty with whom you wish to work on research, as well as the reasons why you wish to work with these faculty; and how your counseling goals and aspirations fit with the program’s training model and training sites).
• A resume/vita.
• GRE scores (General Test only) are optional. This will begin for applicants applying for the Fall 2024 term.

• For international applicants only: a TOEFL score or other acceptable proof of English proficiency.
• After all applications are reviewed, the highest ranking applicants will be contacted for an interview with the faculty. This is required for admission. International applicants residing in foreign countries and applicants with extenuating circumstances may conduct their interviews over the phone. These interviews are normally held on the last Friday in January. 

^{1Upon admission, final official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities, with certified English translations if original language is not English, must be submitted to the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission or a hold preventing registration for future terms will be placed on the student’s record.} 

^{2Upon admission, an official course-by-course transcript/academic record evaluation must be submitted to the Graduate School within the first five weeks of the term of admission or a hold preventing registration for future terms will be placed on the student’s record.} 

December 1: Application and application materials should be received to be considered for the fall term.

• Meet the Department of Education faculty
• Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology's (CECP) master's programs in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling.

• Visit the department webpage for more detailed information about all CECP programs.

In recent years, new full-time doctoral students have been supported by part-time research assistantships through the department. Scholarships have helped some additional students, and a variety of fellowships and other options are available.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents may be eligible to apply for need-based federal aid (loans) to help fund their educational expenses as well.