Counseling Psychology and Human Services

Elizabeth Stormshak, Department Head
541-346-4474
541-346-6778 fax
240 HEDCO Education Building

Programs in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services educate and train professionals in counseling psychology, couples and family therapy, prevention science, and family and human services. Students are trained to effectively identify, treat, and prevent psychological problems in children, adolescents, adults, and families. At the doctoral level, students extend scientific knowledge through research in collaboration with faculty mentors. Field placements, practicum placements, and internships at all levels of training provide students with opportunities to practice in schools, community agencies, and clinical and research settings under the supervision of faculty members, agency personnel, and collaborating scholars.

Faculty

Tiffany Brown, senior lecturer (self-harm, family dynamics of addiction, collegiate recovery communities). BS, 2002, MEd, 2005, Oregon; PhD, 2009, Texas Tech. (2011)

Elizabeth Budd, assistant professor (early chronic disease prevention, physical activity and healthy eating promotion, adolescent and community health). BS, 2005, Santa Clara; MPH, 2009, Saint Louis; PhD, 2016, Washington (St. Louis). (2016)

Krista Chronister,  professor (domestic violence, career counseling, community intervention). BS, 1996, Florida; MS, 2000, PhD, 2003, Oregon. (2003)

Jessica Cronce, associate professor (health and risk behaviors among young adults, individual-focused prevention). BS, 1999, Washington (Seattle); MS, 2005, MPhil, 2006, PhD, 2009, Yale. (2015)

Nichole Kelly, assistant professor (obesity prevention and adolescent health, eating disorders, health promotion). BS, 2004, Virginia; PhD, 2013, Virginia Commonwealth. (2016)

Shoshana D. Kerewsky, senior lecturer (ethics; international services; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues). BA, 1983, Swarthmore; MA, 1990, Lesley; PsyD, 1998, Antioch, New England. (1996)

Atika Khurana, associate professor (adolescent development and risk-taking, self-regulation and executive functions, family and ecological influences). BS, 2003, MS, 2005, Panjab; PhD, 2009, Ohio State. (2012)

Leslie Leve, professor (foster care, adoption, prevention science). BA. 1990, California, Santa Cruz; MS, 1991, PhD, 1995, Oregon. (2013)

Deanna Linville, associate professor (eating disorders and obesity intervention, couples issues). BA, 1997, MS, 2000, PhD, 2003, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. (2003)

Benedict T. McWhirter, professor (adolescents at risk, college student development, connectedness). BA, 1986, Notre Dame; MC, 1988, PhD, 1992, Arizona State. (1997)

Ellen Hawley McWhirter, Ann Swindells Professor in Counseling Psychology (adolescent career development, empowerment, youth at risk). BA, 1983, Notre Dame; MC, 1988, PhD, 1992, Arizona State. (1997)

Elizabeth Skowron, professor (early adversity and neurobehavioral systems of developing self-regulation in children and parents, differentiation of self, family interventions). BA, 1988, Ohio State; MS, 1991, PhD, 1995, State University of New York, Albany. (2012)

Tasia Smith, assistant professor (health disparities, prevention of obesity and depression, adolescence). BA, 2008, North Carolina, Chapel Hill; MS, 2010, North Carolina, Greensboro; PhD, 2016, Florida. (2016)

Elizabeth A. Stormshak, Philip H. Knight Chair; professor (prevention of delinquency, conduct problems, peer rejection). BA, 1988, Washington (Seattle); MS, 1992, PhD, 1995, Pennsylvania State. (1996)

Surendra Subramani, senior instructor (multicultural education and cross-cultural training, leadership and management, sociology of comparative education); diversity coordinator. BS, 1986, Oregon; MBA, 1993, Oregon State; PhD, 2000, Oregon. (2004)

Emily Tanner-Smith, associate professor (applied research methodology, meta-analysis, substance use and addiction). BS. 2003, Belmont; MA, 2007, PhD, 2009, Vanderbilt. (2017)

Jeff Todahl, associate professor (child abuse and neglect prevention, intimate partner violence, community engagement). BA, 1985, Western Washington; MS, 1989, Seattle Pacific; PhD, 1995, Florida State. (1999)

Karrie P. Walters, senior instructor (human services, child and family interventions, prevention and social justice). BA, 1996, North Texas; MA, 2001, Minnesota, Twin Cities; PhD, 2010, Oregon. (2010)

Courtesy

Joseph Arpaia, courtesy assistant professor (clinical hypnosis, autonomic nervous system, mediation and psychotherapy). BS, 1982, California Institute of Technology; MD, 1990, California, Irvine. (2005)

Philip A. Fisher, professor. See Psychology.

Richard D. Freund, courtesy assistant professor (research methods, community college counseling, cognitive therapy). BA, 1966, Brown; PhD, 1971, Stanford. (1975)

Lauren Lindstrom, professor (career development, youth with disabilities, gender equity). BS, 1985, MS, 1991, PhD, 2000, Oregon. (2000)

Arthur Pearl, adjunct professor (democracy and human services). PhD, 1960, California, Berkeley. (2010)

Emeriti

Henry F. Dizney, professor emeritus. BS, 1954, Southeast Missouri State; MEd, 1955, Wayne State; PhD, 1959, Iowa. (1967)

Gordon A. Dudley, associate professor emeritus. BA, 1956, Kalamazoo; MA, 1959, Colorado; EdD, 1971, Harvard. (1967)

Sally Fullerton, professor emerita. BS, 1956, Oregon State; MA, 1960, Cornell; PhD, 1970, Oregon. (1970)

Weston H. Morrill, professor emeritus. BS, 1960, MS, 1961, Brigham Young; PhD, 1966, Missouri, Columbia. (1990)

Janet Moursund, associate professor emerita. BA, 1958, Knox; MS, 1961, PhD, 1963, Wisconsin, Madison. (1967)

Anita Runyan, associate professor emerita. BS, 1956, Pacific Union; MS, 1968, PhD, 1972, Oregon. (1972)

Saul Toobert, professor emeritus. BA, 1947, California, Berkeley; PhD, 1965, Oregon. (1963)

The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.

Family and Human Services

Jessica Cronce, Major Director
340 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-2519

The family and human services major leads to a bachelor of arts (BA), bachelor of science (BS), or bachelor of education (BEd) degree. It is designed for students who want to help children, youth, adults, and families learn effective ways to meet the challenges in their lives. Participants gain a broad understanding of learning and development, intervention, professional communication, prevention, and agency policy and practices through a combination of course work and field experiences in human service agencies, preparing students to assume a variety of professional roles serving individuals and families in community, school, and other settings.

Careers

Graduates find work as entry-level professionals in a variety of community services and governmental agencies, and many pursue graduate work in disciplines such as counseling psychology, marriage and family therapy, prevention science, education, special education, early intervention, agency management and leadership, social work, human development, and family studies.

Application Deadline

Students must formally apply to enter the family and human services major and are admitted on a competitive basis. Specific information about the admission deadline may be found on the College of Education website.

Admission Requirements

At the time of application, students must have

1. Completed 50–55 credits, with a cumulative GPA of 2.50
2. Demonstrated satisfactory progress toward completion of the university writing requirement and at least 8 credits in each of the general-education groups: arts and letters, social science, and science
3. Demonstrated competence in family and human services premajor core courses
4. Demonstrated experience (paid, volunteer, or credit) with children, youth, adults, and/or families

Those conditionally accepted into the major will be required to pass an FBI background check and meet other stated requirements in order to be fully admitted into the program. Most students begin the program the fall of their junior year of college.

Premajor Core

Completion of all premajor core courses is a prerequisite for admission to the major. These core courses present various theories of community service, education, and societal issues relevant to developing professionals in the human services. Through core courses, students develop strategies for working with people based on research and practice, and learn how to use evaluation information to meet the needs of clients.

Professional Studies

Professional studies courses provide the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to practice as an entry-level human services professional. Topics include ethics, professional writing, research methods, public health, agency administration, and individual, group, and community prevention and intervention strategies and related helping skills, including case management.

Field Experiences

Students participate in supervised activities in public and private human services agencies and organizations. Typically, students gain field experience at three different agencies in junior year and have two or three terms of field experience at the same agency in senior year. A capstone project is completed in connection with field experience in the senior year.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Education Degree Requirements

Family and Human Services—Early Childhood Emphasis

Lillian Duran, Program Director
340 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-2502

The early childhood emphasis of the family and human services major is a 60-credit, roughly two-year bachelor's degree program that satisfies the federal requirements for teaching in a Head Start program with a mix of human services and early childhood courses. In addition, it qualifies the graduate to pursue a wide variety of related career paths such as early childhood teacher, family advocate, case worker, or other careers in human services. It also prepares the student to pursue an advanced degree, such as a master's degree in social work or early intervention–special education.

Four-Year Degree Plan

The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.

In addition to required course work, those working toward all degrees listed below must participate in work or volunteer experiences related to human services and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 or better.

Bachelor of Arts in Family and Human Services

Bachelor of Science in Family and Human Services

Bachelor of Education in Family and Human Services

Master's Degrees in Prevention Science

Atika Khurana, Program Director
369 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-5540

The prevention science major leads to a master of science (MS) or master of education (MEd) degree.

Program objectives include

• instruction in a generation of research-based knowledge focused on increasing the understanding of risk and protective factors and processes related to the prevention of problems in human populations
• the translation of basic research findings into effective programs and policies that positively affect the development and well-being of children, youth, adults, families, and their communities
• the development of successful partnerships with community, county, state, and national organizations to disseminate effective programs into routine practice in a variety of settings

A successful graduate of the program should be able to

• describe theoretical models, risk and protective factors, preventive interventions (especially evidence-based interventions), and implementation practices related to prevention science programs and policies for diverse populations
• understand and adhere to the standards of knowledge for prevention science, including best practices in research design and methods, data analysis, interpretation, dissemination, self-evaluation, and rigorous ethical practice
• show a commitment to multicultural competence, social justice, and enhancing human welfare in their scholarly work and practice related to prevention science
• display professionalism in their relationships with faculty, staff, peers, and community partners in a variety of settings

The course work lays a solid foundation for students interested in careers in academia or local, state, or national prevention and public health agencies.

Application and Admission

Students are admitted to start fall term only. Prospective applicants may find detailed admission policies and procedures on the UO prevention science website. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is posted on the website for entry the following fall term.

Applicants are evaluated on the following:

1. Academic record

2. Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) general test scores

3. Related research and work experiences

4. A statement of purpose in seeking admission

5. Letters of recommendation

6. An interview

Only completed applications are reviewed. Applicants must gather the requested supporting papers and submit them with the application forms as one package. Graduate training includes completion of a research paper.

Master of Science

The two-year MS degree in prevention science is intended for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a prevention science–related discipline or have human development, psychology, education, or prevention science experience, and an interest in advanced training in statistics-methodology and research beyond what is offered in the one-year MEd program. Students applying to the MS are likely to have clearly defined academic goals and seek more in-depth scientific and methodological training in prevention science and program evaluation. This masters’ degree option provides greater opportunities for students to develop long-term collaborations in research centers and with faculty members in the College of Education, but does not require the commitment involved in completing the PhD.

Requirements

Master of Education

The one-year MEd degree in prevention science is primarily intended for

• students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a prevention science–related discipline or have human development, psychology, education, or prevention science experience, are currently working in the profession, and wish to enhance their education to improve their career opportunities in the field
• students who wish to refocus their education from a nonscience or noneducation bachelor’s background, such as a humanities undergraduate degree, to gain training and skill development relevant to prevention science, program evaluation, and research in the human services professions for future career or academic study interests
• students who are considering pursuing doctoral study or additional applied master's training and wish to improve their content knowledge and research skills to make themselves more competitive for other, more advanced graduate programs

Requirements

Couples and Family Therapy

Deanna Linville-Knobelspiesse, Program Director
240 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-0921

This two-year program trains students as professional family therapists in preparation for state licensure. This intensive training combines a strong theoretical base in systemic therapy with applied clinical experience. The clinical practicum includes 500 client contact hours with 200 hours in relational systems (50 percent with couples or families) and 80 hours of individual and group supervision. Supervision at the Center for Family Therapy involves live observation, participation in reflecting teams, and video- and audiotaped sessions. In addition, students see clients at community agencies, clinics, and therapist practices. The Couples and Family Therapy Program is one of two programs in Oregon to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education and approved by the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. Students of the program also have the option to complete a research project and formal thesis in addition to the standard program of courses.

Application and Admission

Detailed admission policies and procedures for the couples and family therapy specialization are available on the couples and family therapy website. Students are admitted fall term only. Completed applications must be received by the deadline published on the website for the following fall term. Only completed applications are reviewed for admission. Applicants are evaluated on

1. quality of work
2. Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or Millers Analogies Test (MAT) scores
3. related work, background, or experience
4. résumé with statement of purpose
5. diversity essay response
6. three letters of recommendation
7. an interview.

Notices about disposition of applications are mailed by April 15.

Applicants must pass a criminal background check before they may enroll.

Doctoral Degree in Counseling Psychology

Benedict T. McWhirter, Program Director
240 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-2443

The doctoral program is one of two counseling psychology programs in the Pacific Northwest that is accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, 202-336-5979), and it is recognized as acceptable for licensure by the Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners. The program has been accredited since 1955.

Earning a doctoral degree in counseling psychology typically requires five to six years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree. This period includes a one-year, full-time, supervised predoctoral internship. Students must complete a PhD dissertation that demonstrates a high standard of scholarship and the ability to conduct independent, original research. Students may enter the program with a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.

The program follows an ecological model of training embedded in the scientist-practitioner tradition. Students learn to use evidence-based preventive and remedial intervention strategies for working with individuals, children, families, and groups within their many contexts. This includes training in culturally sensitive assessment and intervention strategies designed to increase understanding and effect change at all levels. Students engage in critical reflection on the science and practice of health service psychology and social justice advocacy as core to their training.

Students participate in integrated classroom, practicum, and fieldwork activities in research, prevention, and intervention with children and adults, families, groups, and communities. The doctoral program prepares health service psychologists specializing in counseling psychology who can make a significant contribution to the field through scholarly research and professional practice. Training experience may be had at the UO Counseling and Testing Center, Oregon State University Counseling and Psychological Services, Lane Community College Counseling Department, UO Prevention Science Institute, and in community agencies or nonprofit research centers.

Graduates are prepared to work as researchers, practitioners, and educators in community mental health centers, research institutions, institutions of higher education, medical settings, managed health-care organizations, community college and university counseling centers, juvenile corrections agencies, human resources departments in business, and career counseling agencies.

PhD Requirements

Application and Admission

Students are admitted fall term only. Prospective applicants may find detailed admission policies and procedures on the counseling psychology website. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is posted on the website for entry the following fall term. Notices about the disposition of applications are e-mailed by April 15.

Applicants are evaluated on

1. academic record
2. Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) general test scores
3. related work, research, and life experiences
4. a statement of purpose in seeking admission
5. letters of recommendation
6. an interview

Only completed applications are reviewed. The application process is online only; see the website for procedures.

Graduate training includes research training, completion of a predissertation research project, and completion of a dissertation as well as practicum and internship placements in which students work with children and adults, families, groups, and communities.

Doctoral Degree in Prevention Science

Leslie Leve, Program Director
130 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-9601

The doctoral program leads to a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree in prevention science. This research-intensive degree program can be completed in four years, with students earning an MS en route to the PhD. This program is intended for students who have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a prevention science–related discipline or have significant human development, psychology, social science, education, or prevention science experience. Students must complete a PhD dissertation that demonstrates a high standard of scholarship and the ability to conduct independent, original research.

Program objectives include

• instruction in a generation of research-based knowledge focused on increasing the understanding of risk and protective factors and processes related to the prevention of problems in human populations
• the translation of basic research findings into effective programs and policies that positively affect the development and well-being of children, youth, adults, families, and their communities
• the development of successful partnerships with community, county, state, and national organizations to disseminate effective programs into routine practice in a variety of settings

A successful graduate of the program should be able to

• describe theoretical models, risk and protective factors, preventive interventions (especially evidence-based interventions), and implementation practices related to prevention science programs and policies for diverse populations
• understand and adhere to the standards of knowledge for prevention science, including best practices in research design and methods, data analysis, interpretation, dissemination, self-evaluation, and rigorous ethical practice
• show a commitment to multicultural competence, social justice, and enhancing human welfare in their scholarly work and practice related to prevention science
• display professionalism in their relationships with faculty, staff, peers, and community partners in a variety of settings

The course work lays a solid foundation for students interested in careers in academia or local, state, or national prevention and public health agencies.

PhD Requirements

Application and Admission

Students are admitted fall term only. Prospective applicants may find detailed admission policies and procedures on the prevention science website. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is posted on the website for entry the following fall term. 

Applicants are evaluated on

1. academic record
2. Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) general test scores
3. related research and work experiences
4. a statement of purpose in seeking admission
5. letters of recommendation
6. an interview

Only completed applications are reviewed. Applicants must gather the requested supporting papers and submit them with the application forms as one package. Graduate training includes completion of a research paper and a dissertation.

Specialization in Spanish Language Psychological Service and Research

Ellen McWhirter, Director
240 HEDCO Education Building
541-346-2443

The 16-credit Spanish language psychological service and research specialization addresses the deficit in family-centered prevention services for the Spanish-speaking Latino community. It is open to students enrolled in the accredited graduate programs of counseling psychology, couples and family therapy, and school psychology who also meet the eligibility criteria. The specialization provides students with skills to support the provision of culturally relevant mental health services and research in Spanish for Latino populations. It is designed to enhance preexisting linguistic and multicultural competencies and increase cultural understanding of US Spanish-speaking populations. Students critically assess the unique social, historical, political, and cultural contexts that shape the experiences of Latinos in the United States, with particular attention to conditions of social injustice and inequity, and how such conditions influence the health and well-being of Latino Spanish-speaking communities.

Eligibility for this specialization includes maintaining good standing in one of the three specified College of Education graduate programs focused on mental health services, approval from the student's advisor and the director of the specialization, and preexisting competencies in Spanish. 

Requirements

Additional Requirements