Brandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven practices.
Brandon Galarita ContributorBrandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven practices.
Written By Brandon Galarita ContributorBrandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven practices.
Brandon Galarita ContributorBrandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven practices.
Contributor Veronica Beagle Managing EditorVeronica Beagle is the managing editor for Education at Forbes Advisor. She completed her master’s in English at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Before coming to Forbes Advisor she worked on education related content at HigherEducation.com and Re.
Veronica Beagle Managing EditorVeronica Beagle is the managing editor for Education at Forbes Advisor. She completed her master’s in English at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Before coming to Forbes Advisor she worked on education related content at HigherEducation.com and Re.
Veronica Beagle Managing EditorVeronica Beagle is the managing editor for Education at Forbes Advisor. She completed her master’s in English at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Before coming to Forbes Advisor she worked on education related content at HigherEducation.com and Re.
Veronica Beagle Managing EditorVeronica Beagle is the managing editor for Education at Forbes Advisor. She completed her master’s in English at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Before coming to Forbes Advisor she worked on education related content at HigherEducation.com and Re.
Updated: Apr 17, 2024, 8:11am
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Accreditation is one of the most important assurances of a quality education. Programmatic accreditation assesses a degree program’s content and verifies that the program covers relevant skill and knowledge areas. Programmatic accreditation can affect whether a graduate qualifies for licensure or employment.
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) provides accreditation to graduate-level counseling programs that prepare learners to become licensed professional counselors in settings like schools, private practices, government, mental health organizations and human services.
In this article, we overview what CACREP accreditation is, how programs become accredited and why accreditation matters.
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CACREP accreditation is both a process and a status a counseling program can hold. The accreditation process validates a counseling program’s commitment to educational excellence. CACREP accredits the following types of master’s and doctoral programs:
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education recognize two types of higher education accreditation: institutional and programmatic. Unlike institutional accreditation, CACREP accreditation is degree-specific. Obtaining this accreditation demonstrates to the public that a program continually meets professional standards set by CACREP.
CACREP accreditation involves a comprehensive evaluation of a program. Meeting CACREP’s minimum standards for core content area offerings, minimum credit areas and practicum requirements does not guarantee accreditation.
Other aspects considered in the CACREP accreditation process include degree offerings, student access to counseling learning environments, faculty-to-student ratios, education level of faculty and staff, continual program self-evaluation and learning opportunities in specialty areas.
CACREP accreditation signifies that faculty and administrators within a counseling program are committed to bettering their program’s educational effectiveness. The process also evaluates a program’s stability and professionalism. Lastly, CACREP accreditation affirms that a program offers high-quality content that prepares learners for licensure and success as counselors.
As stated earlier, earning CACREP accreditation is entirely voluntary. As both a process and a status, accreditation requires significant consideration and a commitment to excellence on the part of a program’s administration and faculty.
First, a program considers whether or not they meet the initial eligibility requirements. CACREP only accredits master’s and doctoral programs that identify as counseling programs, are regionally accredited and meet the minimum credit hours set forth by the CACREP standards, among other requirements. Complete standards are laid out on CACREP’s policy page.
CACREP-eligible programs may engage in a thorough self-study against the CACREP policies and standards. For a program to become accredited, it must be able to illustrate how it meets CACREP’s expectations in a narrative report.
Once the application and self-study are approved, CACREP conducts a site visit. A site team validates the self-study document through observations; individual and group discussions with administration, faculty and staff; and interviews with alumni and current students.
Based on the results, programs can receive a two-year, an eight-year or denial of accreditation. If accredited, a program must maintain its accreditation through interim and mid-cycle reports and vital statistics surveys.
Enrolling and graduating from a program that holds CACREP accreditation can make a difference in your counseling journey. After all, if you are committing time and money to a program, it’s important to choose one that will pay off after graduation.
Ultimately, each state has distinct licensure requirements for practice as a counselor, and aspiring counselors should be familiar with their state’s regulations. Graduating from a CACREP-accredited program does not guarantee licensure. However, CACREP standards often meet minimum educational and experiential requirements for state licensure.
That said, some federal government organizations require their counselors to hold degrees from CACREP-accredited programs. The U.S. Department of Defense and the Army require a CACREP-accredited degree for the TRICARE Certified Mental Health Counselor credential or for employment as a fully functioning practitioner with the Army Substance Abuse Program.
The Department of Veterans Affairs also employs licensed professional mental health specialists who graduated from CACREP-accredited programs.
CACREP accreditation should be a top consideration when applying to a master’s or doctoral counseling program. CACREP accreditation validates the overall quality of a counseling program against a set of third-party standards and helps prepare students to work as professional counselors.
Accreditation by CACREP and the American Psychological Association (APA) cover different areas. CACREP focuses on counseling and does not accredit any psychology programs. The APA accredits psychology programs.
The APA recognizes three accreditation entities: CACREP, the APA and the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE). Of the three, the best accreditation is the one that aligns with your career goals. CORE mainly offers accreditation for rehabilitation education, the APA administers accreditation for counseling psychology and CACREP provides accreditation for other counseling programs.
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ContributorBrandon Galarita is a freelance writer and K-12 educator in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is passionate about technology in education, college and career readiness and school improvement through data-driven practices.
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