A.2 Counselor Education Program-2024 Policy

a) Counseling Program Identity. Counselor education programs applying for CACREP accreditation must clearly demonstrate a Counseling identity in the following areas at the time of application:

  1. Foundational Counseling Curriculum (course prefixes, course titles, course content) – Section 3,
  2. Specialized Practice Areas (e.g., School Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling) degree program descriptions and curricula content,
  3. Descriptions of specialized practice area degree program(s) in counselor education program materials (e.g., website, student handbooks, catalogs),
  4. Core counselor education faculty identification with the counseling profession -. Standard 1.Z,
  5. Student identification with the counseling profession – Standard 1.L, and
  6. Core and/or affiliate faculty supervisor qualifications – Standard 4.N.

 

b)  Use of Degree Program Name and Degree Titles. Programs may not use degree program names or degree titles that have the potential to mislead or misrepresent CACREP accreditation status. Therefore, when an institution seeks CACREP accreditation for one or more graduate specialized practice area degree programs (e.g., School Counseling, Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling), the institution must use titles that 1) clearly identify the specialized practice area degree programs and degree titles as Counseling programs and Counseling degrees, and 2) accurately reflect the CACREP specialized practice area degree program for which accreditation is being sought.

c) Equivalent Degree Program Requirement. Counselor education programs may not run an alternative Counseling degree program in the same specialized practice area as that of a CACREP-accredited specialized practice area degree program that does not have equivalent requirements in terms of credit hours, foundational counseling curriculum, and supervised clinical experiences.

d) Graduate Level Coursework. The Board will accept only graduate-level coursework to complete the CACREP degree requirements.

e)Program Training Requirement. Beginning July 1, 2026, programs, regardless of program delivery method, require and deliver an in-person, synchronous experience to observe and assess counseling skills and professional dispositions for all students at least at two points throughout the student’s program of study of which one occurs prior to the practicum.

f)Duration of Practicum. The duration of a student’s supervised practicum experience is to extend across a full academic term, as defined by the institution, to allow for the development of basic counseling skills and the integration of knowledge. CACREP standards do not allow for extra hours completed during practicum to be counted toward the 600-clock hour internship requirements.

g) Counselor Education Program Innovation. CACREP supports the design and implementation of new initiatives that advance academic quality. New initiatives must be consistent with the counselor education program’s stated mission and objectives.

h) State Licensure Notification. Consistent with federal mandates, counselor education programs must inform current and prospective students if the accredited degree specialized practice area(s) program(s) meets the state licensure and/or certification requirements to practice in the state in which the student resides.

i)When CACREP Standards Conflict with State/Local Laws. If CACREP Standards, policies, or procedures conflict with any local or state laws governing an institution, it is the responsibility of the counselor education program to notify CACREP of the conflict and suggest one or more alternative resolutions that demonstrate the counselor education program’s willingness to meet the intent of the Standards, policies, or procedures in question.

j)Degree Program Pathways. Counselor education programs offering different degree program completion options (i.e., pathways) consisting of variances and/or combinations in location and/or delivery methods, must identify the different pathways and determine the achievement of established minimum thresholds for each pathway and analyze trends over time.

k) Adding a Degree Program during an Accreditation Cycle. An institution with one or more accredited counseling specialized practice area degree program(s) with no encumbrance, such as delinquent in fees, standards cited, or imposed sanctions, may add new accredited specialized practice area(s) or a doctoral degree program. The requisite application for the addition of new degree program(s) must occur within four years of the current grant of accreditation.

l)Substantive Change in an Accredited Degree Program. Significant changes affecting the nature, substance, or delivery of a counseling degree program must be reported and reviewed. Such substantive changes are not automatically included in the institution’s degree program current accreditation.

m)Teach-out of an Accredited Degree Program. Institutions planning to close one or all of their CACREP-accredited degree programs must submit a report on how the counselor education program will maintain compliance with the standards throughout the teach-out. This includes counselor education programs that will not be seeking reaffirmation of accreditation for one or more degree programs.

n) Significant Degree Program Changes. In the event that significant changes occur in a degree program that may call into question a degree program’s ability to maintain compliance with the standards, the CACREP Board reserves the right to take monitoring actions.