Thank you for your interest in our Combined Counseling/School Psychology PhD Program.

This program was previously on “accredited, on contingency” status with an initial accreditation date of April 6, 2017.  At its March 30-April 2, 2022 meeting, the APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA) voted to approve full accreditation of the doctoral Counseling/School Ph.D. program at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, with its next site visit scheduled in 2031.

To view the program's accreditation status, please visit the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation's program search site.

Questions related to the program’s accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Phone: 202-336-5979 Web: www.apa.org

Application Deadlines for Educational Psychology (EPS) Programs

 

Program	Site	Application deadlines	Semester next cohort begins
PhD Combined Counseling/School Psychology	Flagstaff	December 1 (all applications) November 15 (for those wishing to be considered for the Presidential Fellowship)	Fall 2026
EdS School Psychology	Flagstaff	January 1	Fall 2026
EdS School Psychology	North Valley (Phoenix)	January 1	Fall 2026
MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Flagstaff	January 1	Fall 2026
MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling	North Valley (Phoenix)	February 15	Fall 2026
MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Tucson	February 15	Fall 2026
MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling	Yuma	April 1	Fall 2026
MEd Counseling - School Counseling	Flagstaff	January 1	Fall 2026
MEd Counseling - School Counseling	North Valley (Phoenix)	February 15	Fall 2026
MEd Counseling - School Counseling	Tucson	February 15	Fall 2026
MEd Counseling-Student Affairs	Flagstaff	January 1, (priority deadline)	Fall 2026
M.Ed. Human Relations	Online & All Campuses	Rolling Admission
Applied Human Behavior	Online; Glendale Community College, Mesa Community College, South Mountain Community College	Rolling Admission

This Combined Counseling/School Psychology PhD Program is only offered at NAU's Flagstaff campus.

Admission Deadlines

Completed application files are reviewed, and admission decisions are made during one cycle each year. All application materials must be submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies online application by the posted application due date to be reviewed for entrance in the subsequent academic year.

***Admission decisions are made by the first week of March and students receive notification of this decision electronically. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their application file is complete. Incomplete files are not reviewed.

***The Office of the President at NAU has a special initiative to attract outstanding doctoral students with specific research interests. This initiative offers a generous fellowship during the individual’s graduate studies at NAU. Individuals who would like to be considered for this Research Fellowship will be required to apply for the program by November 15th. Applications received by the November 15 date will be reviewed for consideration for this fellowship.

Admission Application Requirements

• NAU Graduate Online application is required for all programs. Details on admission requirements are included in the online application.
• GRE®️ revised General Test - Applicants with a cumulative GPA less than 3.0 are required to submit official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores on the aptitude portion (verbal and quantitative) taken within the past six years. Applicants with a cumulative GPA higher than 3.0 have the option to submit GRE scores, if desired. GRE scores must be received by the application deadline for admission.
• Completion of bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in psychology, education, or closely related field; or a Master’s or Ed.S. degree in Counseling or Psychology
• Transcripts
• Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A"), or the equivalent.
• Three electronic recommendation forms with at least two from faculty
• Responses to specific essay questions
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Interview
• For details on graduate admission policies, please visit the Graduate Admissions Policy
• International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy

Note: Students who do not have the prerequisites below will be expected to take these early in their programs of study:

• • Graduate Level Courses:
    • Group Counseling/Group Dynamics
    • Human or Lifespan Development
  • Graduate or upper-level Undergraduate Courses:
    • Psychological or Educational Statistics
    • Applied Behavior Management
    • Research Methods
    • Special Education

Application Review Process

  The materials in the applicant's file are evaluated by faculty using an objective, multi-criteria system. Areas that are considered include:

1. Academic Aptitude for Graduate Study: GPA and GRE scores as needed,
2. Essay Responses (autobiographical and professional interest questions),
3. Work Related Experiences (relevant paid and volunteer work),
4. Potential to Contribute to Profession and Program (professional activities and letters of recommendation),
5. Goodness of Fit to the Program (areas of focus congruence, fit to College of Education mission, and professional characteristics)

Highly-ranked candidates will be invited to participate in a virtual interview day that will be held towards the end of January.

All applicants being invited for interviews will be informed approximately two weeks in advance of the interview date. The interview day will include introductions, an overview of the program, a small question and answer session with current doctoral students, and an individual interview with at least two faculty members last approximately 30 minutes. The interview day will last approximately 4 to 5 hours.

All faculty members present will rate the applicant on specific characteristics relevant to our doctoral training program. The highest ranked applicants based on the entire application process will be receive an offer of admission.

Approximately five to seven students will be admitted in a given year for the Combined Counseling/School Psychology PhD program.

Requirements for Admitted Students

Individuals who are offered admission and accept the program offer must begin the program during the subsequent summer or fall semester. In general, individuals unable to begin at this time must re-apply to the program. Deferred enrollment is offered in rare circumstances.

The EPS Doctoral Steering Committee will consider each request for deferred enrollment individually.

Arizona state law requires that personnel who engage with minors or vulnerable adult populations have an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. That requirement applies to graduate students in practical psychology experiences as well. Admitted students will need the Identity Verified Fingerprint Clearance Card (IVP card) by the start of the fall semester.

You may request a packet directly from DPS by either calling (602) 223-2279 or faxing your request to (602) 223-2947. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you are in-state, you may complete the online application and get digital fingerprints at a contracted Field Print site within Arizona.

The link to the agency that provides the fingerprint clearance is: http://www.azdps.gov/Services/Fingerprint/

Tuition costs are updated routinely by the university and posted here.  University fees for technology, health, recreation, etc. vary by campus.

Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).  A program fee has been approved for this program.  See program fee details.

Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.

The program of study (POS) is the agreed-upon plan for completing program requirements.  Current and previous programs of study may be downloaded from the NAU Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Programs of Study webpage.

Students complete the POS with their advisers during the first semester of graduate work.  The POS is used as a verification document when students apply for graduation.  The original, signed POS, is submitted to the Educational Psychology department office and  placed in the student’s file.

In most cases, amendments to your POS can be made with your adviser’s approval. Please be aware that the necessary coursework for this plan is only available at the Northern Arizona University-Flagstaff Campus.

Prerequisites

Please be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take.  Course prerequisites are listed on the Program of Study form.  Students may also review the online catalog for selected courses where prerequisites are required.  Please check with the department or a faculty adviser if you have questions regarding prerequisites.

Students who do not have the prerequisites below will be expected to take these early in their programs of study by taking classes in one of the counseling or school psychology master-level programs:

• Graduate Level Courses:
  • Group Counseling/Group Dynamics
  • Human or Lifespan Development
• Graduate or upper level Undergraduate Courses:
  • Psychological or Educational Statistics
  • Applied Behavior Management
  • Research Methods
  • Special Education

Notice regarding School Psychology Certification/Licensure

Students who wish to meet the requirements for school-based certification/licensure must either meet the requirements of the Ed.S. degree in school psychology OR complete a doctoral internship in a school-based setting.

Related Forms and Websites

When completing or revising the POS, the following documents may be useful:

• Master Planning Tool
• EPS Course Offerings by Semester - provides an overview of which courses are typically offered each term
• Program of Study Work Sheet - useful for translating the program of studies into a semester by semester plan

The following websites may also be useful when crafting the program of studies:

• Combined Counseling/School Psychology, PHD Academic Catalog Listing - provides a list of required courses with links to course descriptions
• Academic Catalog Policies - transfer credit, timelines, doctoral requirements, residency, and other policies

2022-2023 Student Admission Outcomes and Other Data

Students in this doctoral program should follow the professional codes of ethics and licensure guidelines established by the following organizations:

Ethical Codes

• • • American Psychological Association 
    • National Association of School Psychologists 

Licensure Guidelines

• • • Arizona: State of Arizona Board of Psychologists Examiners 
    • Other States  and General Licensing Information:  Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards 

Back row, left to right: R. Horn, K. Bohan, J. Lee, S. Abercrombie, M. Cota, S. Haberstroh, M. Whetstine. Front row, left to right: A. Guida, J. Strain, T. Alexander (staff), R. Mellott, A. Kennedy.

   

DSO Officers
	DSO President   Emma M. Ferns, BS; Third-Year Student Clinical Experience: Practicum Placements Include: Institute for Human Development Multidisciplinary Evaluation Clinic, Phoenix Children's Hospital Autism Clinic, The Guidance Center, the Private Practice of Dr. Kim Kalas, the NAU Practicum Clinic, and Camp Verde Unified School District Research Interests: Inequities related to neurodevelopmental disorder identification in children; Socially just assessment practices for identifying neurodevelopmental disorders in children; Autism and other NDDs Awards & Accomplishments: ArizonaLEND Fellow (2023-2024 AY); Outstanding Doctoral Student in the Department of Educational Psychology (Northern Arizona University, 2024); Outstanding Volunteer (Research) (Oregon Health & Science University, 2018); Outstanding Senior in the Social Sciences (Pacific University, 2018); Psi Chi
	DSO Co-President-Elect   Izhani Rosa, MS; Second-Year Student
	DSO Faculty Liaison   Ben Maddock, BA, MSEd, LMHC-A; Second-Year Student Research Interests: I am interested in investigating parental attributions for children’s mental health conditions and the relationship between these attributions and parenting practices
Current PhD Students
	Adriana Aboagye, PA, MPH; First-Year Student Clinical Experience: Licensed Physician Assistant Research Interests: My research focuses on mental health, maternal and child health, and autism. I explore how African international students perceive mental health services and barriers to access. I am also interested in autism research, particularly early diagnosis and intervention in underrepresented communities
	Crystal Becenti, BA, MA, LMSW; Third-Year Student Clinical Experience: Licensed in Social Work, Trained in Mindfulness, Biofeedback, Progress Muscle Relaxation, Motivational Interviewing, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Research Interests: Maternal mental health, substance use and addiction, grief and loss, and neurodivergence Awards & Accomplishments: John W Tippeconnic Scholarship, awarded fall 2022 for the year 2022-2023; Navajo Nation Scholarship, awarded fall 2022, for the year 2022-2023; Research Assistant, January 2017 – June 2018, Education and Implementation of POLST Protocols in Northern Arizona
	Michaela Bedwell, BIS; Fourth-Year Student Clinical Experience: FEMA: IS-100.C and IS-907 Certified; Psychological First Aid Certified; Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Certified; Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools Certified; Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Certified; Gottman Level 1 Trained; Certified K-5 Teacher in TX & AZ Research Interests: The evaluation process of Emotional Disabilities vs Autism; Adolescents with behavioral disorders; Trauma- Informed Practices; Personality Characteristics and Burnout Awards & Accomplishments: Poster Presentation at the National Association of School Psychology (NASP) Conference 2/2023 (First Writer) Poster Title: “What School Psychologists Should Know about Emotional Intelligence”; University of Texas at El Paso Dean’s List 2015-2016, Dean’s List 2016-2017
	Katie Hinkle, BS, MA, LAC; First-Year Student Clinical Experience: Previous internship/employment at Redemption Counseling Center providing mental health counseling to adult individuals and couples. Clinical Interests: trauma and PTSD, couples, ACT, DBT, and CBT. Certifications: EMDR Trained, Gottman Level 1 Certification, Prolonged Exposure Certification Research Interests: Faith integration in mental health treatment of religious and spiritual individuals; Barriers to accessing mental health care for Christian clients; Protective factors of religious and spiritual practice for individuals with mental illness, suicidal ideation, and self harm Awards & Accomplishments: Chi Sigma Iota National Counseling Honor Society; National Society of Leadership and Success; Member of APA (Div. 17 & 36), ACA, ASERVIC, and AzPA
	Ashley Johns, BA; Second-Year Student Clinical Experience: As a group facilitator, Ashley led lessons from Seeking Safety and other evidence-based alcohol/drug recovery programs. Additionally, Ashley was an instructor of the PEERS program at Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center and is research reliable on all modules of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R Research Interests: Ashley’s research interests continue to evolve as she progresses in the PhD program. Currently, her research interests include recovery from alcohol and/or drug use, post-traumatic stress and resilience, autism spectrum disorders, culturally responsive programming, and psychedelic-assisted therapy Awards & Accomplishments: Scholar of the doctoral-level Culturally Centered Addictions Research Training Program (2025); Recipient of the Cynthia J. Newlon Memorial & Clarence E. Fishburn Scholarships (2024-2025); 1st place Multicultural Heroes Hall of Fame Case Competition at Michigan State University (2016)
	Shannon Kincade, BA; Second-Year Student
	Sherita LaMarche, EdS, NCSP; First-Year Student Clinical Experience: Assessments Research Interests: Misdiagnosis, children & adolescents, academic achievement, diverse populations, mental health services for those in rural areas Awards & Accomplishments: Presidential Fellowship
	Morgan Regalado Hustead, MA; Fourth-Year Student Clinical Experience: EMDR Trained, HeartMath Certified, Gottman Level 1 Trained, Extensive experience providing evidenced-based therapies (CBT, CBT-I, ACT, PE), Trained to conduct Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5, Extensive neuropsychological testing experience (WAIS-IV, RBANS, WMS, TMT, WCST-4, etc.) Research Interests: Health disparities, particularly among underserved populations and geriatrics. I explore biobehavioral models of health and resilience, such as in chronic pain and caregiving, through scale development and community-based interventions Awards & Accomplishments: Received NAU College of Education’s Outstanding Masters Student in Educational Psychology (Extended Campuses) in 2017; Nominated NAU 2020 Outstanding Graduate Research Award; President & Past President of DSO Nov 2019-2021
	Abby Smits, BS; First-Year Student Research Interests: Child and adolescent psychology, emotion regulation, social-emotional learning, rural mental health, developmental disability Awards & Accomplishments: Phi Beta Kappa - Alpha of North Carolina
	Ethan Trujillo, MA; Fourth-Year Student Research Interests: My clinical experiences include community mental health, private practice, and university counseling center. They have involved student-athlete mental health, stress management, anxiety, adjustment, identity development, social justice methods, behavioral changes, and emotional regulation Awards & Accomplishments: My research interests involve student-athlete mental health, access to care, mental health stigma, and impact of identity on mental health seeking behaviors
	Liz Winnop, MA; First-Year Student Research Interests: Identity development, motivation, sport psychology, college student mental health, student athletes, young adults

• Melissa Wheeler, Combined Counseling/School Ph.D. students selected for the second cohort of Rising Graduate Scholars from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
• Neshay Mall and Melissa Wheeler, doctoral students in combined counseling/school psychology are named C-CART Scholars.
• Yolanda Garcia, associate professor in EPS at NAU serves as 2020-22 President of the Division 45 Executive Committee.
• Yolanda Garcia, associate professor in EPS co-authored a study on Development and Validation of a Community Assessment Survey for Diverse Rural Family Caregivers of People with Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias.
• Julie Baldwin (MPI) and EPS faculty Ramona Mellott (MPI), Co-Investigators Shane Haberstroh, Chesleigh Keene, and other NAU faculty receive grant to develop graduate certificate titled Culturally-Centered Addictions Research Training (C-CART) for health professionals focused on substance use disorders in underserved communities.
• Melissa Wheeler, doctoral student in the combined counseling/school psychology, received the 2020 American Psychological Association Division (APA) 45 Joseph E. Trimble and Jewell Horvat Award.
• Yolanda Garcia, associate professor in EPS and others conduct study on health equity among ethnic and rural caregivers of people with ADRD.
• Marca McCallie, doctoral student in psychology, co-founded Sage Home residential treatment center in 2017 to assist people in recovery keep their families intact.
• Yolanda Garcia, associate professor in EPS and co-investigator on the NAU researchers study effects of COVID-19, health disparities on caregivers of people with ADRD.
• Chesleigh Keene, assistant professor in EPS presents on Native American Healers and Helpers at NACP Native American Role Model Speaker Series.
• Melissa Wheeler, NAU Dine Doctoral Student selected for the Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program (IMFP).
• Chelsey Tarazi, a doctoral student in combined counseling/school psychology wins NAU’s annual 3MRP competition.
• Laura Rodriguez, doctoral student in combined counseling/school psychology nominated Graduate Student of the Month!
• Yolanda Garcia, associate professor in EPS and co-investigator of SHERC grant receives funding for Alzheimer’s family caregivers study.
• Yolanda Garcia, associate professor in EPS elected President of NLPA.