Ed.D. vs. Ph.D. in Counseling: How the Two Doctorates Differ

For counselors considering a doctorate, one of the first questions to work through is whether to pursue an Ed.D. or a Ph.D. in counseling. Both are terminal degrees, and both can qualify you to teach at the graduate level, supervise other clinicians, and lead programs. They differ mainly in what you are asked to produce by the end of the program. A Ph.D. generally requires original research that contributes to the academic literature, while an Ed.D. asks you to apply existing research to a problem in a professional setting. Amberton University’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Counseling takes the applied approach. The program requires 60 credit hours, is delivered 100% online, and concludes with an Applied Doctoral Project rather than a traditional dissertation.

Ready to see the full curriculum, tuition, and admission requirements? Visit the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Counseling program page.

Still deciding at the master’s level first? Compare Amberton’s counseling degree programs.

What Separates an Ed.D. From a Ph.D. in Counseling

Both degrees cover advanced counseling coursework and hold students to doctoral-level academic standards. The clearest differences show up in how each program defines its purpose and who it is built to serve.

• Purpose: Ph.D. programs prepare scholars to generate new knowledge and publish it. Ed.D. programs prepare practitioners, educators, and administrators to apply existing research to problems in clinical, academic, and organizational settings.
• Culminating work: A Ph.D. concludes with a dissertation based on original research. Amberton’s Ed.D. concludes with an Applied Doctoral Project, which may take the form of a curriculum, a program evaluation, a policy proposal, or a clinical protocol.
• Research training: Both degrees require graduate-level research and statistics coursework. Amberton’s Ed.D. includes two such courses, Qualitative Research & Statistics in Counseling and Quantitative Research & Statistics in Counseling, with the emphasis placed on applying research methods rather than producing original findings.
• Typical student: Ph.D. programs are often built around full-time students preparing for tenure-track research careers. Amberton’s Ed.D. is built around licensed clinicians, supervisors, and program leaders who continue working while they study.
• Career target: Counselor educator, clinical supervisor, program director, and agency leadership roles are common destinations for Ed.D. graduates. Research faculty and principal investigator positions more often call for a Ph.D.

The Applied Doctoral Project: An Ed.D. Without a Dissertation

One of the most common questions about doctoral programs is whether a dissertation is required. Amberton’s Ed.D. in Counseling does not require one. Students instead complete an Applied Doctoral Project (ADP), worth 6 of the program’s 60 credit hours and spread across two courses.

How the ADP works:

• The focus is practical application. The ADP applies theoretical knowledge and research methods to a real-world problem in a specific professional context, rather than generating entirely new knowledge.
• Projects take a tangible form. An ADP may be a new curriculum, a program evaluation, a policy proposal, or a clinical protocol, submitted with a final report that demonstrates mastery of the subject.
• The project is defended in two stages. Applied Doctoral Project I (CSL8010) covers completion, submission, and defense of the project. Applied Doctoral Project II (CSL8015) covers the final defense.
• Coursework and the comprehensive exam come first. Students must pass all coursework and the Comprehensive Examination before enrolling in either ADP course.

For counselors who have already identified a gap in their agency, school district, or private practice, the ADP is an opportunity to address it as part of the degree. You finish the program with the credential and a completed project you can put to use.

Ed.D. vs. Ph.D. in Counseling: Side by Side

Ph.D. figures describe common patterns across traditional doctoral programs and vary by institution. Amberton figures reflect the 2026–2027 academic year.

Ph.D. figures describe common patterns across traditional doctoral programs and vary by institution. Amberton figures reflect the 2026–2027 academic year.

Who Chooses an Ed.D. in Counseling

The Clinician Moving Into Supervision

Licensed counselors who have begun overseeing interns and associates often take on supervision without formal preparation for the role. Supervision in Counseling is a required course in the Ed.D. curriculum, along with advanced coursework in ethics, assessment, and multicultural practice. Graduates are prepared to move into clinical supervisor positions with both the training and the credential in place.

The Counselor Who Wants to Teach

Graduate counseling programs look for faculty with clinical experience behind them. The Ed.D. prepares experienced counselors to teach at the graduate level, with doctoral coursework spanning counseling theory, human growth and development, psychopathology, trauma, crisis intervention, addictive behaviors, and career counseling. Amberton’s own faculty follow this model as practitioners who hold doctoral degrees and remain active in their fields.

The Program Director

Agency directors, school counseling coordinators, and clinical managers often enter a doctoral program with a specific organizational problem in mind, such as a referral process that loses clients, a crisis protocol that has never been formally evaluated, or a training curriculum that no longer reflects current standards. The Applied Doctoral Project gives students a structured way to work on that problem while completing the degree.

What the Ed.D. Curriculum Covers

The program requires 60 doctoral credit hours in total: 54 hours of required doctoral studies, a non-credit Comprehensive Examination, and 6 hours of Applied Doctoral Project.

• Advanced clinical coursework spans counseling theories and techniques, group counseling skills, crisis counseling, trauma techniques, multicultural counseling, diagnosis and treatment of addictive behaviors, advanced psychopathology, advanced assessment, family therapy in clinical practice, intimacy and sexuality in relationships, and advanced child and adolescent development.
• Leadership and ethics coursework includes Counseling Ethics in Professional Practice, Supervision in Counseling, and Advanced Career Counseling in Professional Practice.
• Two research courses are sequenced. Qualitative Research & Statistics in Counseling must be taken within the first 12 hours of the program. Quantitative Research & Statistics in Counseling must be taken after all other coursework is complete, as preparation for the Applied Doctoral Project. Students may take every other course in any order they choose.
• The Comprehensive Examination is oral. Students enroll in CSL7999, a non-credit course, then sit for an oral exam conducted by three faculty members covering eight questions prepared by the faculty council. It must be passed before ADP enrollment.
• Graduation requires a minimum 3.0 GPA, good standing with the university, a passed Comprehensive Examination, and a successfully submitted and defended Applied Doctoral Project.

Cost and Time Commitment

• $625 per credit hour for doctoral programs, or $1,875 per 3-credit course.
• Four 10-week sessions each year, so students can begin in winter, spring, summer, or fall rather than waiting for a single annual start date.
• Additional program fees: $200 session fee, $250 Comprehensive Exam fee, $500 Applied Project Defense fee.
• Course load can be adjusted from one session to the next, which helps students who are managing a full caseload alongside coursework.

Licensure: What the Ed.D. Does and Does Not Cover

Completing the Amberton University Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Counseling degree does not, on its own, meet the academic requirements for becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Texas.

Students pursuing Texas LPC licensure must additionally:

• Take Professional Orientation to Counseling (CSL6780)
• Take and pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE)
• Complete Practicum 1 (CSL6840) and Practicum 2 (CSL6845)

To be eligible for practicum, students must complete all coursework required for the degree and pass the CPCE. Questions regarding licensure in the State of Texas can be directed to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Students interested in national certification should visit the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

Students who want both the doctorate and Texas LPC eligibility should plan the course sequence with an advisor before enrolling, since the licensure coursework falls outside the 60 required doctoral hours. You can also review Amberton’s Professional Licensure Statement.

Ed.D. vs. Ph.D. in Counseling: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between an Ed.D. and a Ph.D. in counseling?

A: A Ph.D. in counseling is a research degree designed to prepare scholars who produce new knowledge for the field. An Ed.D. is a practice degree designed to prepare practitioners, educators, and leaders who apply existing research to problems in clinical, academic, and organizational settings. Amberton’s Ed.D. in Counseling emphasizes applied research and management, which prepares graduates for roles that drive systemic change and organizational improvement.

Q: Does an Ed.D. in counseling require a dissertation?

A: No. Amberton’s Ed.D. in Counseling does not require a traditional dissertation. Students complete an Applied Doctoral Project worth 6 credit hours across two courses. The project applies theoretical knowledge and research methods to a real-world problem in a specific professional context and produces a practical deliverable, such as a new curriculum, a program evaluation, a policy proposal, or a clinical protocol, along with a final report. Students submit and defend the project.

Q: Is an EdD as respected as a PhD?

A: Both are terminal doctoral degrees and carry the same academic standing. They serve different purposes: a Ph.D. signals research expertise, while an Ed.D. signals applied leadership expertise. Hiring committees recruiting counselor educators, clinical supervisors, and program directors often weigh the Ed.D.’s applied, systems-focused training as heavily as a research doctorate.

Q: How long does it take to earn an online Ed.D. in counseling?

A: Amberton’s Ed.D. in Counseling requires 60 credit hours delivered 100% online across four 10-week sessions each year. How long it takes depends on how many courses you take per session, which you can adjust as work and family demands change. Most coursework can be taken in any order, with the exception of the two research courses, which are sequenced at the beginning and end of the program.

Q: Can I become a Licensed Professional Counselor with an Ed.D. from Amberton?

A: Not through the Ed.D. alone. Completing the degree does not meet the academic requirements for LPC licensure in Texas. Students pursuing licensure must also complete Professional Orientation to Counseling (CSL6780), pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE), and complete Practicum 1 (CSL6840) and Practicum 2 (CSL6845). Speak with an advisor about how to sequence these alongside doctoral coursework.

Q: What does the Ed.D. comprehensive exam involve?

A: The Comprehensive Examination is a summative assessment covering all completed coursework and the core knowledge areas of the curriculum. It is conducted orally by three faculty members and consists of eight questions prepared by the faculty council. Students enroll in CSL7999, a non-credit course, and must pass the exam before enrolling in the Applied Doctoral Project.

Q: What careers does an Ed.D. in counseling lead to?

A: The degree prepares graduates for roles that combine clinical expertise with leadership, including counselor educator, clinical supervisor, program director, mental health agency administrator, and curriculum or policy development positions in academic and community settings. The program’s mission centers on developing ethically, spiritually, and culturally aware mental health counselors and counselor educators.

Q: Is Amberton’s Ed.D. in Counseling accredited?

A: Amberton University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Contact an Amberton advisor for details on how that accreditation applies to the Ed.D. in Counseling program.

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Ready to Talk Through the Ed.D. in Counseling?

The choice between an Ed.D. and a Ph.D. usually comes down to the kind of work you want to be doing after graduation, whether that is leading a program, teaching future counselors, or conducting research. An Amberton enrollment advisor can walk you through the course sequence, answer questions about licensure, and talk through how the Applied Doctoral Project might fit the work you already have in mind.

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