Counseling Accreditation
Promoting clarity and quality in accredited counseling education.
Accreditation clarity for the stakeholders that matter.
Check Licensure Requirements In Your State
Answer a few questions to understand licensure requirements where you want to practice
COUNSELING PROGRAM ACCREDITING BODIES
CHEA Recognized Accrediting Bodies
Counseling and Related Program Accreditors
Council for Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
- Largest accreditor of graduate-level counseling programs
- CHEA recognized
- Nationally recognized
A CACREP-accredited program has met rigid criteria for its programs in the following areas: curriculum, faculty, quality, and student outcomes.
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American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
- Recognizes school counseling-focused graduate programs and individual k-12 schools
- Foundational national standards for school counselors
- Key focuses on advocacy and ethical standards
The ASCA was founded in 1952 and is a non-profit organization that supports school counselors by providing professional development, research, and advocacy.
Learn MoreAmerican Psychological Association (APA)
- Largest accredited of graduate-level psychology-focused programs
- Four accredited master’s degrees and over four-hundred accredited doctoral programs
- Core focus on promoting consistent quality and excellence in education and training in psychology
While the American Psychological Association (APA) primarily focuses on graduate-level psychology programs, it does accredited a number of counseling psychology focused degree programs.
Learn MoreMasters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC)
- Second largest accreditor of graduate psychology and counseling programs
- Defines standards and professional competencies of masters programs and their graduates
- Broadly accepted for education portability requirements
The primary focus on the MPCAC is to accredit academic programs that provide science-based education and training in the fields of psychology and counseling.
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why cOUNSELING ACCREDITATION
The Current State of Counselor Mobility
Counseling remains one of the only healthcare professions without a national licensure system. Counselors who want to relocate, or who complete graduate education in different states from where they want to practice, often face barriers due to varying licensure requirements.
While the Counseling Compact is a step in the right direction, the vast majority of prospective counseling students and practitioners face a confusing and inconsistent path to achieving licensure in any state other than their own.
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