The Guidance and Psychological Counseling (PDR) program at Düzce University offers a comprehensive education aimed at enhancing students' abilities to understand, support, guide, and provide psychological assistance to individuals and communities. This program focuses on the needs of both individuals and society, equipping students with a solid foundation through theoretical courses as well as practical training opportunities. Through a combination of academic studies and hands-on practice, students graduate fully prepared to face any situations they may encounter in their professional careers. Our program strives to cultivate ethical, socially responsive, and highly skilled psychological counselors.
The aim of this program is to train psychological counseling and guidance specialists who possess deep and comprehensive knowledge and skills in subfields such as education, mental health, family therapy, and student personality services. Graduates are expected to demonstrate respect, curiosity, and understanding toward individual and societal differences, integrate their professional and personal development, and work flexibly and empathetically with various segments of society. They will also exhibit strong teamwork skills, take responsibility for advancing the field of psychological counseling and guidance, actively participate in the knowledge society, adapt to changing social conditions, and uphold both the scientific and professional ethics required by democracy and human rights.
The program aims to equip students with competencies in several key areas: understanding fundamental concepts, theories, and approaches in the field of Psychological Counseling and Guidance (PDR); applying theoretical knowledge, principles, and techniques gained in PDR across diverse fields such as education, healthcare, justice, and industry; adopting humanistic values while providing PDR services and developing a positive attitude toward lifelong learning; and embracing an approach aligned with democracy, human rights, and ethical values.
Doctoral Degree
Doctor (Dr.)
Hold a master’s degree in Guidance and Psychological Counseling
Minimum undergraduate GPA: 2.50
Minimum graduate GPA: 2.50
Minimum ALES Score: 65 ( X) EA ( ) VERBAL ( ) QUANTITATIVE
Foreign Language: 55
Complete a total of 240 ECTS, including 90 ECTS for the Course Phase, 30 ECTS for the Qualification Phase, and 120 ECTS for the Dissertation Phase.
Successfully pass the Qualification Exam within the given timeframe.
Successfully complete the Doctoral Thesis Proposal and Thesis Monitoring Committees.
Publish at least one academic work related to the dissertation before the defense.
Successfully defend the Doctoral Dissertation.
Students enrolled at Düzce University may be exempt from certain courses under specific regulations. If the content of a course taken at another institution matches the content of a course offered at Düzce University and is approved by the relevant faculty/institute/school board, the student may be exempt from that course.
Recognition of Overseas Education
Academic terms and courses of students who study as exchange students at our partner universities abroad for one or two semesters and return are recognized by Düzce University.
Students selected to participate in Student Mobility for Studies under the ERASMUS program are required to prepare a learning agreement with their respective ERASMUS Unit Coordinators before the start of the mobility period. This learning agreement specifies the courses and ECTS credits the student will take at the partner university.
Additionally, students must prepare a Recognition Sheet, indicating the equivalent courses at Düzce University for the courses they will take abroad, to establish the credit transfer process.
At the end of the exchange period, the courses taken by the student abroad are recorded in their transcripts with original course codes, titles, ECTS credits, and grades. Alongside these courses, the abbreviation “ET” is included on official transcripts, indicating “course taken at a foreign university within the scope of the ERASMUS Program and cooperation agreements.”
The Guidance and Psychological Counseling program offers a comprehensive education aimed at equipping students with a solid foundation in psychological counseling and guidance. The program is designed to help students gain theoretical knowledge in the field, as well as develop practical skills in individual and group counseling. Our curriculum, enriched with both theoretical courses and hands-on training, not only enhances students' professional competencies but also instills values such as ethics, empathy, and social responsibility. The program aims to enable students to effectively apply their knowledge and skills in both their academic pursuits and professional environments, including education, healthcare, and social services. Our graduates are prepared to enter professional life as competent psychological counselors who are responsive to the changing psychological needs of society, committed to ethical principles, and equipped with the necessary expertise.
| No | Program Requirements |
|---|---|
| 1 | To have an expert-level knowledge of counseling theories, models, and approaches, and to be able to transfer this knowledge into clinical practice. |
| 2 | To critically analyze and synthesize theoretical knowledge, beginning to form personal insights into human nature with an eclectic approach. |
| 3 | To possess in-depth and comprehensive knowledge in sub-specialties of counseling (e.g., family therapy, career counseling). |
| 4 | To demonstrate counseling knowledge and skills with a multicultural and interdisciplinary understanding. |
| 5 | To design and conduct original, current, relevant, and functional research, report the results, and publish them in academic journals. |
| 6 | To have detailed knowledge of ethical principles and legal requirements in counseling and to adhere to these principles. |
| 7 | To demonstrate individual and group counseling skills at an expert level and to develop one's unique counseling style. |
| 8 | To provide supervision in individual, group, couple, and family therapy activities. |
| 9 | To conduct and teach advanced processes in individual assessment and psychological evaluation. |
| 10 | To design and implement counseling and guidance programs tailored to the local conditions of institutions and the community. |
| 11 | To lead teams responsible for conducting counseling and guidance programs and projects. |
| 12 | To be sensitive to cultural diversity and work effectively with individuals from different cultural backgrounds. |
| 13 | To provide preventive and protective mental health services in line with societal needs. |
| 14 | To demonstrate a positive attitude towards lifelong learning and continuously update professional knowledge and skills. |
| 15 | To follow the national and international literature in the field of counseling and to conduct research that contributes to the field. |
| 16 | To critically examine social relationships in the professional environment and the norms guiding them, and to improve them in line with ethical principles. |
| SKILLS | COMPETENCIES | ||||||||
Theoretical | Practical | Conceptual / Cognitive | Practical | Competence to Work Independently and Take Responsibility | Learning Competence | Communication and Social Competence | Field-Specific Competence | |||
PÇ-1 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-2 | X | X | X | X | ||||||
PÇ-3 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-4 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-5 | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
PÇ-6 | X | X | X | X | ||||||
PÇ-7 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-8 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-9 | X | X | ||||||||
PÇ-10 | X | X | X | X | ||||||
PÇ-11 | X | X | X | X | ||||||
PÇ-12 | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
PÇ-13 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-14 | X | X | X | |||||||
PÇ-15 | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
Most graduates of the program work as “psychological counselors” in Guidance and Research Centers and in primary and secondary education institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. Additionally, they have employment opportunities as academics in universities, in university counseling centers, private psychological counseling centers, and in counseling units within the Turkish Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies. They may also find positions in family and juvenile courts, as well as in various healthcare and industrial organizations and institutions.
After completing a doctorate, the next academic level is *associate professorship*. At this stage, candidates must meet specific publication criteria and demonstrate academic achievements before taking the associate professorship exam. Upon passing, they earn the title of "Associate Professor."
To graduate from the Ph.D. Program in Guidance and Psychological Counseling, students must complete 6 mandatory and 6 elective courses, pass the Qualification Exam, submit their dissertation proposals, successfully complete at least 3 Thesis Monitoring Committee (TMC) evaluations, and successfully defend their doctoral dissertation. The standard duration of the program is 4 years, with an extension option of up to 2 additional years.
The criteria specified in the Düzce University Graduate Education and Training Regulations will be applied for this matter. Click here for the regulations.
Complete a total of 240 ECTS, including 90 ECTS for the Course Phase, 30 ECTS for the Qualification Phase, and 120 ECTS for the Dissertation Phase.
Successfully pass the Qualification Exam within the given timeframe.
Successfully complete the Doctoral Thesis Proposal and Thesis Monitoring Committees.
Publish at least one academic work related to the dissertation before the defense.
Successfully defend the Doctoral Dissertation.
Full-time - Face to face
