USF College of Education's Counselor Education Programs Receive CACREP Accreditation

TAMPA, FL (August 2, 2005) – The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) recently awarded accreditation to the Career Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling Programs within the Department of Psychological and Social Foundations in the USF College of Education. The process began in December 2003 and was completed in March 2005 with an actual site visit by a CACREP team. The program was notified in July of their accreditation award.

Dr. Herb Exum, program coordinator, and the faculty in counselor education worked diligently to prepare the various components for the CACREP accreditation and site visit. CACREP accreditation provides national and international recognition to employers, consumers, potential students and potential faculty members that the program meets or exceeds national standards of the profession. It provides recognition that the program faculty is providing training that meets national standards, and it assures that graduates are knowledgeable and are accountable to the profession's ethical standards. It provides recognition that the graduates of the program have met all the prerequisites for credentialing and are ready for entry into professional practice. The substance and quality of the education offered by the USF-COEDU accredited program has been evaluated considerably and meets standards set by and for the profession.           

“CACREP accreditation essentially adds a professional status to all programs and program faculty as well as increases the likelihood that USF students will be hired over other students from competing programs,” states Exum. Exum and faculty members received the accreditation news just in time for the start of the 2005/2006 academic year. The accreditation will be a huge benefit and draw to the program in the future, a bonus for the students, faculty, the College of Education, and USF.

For more information contact the College of Education's Communications Director.