What Are the Benefits of a CACREP-Accredited Program?

If you want to become a counselor, you need to know about CACREP accreditation. Find out what CACREP is, why accreditation by CACREP is important, and the advantages of earning a degree from a CACREP-accredited program.

What Is CACREP?

CACREP stands for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. CACREP is an independent accrediting agency that evaluates graduate counseling programs throughout the United States to make sure they meet standards set by the counseling profession. CACREP accreditation signifies that the degree program’s content and quality have been found to adhere to the profession’s established standards. Students can trust that a program that is CACREP-accredited encompasses relevant knowledge and skills and that it’s stable, both professionally and financially.¹

CACREP exists to promote excellence in professional counseling education programs. CACREP’s mission is to enhance the professional competence of counseling and related practitioners by:²

• Establishing preparation standards.
• Fostering excellence in program development.
• Accrediting professional preparation programs.

Why Is CACREP Accreditation Important?

Perhaps the most compelling reason why CACREP accreditation is important is that earning a degree from a CACREP-accredited counseling program fulfills the educational requirements for licensure in many states.³ Prospective counselors should research the specific requirements of their state or jurisdiction to understand the pathway to licensure in their area.

Additionally, a CACREP-accredited program assures students—and the public they will one day serve—that the curriculum includes appropriate counseling coursework and skill development. It also shows that the college or university offering the program is committed to ongoing assessment to maintain and improve program quality.

What Are the Benefits of Enrolling in a CACREP-Accredited Program?

Whether you’re considering a campus-based or online degree program, there are several benefits to graduating from a program accredited by CACREP.

1. Quality Assurance: CACREP accreditation indicates that the program meets rigorous standards of quality in terms of curriculum, faculty qualifications, and student support services.
2. Professional Recognition: Many employers, licensing boards, and professional organizations recognize the value of CACREP accreditation.
3. Transferability of Credits: Credits earned in a CACREP-accredited program are more likely to be accepted if you choose to transfer to another institution or pursue further education.
4. Preparation for Licensure: CACREP-accredited programs typically align with the educational requirements for licensure in many states, which can streamline the licensure process.

Overall, a degree from a CACREP-accredited program can help you build a solid foundation for future endeavors.

What Are the Eight Content Areas of CACREP?

While CACREP does not specify particular courses that a counseling degree program must offer, it does define core standards that apply to any counseling degree program, as well as specific curricular standards that apply to particular specializations. These are the eight content areas that apply to all counseling degree programs:⁴

• Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
• Social and Cultural Identities and Experiences
• Lifespan Development
• Career Development
• Counseling Practice and Relationships
• Group Counseling and Group Work
• Assessment and Diagnostic Processes
• Research and Program Evaluation

When CACREP reviews a degree program, it ensures that the program’s curriculum addresses these eight CACREP content areas.5 These core areas provide a comprehensive framework for counseling education and training and ensure that students develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to become effective professional counselors.

What Are the CACREP Accreditation Standards?

CACREP has updated its standards for 2024 and beyond to focus on two primary components: quality first and a unified counselor identity. “Quality first” means that universities and colleges must evaluate their counseling degree programs and assess students with a goal of strengthening the counseling profession. A “unified counselor identity” is meant to ensure that students graduate with a strong professional counselor identity and with opportunities for specialization in identified practice areas. Graduates must demonstrate knowledge and skill across the counseling curriculum and be competent in both universal counselor functions and their CACREP specialized practice areas.⁴

In addition to those components, there are numerous 2024 standards that counseling programs seeking accreditation must meet. These standards include:⁴ 

• What the student handbook and each course syllabus must include.
• The minimum number of faculty members for counseling degree programs.
• Education requirements for counselor faculty members.
• A mandate to assist students in finding quality fieldwork sites.

In order to become accredited, a degree program must complete an extensive self-assessment and undergo an external peer review. In this process, the program must provide evidence of meeting CACREP standards. The purpose of the assessment and review is to determine whether an online or on-campus counseling degree program is indeed in compliance with CACREP standards.5 When a program achieves CACREP accreditation, it signifies that the program’s content and quality have been evaluated thoroughly and meet the strict, consistent standards set by the counseling profession.

When considering options for a master’s or doctoral degree program in counseling, be sure to seek out a CACREP-accredited program. Whether you’re interested in an on-campus or online degree program, CACREP accreditation signals that the program aligns with professional standards of quality. You can be confident that you’ll receive a graduate-level counseling education that will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to thrive in the field.

Ready to enter a CACREP-accredited counseling program? Walden University is an HLC-accredited institution offering these CACREP-accredited online degree programs: MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MS in School Counseling, and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.cacrep.org/for-students/why-should-i-choose-an-accredited-program/ 
²Source: www.cacrep.org/about-cacrep/#vision-mission-and-core-values 
³Source: www.cacrep.org/articles/points-for-sharing/ 
⁴Source: www.cacrep.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2024-Standards-Combined-Version-10.09.23.pdf 
⁵Source: www.cacrep.org/for-programs/program-faqs-2

MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Walden University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a requirement for licensure in many states. The MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for licensing exams and to meet the academic licensure requirements of many state counseling boards. Because no graduate program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, we encourage students to consult the appropriate agency to determine specific requirements. For more information about licensure, students should visit the National Board for Certified Counselors at www.nbcc.org/search/stateboarddirectory, the American Association of State Counseling Boards at www.aascb.org, and contact the appropriate licensing body. International students are encouraged to identify and contact their appropriate licensing body. Learn more about professional licensure.

MS in School Counseling: The MS in School Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which may also be a requirement to become licensed or certified as a school counselor in some states. In addition, some states require school counselors to have an existing teaching license or certification, and teaching experience, in order to be eligible for a school counseling certification/license. Learn more about professional licensure.

Further, many states require school counseling programs to be approved in at least one state, either their own or another state. The MS in School Counseling program is approved by the states of Minnesota and Ohio, and while this approval is accepted by the majority of states which require state approval, it may not be accepted by all states.

Walden is not approved to offer the School Counseling degree in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Mexico, or Tennessee, so if you reside in one of these states, you will not be eligible for the dual degree.

PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision: Walden University’s PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

The PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed counseling professional.

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.