The mission of the Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences is to help people learn and grow. Whether it’s becoming an instructional designer, school librarian, educational technology specialist, school counselor or mental health counselor - we have a path for you. Located in the College of Education and Professional Studies, the department offers a variety of online and in-person graduate degrees and certificate programs.
Dr. John Hoyle, a 2018 graduate of the Ph.D. program in Instructional Design & Development was recently appointed Interim President of the Alabama School of Math & Science. Earlier this year his dissertation entitled Black Girls Matter: An Ethnographic Investigation of Rural African-American Girls Experiencing a Specialized Stem High School For Gifted and Talented Students. Dr. Hoyle's dissertation, chaired by Dr. Jim Van Haneghan, was nominated for the Council of Graduate Schools/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Upton’s Global Approach to Human Development and Culture
A cornerstone of Dr. Upton’s work is leading an annual study abroad institute to Perugia, Italy—a historic, walled ancient city that serves as a living laboratory for cross-cultural discovery. The program is offered to counseling students, education students, and anyone interested in how human development and interpersonal relationships interact with culture. It provides a unique lens on systemic care, educational impacts, and holistic well-being while offering the comfort and security of a fully planned itinerary.
Participants reside in student apartments directly connected to the Umbria Institute of Perugia, creating an immersive living and learning environment. On-site classroom instruction is seamlessly paired with focused human services, educational, and cultural excursions throughout the city and surrounding region.
Through this blend of academic rigor, experiential excursions, and community living, Dr. Upton’s program equips students across disciplines to explore human growth, relational dynamics, and cultural influences with a deeper global perspective.
