Counseling Portfolio Instructions

PORTFOLIO

 

As a requirement for admission to the doctoral program, a student must develop and submit a portfolio to the Coordinator of the Doctoral Program by the established due date. The Coordinator of the Doctoral Program will distribute the portfolio to program track faculty for their review and evaluation. Using a rubric as a guide, reviewers will evaluate the portfolio and determine a final score which will be a part of the cumulative score used to determine admission into the program. The coordinator of the Counselor Education track may schedule a structured interview (see last section Personal Structured Interview) between the applicant and program faculty to discuss the portfolio.  

 

The following information will serve as a guide for students in meeting this requirement.

 

Instructions for submission of Portfolio

 

1.       All portfolio materials should be submitted in a three ring binder with each component clearly labeled and delineated by some type of divider.

 

2.       All work should be neatly and accurately typed, double spaced using at least a 12 point font.

 

3.       Each section should contain a heading as well as a description of materials included in the section.

 

4.       The portfolio will remain confidential and will become a part of the doctoral student's file. The candidate should make a personal copy prior to submission to the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

 

Portfolio

 

The portfolio contains eight sections that address pertinent issues relevant to the admission of a candidate into the doctoral program. It is designed to provide evidence of the candidate's ability to make progress and successfully complete the doctoral program.

 

Components:                                                                  

 

Section I.         Professional Resume/Vita. The professional resume/vita should be an example of the type used when applying for a professional position in school, community or mental health counseling. It should include biographical data, professional experiences and work history, and an accurate depiction of the qualities and experiences brought to the workplace. Also included in the Professional Resume/Vita section is the following:

·         Professional Disclosure Statement (“Informed Consent”)

·         Professional Organization memberships and involvement

·         Conferences attended and continuing education beyond the master’s degree

·         Professional certifications and licensure

·         Professional presentations and/or research and scholarship activities

 

Section II.        Personal philosophy and/or theory of counseling. The personal theory or philosophy of counseling should include, but not be limited to:

·         View of human nature

·         View of how people change

·         Theories and techniques used in your counseling style

·         A description of your identity as a professional counselor

·         A description of essential influences in the evolution of your counseling style

·         Your leadership role as a counselor and a counselor educator

 

                        Rationale: This component is included so that candidates will have an opportunity to

clarify the motives and beliefs that drive the desire to pursue a doctoral degree in education. Further, candidates have the opportunity to reflect on the issues related to effective counseling as well as define and discuss the importance of ethical practice to the development of professional leadership in the area of counseling and counselor education. The ability to define, organize, and communicate this personal philosophy may also be assessed.

 

Section III.       Self Evaluation. The self-evaluation will provide candidates with an opportunity to reflect on

                        themselves with relation to their personal belief systems. It offers candidates an opportunity                         to express their perceived strengths and weaknesses as well as their potential to function as 

                        leaders in the field of counselor education.

 

                        Rationale: This component is designed to assess the candidate's ability to self-evaluate 

                       and to be willing to realistically accept what he or she brings to the profession.

 

Section IV.       Personal and professional Goals. The personal and professional goals should include the candidate's goals for achieving success as a professional leader and counselor educator. Within this statement, the candidate should address the strengths and weaknesses stated above and should define a plan for reaching these goals. The need for continuous self-evaluation and a plan for doing so should also be included.

 

                        Rationale: This component assesses the candidate's willingness to process the stated 

                        strengths and weaknesses and to develop a long term plan for utilizing the strengths to

                        improve the weaknesses. The candidate's ability to process information, problem solve,

                        and organize a specific behavioral plan for improving productivity and a method for 

                        continued self-evaluation should also be included.

 

Section V.        Statement of purpose for pursuing doctoral study. A personal statement that addresses

                        the reasons the candidate wants to pursue a doctoral degree as well as the strength of 

                        desire for doing so. Further, future plans for use of this degree should also be addressed.

 

                        Rationale: This component allows the candidate an opportunity to express the depth of the

                        candidate's desire to pursue the doctoral degree. It further allows an opportunity for the 

                        committee to assess the goals of the candidate with respect to the goals of the program.

 

Section VI.       Sample of academic writing. A sample of academic writing should be included in this section of the portfolio. This might include a published article in a professional journal, a paper written in a class, a grant the applicant has written, a staff development plan, or any other evidence of academic writing.

 

Rationale: This component would demonstrate the candidate's ability to communicate using written language. It would provide an example of the applicant's typical work which would reflect the applicant's quality of work, neatness, and level of performance. (i.e., the ability to demonstrate self-motivation, quality outcome, completeness, and competence in the thinking process.)

 

Section VII.      Evidence of leadership ability. This section should include any evidence of leadership 

                        potential such as honors, awards, school or community leadership responsibilities, or any 

                        other evidence of responsibility or leadership that the candidate feels is representative.

 

                        Rationale: This section allows the applicant an opportunity to present evidence of                          leadership potential that would be evidence of potential for functioning as an administrator

                        or leader in the educational field.

 

Section VIII.     Other Supporting materials (Optional). Any other materials that the applicant feels would further demonstrate the capability of the applicant or potential for success in the doctoral program and as a professional.

 

                        Rationale: This section contains any materials that would document other areas that the

                        applicant feels would be supportive of admission into the doctoral program.

 

Personal Structured Interview

 

After Doctoral program track faculty have had an opportunity to review the portfolio, faculty may elect to conduct a structured interview with the applicant. The interview would give further evidence to the applicant's ability to communicate clearly and professionally. Further, it would allow the applicant an opportunity to think and communicate under pressure as well as offer further explanation of any unclear components included in the portfolio.

 

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