ASU's College of Education Receives Historic Accreditation | Crime

ASU’s Master of School Counseling and Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs have received an eight-year accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

This is the first CACREP accreditation for the programs, which are housed in the College of Education.

Dr. Charlie Gibbons, interim dean of the College of Education, said the CACREP accreditation means ASU students will not be at a disadvantage when it comes to jobs and admissions standards that require CACREP-approved programs.

“A CACREP-approved program signals to everyone in the professional field of counseling that your program has met the same rigorous standards as other programs all over the country,” Gibbons said.

Dr. LaWanda Edwards, ASU’s coordinator of counselor education programs and CACREP liaison, said the University received the accreditation the first time it applied for it.

“Our accreditation process started in 2010 and included writing and submitting a self-study of the program, CACREP review of the self-study and a site visit,” Edwards said. “We pursued this accreditation because it demonstrates a commitment to meeting the highest academic standards and reflects the faculty’s commitment to provide students with the highest level of preparation.”

ASU is the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the state of Alabama and one of only eight HBCUs in the nation to receive this accreditation.

Edwards believes CACREP approval will have a positive impact on both current and future students.

“This accreditation will allow students to sit for the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification before graduating from the program, increase the value of their degree, and give them a solid foundation and advantage when pursuing a doctoral degree,” Edwards said.

In addition, the accreditation will open ASU’s counseling programs to a wider pool of future students, as it removes the admission requirement of past teaching experience for the Master of School Counseling program, which is mandatory for non-CACREP-approved programs.

About ASU’s Counselor of Education Program
The Counselor Education Program at Alabama State University prepares graduates to be effective professional counselors in schools and community agency settings. Graduates are expected to exhibit high levels of self-awareness, ethical behavior and personal characteristics of caring, empathetic helpers.

Contact 334-229-4571 for more information.

Information Source: ASU