WHY THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI?
- Our APA-accredited doctoral program offers both post-Bachelor's and post-Master's acceptance.
- Students obtain close supervision by program faculty members and specialized training in anger management, motivational interviewing, and parent skills training through our in-house training clinic, the Community Counseling and Assessment Clinic.
- We work closely with a number of external agencies to assist students in gaining clinical experience in a variety of settings (e.g., University Counseling Center, Gulf Coast VA Medical Center, Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources, etc.).
- Advanced doctoral students complete coursework and a supervised practicum in clinical supervision.
- Doctoral students have the opportunity to gain considerable undergraduate teaching experience.
- We offer many opportunities for students to to get involved in research, a particular asset for individuals considering academic careers (see faculty research interests).
For more information please download our online brochure.
WHY COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY?
Counseling psychology is a licensed, health-service specialty within the field of applied-professional psychology. As an area of applied-professional psychology which emerged from the more generic professional psychology of the post-World War II period, counseling psychology has been shaped by values that give priority to interventions which foster psychological health and adaptive development. Given the broad range of clientele served by counseling psychologists, however, personality and behavioral disorders and the psychological needs of rehabilitation clients/patients have received attention in training programs. Operationally, this has meant that counseling psychologists have been especially well prepared to treat concerns such as adjustment disorders, parenting, marriage and family relations, career development and planning, school-related adjustment issues, conflict resolution and management, behavioral health enhancement, interpersonal skills development, and anxiety and stress management.
Over the past two decades, counseling psychology has continued to evolve as a "primary care" specialty in psychology, and the curriculum for the Counseling Psychology Program at The University of Southern Mississippi is consistent with this developing model. Although counseling psychologists continue to develop careers in academic departments and university counseling centers, many are also employed in organized health care settings such as independent practice clinics, mental health centers, hospitals and specialized health clinics, rehabilitation centers, medical schools and medical residency programs, military psychology services, veterans' hospitals, and state and federal correctional programs.
