Professional Counseling Program Earns Accreditation Through 2019

Program has earned accreditation through March 2019 from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Dean Candace Burns

The University’s professional counseling program has earned accreditation through March 2019 from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the agency that grants accredited status to graduate-level programs in the professional counseling field.

“It is very important that a program that trains professional counselors be committed to the highest quality standards, and CACREP accreditation ensures both prospective students and our graduates of the rigorous training we provide,” says Candace Burns, dean of the College of Education. “We are very proud of our professional counseling program, and excited that it has been recognized for meeting the highest standards of the profession.”

William Paterson’s professional counseling program seeks to prepare, educate, and mentor ethical and competent professional counselors who are knowledgeable in issues of diversity and life span development. It consists of two concentrations: school counseling, which leads to certification as a school counselor in the state of New Jersey; and mental health counseling, which leads to eligibility as a licensed associate counselor, the first step towards obtaining the licensed professional counselor credential in the state of New Jersey. The University has maintained CACREP accreditation since obtaining initial accreditation in 2002.