TPC_Journal_10.4_Full_Issue

The Professional Counselor | Volume 10, Issue 4 465 Focus Areas Impacted by Carnegie Classification As mentioned above, the degree to which doctoral programs focus on research during the program seems to vary by university classification. Participants from research-intensive universities (i.e., R1 or R2 designation) valued research training above other elements of the curriculum. In contrast, participants from teaching institutions (i.e., Master’s Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs designation) valued training in teaching and supervision and did not believe that research training should dwarf other aspects of training. Some participants proposed that research and publication should have a reduced emphasis in order for teaching and leadership to have a central focus in program delivery. Even though the emphasis on research varied by institution type, participants seemed to value the production of quality research regardless of institutional classification. Several participants reported that a high-quality doctoral program goes “above and beyond” CACREP minimum requirements in a manner that “expands counseling knowledge” and “allows for rigorous, quality research and really contributes uniquely to the profession.” Several participants at different types of institutions spoke to the importance of doctoral students publishing during their time in the program and early in their careers. Leadership training was also cited as an important component of high-quality programs across participants regardless of their institution and thus seemed to be a common theme for both research- and teaching-oriented institutions. Participants who valued leadership training during doctoral study worked in both research-intensive and teaching-focused institutions. As one participant from an R1 institution stated, “Our graduates need to be able to build programs, to run them successfully, to teach and train students in a way that they also produce the best clinicians that can go into the field.” This participant added that high-quality programs therefore train students “beyond the publish-or-perish paradigm.” Discussion This study was part of a larger qualitative project that explored the perceptions of CACREPaccredited program faculty (N = 15) regarding topics pertinent to doctoral education. In this study, a research team composed of the first five authors analyzed faculty descriptions of perceived components of a high-quality doctoral program. The research team identified five categories that emerged from the data: relationships, mission alignment, development of a counselor educator identity, inclusiveness of diversity, and Carnegie classification. With regard to participant characteristics, differences in responses were related to the Carnegie classification of the participant’s current institution of employment. Contrary to previous research, no differences in participant perceptions were found by gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, length of time working at a doctoral program, region, or delivery mode. Consistency and Divergence in Themes by Institutional Type and Classification Across these themes, consistencies and divergences were found regarding how participants perceived high quality. Divergences appeared to be influenced by institutional type and Carnegie classification. Consistency in Themes by Institutional Type and Classification Regardless of institutional type and classification, participants broadly supported the importance of faculty–student mentoring relationships, student–student supportive relationships, having a clear mission statement that includes faculty buy-in and commitment, program and institutional mission alignment, securing university financial support for faculty lines and student assistantships among other costs, establishing a learning community with faculty and students who possess diversity in cultural background and ideological thought, helping students to develop a counselor educator identity, and producing high-quality research.

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