We’re glad that you’re here!
The Counselor Education Program at EKU is both anchored by and in support of the counseling profession – a profession founded on holistic and humanistic principles that has evolved over the decades to meet a changing society and address its needs. The profession has its origin in the areas of counseling psychology, school guidance, and vocational rehabilitation counseling, and despite being a profession among many under the contemporary umbrella of the mental health field, professional counselors maintain distinction in their philosophy and approach to client treatment that is at the heart of EKU’s Counselor Education Program.
What to Expect
- A 60-credit Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree and a 60-credit School Counseling degree.
- A program designed to be completed – if enrolled full time – in about three years for either degree.
- A predominantly online program with some courses requiring some in-person instruction.
- Courses with curriculum that includes clinical counseling, advocacy/leadership, and research.
- Clinical/fieldwork courses with concurrent site placement relevant to counseling specialty to practice skills and prepare for future counseling careers.
- Personalized mentoring and guidance by faculty to help students make the most of their training experience.
Join Us for a Virtual Open House!
Are you interested in our program and want to learn more or have questions to be answered? Then join us for one of our fall or spring virtual open houses! At each of these open houses, which are led by our Program Coordinator, Dr. James McGinn, you will learn more about the counseling profession, our program admissions requirements and process, our curriculum and degree requirements, and student opportunities and support services. You will also have the opportunity to ask your questions and hear from other interested individuals.
Below is the next round of virtual open houses that we will be holding. These are held via Zoom, and there is no need to preregister – all that you need to do is click on the date and time below of the open house that you would like to attend at its start time and you will join it:
We look forward to your attending and being able to share more about our program with you!
Program Accreditation
Accreditation in the United States is a voluntary process overseen by non-governmental entities, such as institutional agencies or professional associations. These entities establish criteria and procedures for evaluating the quality and rigor of education provided by institutions and/or academic programs.
Eastern Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, educational specialist, and doctorate degrees. Eastern Kentucky University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Eastern Kentucky University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (sacscoc.org).
EKU’s Counselor Education program has been accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) since 2001. CACREP, the leader in the monitoring of Counselor Education programs for decades, sets and enforces those professional standards deemed necessary to adequately prepare professional counselors to serve the public effectively and safely. These standards address the structure of the institution/program, its faculty, and the curriculum and practices delivered to/enforced with its students. CACREP accreditation has also been increasingly used as the standard by which professionals are able to be credentialed for practice by their state or other governing entity. Students and graduates of EKU’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree track will meet Kentucky’s state requirements for initial licensure immediately upon degree conferral. Students and graduates of EKU’s School Counseling degree track will have a much easier time pursuing clinical licensure in their futures – should they decide to – having graduated from a CACREP-accredited program. More information about CACREP and its standards may be found on CACREP’s website.
The Counselor Education’s School Counseling degree track is further accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP ensures that professionals have the necessary competency and skill to work with students in the PK-12 educational setting based on their discipline/specialty. More information about CAEP and its standards may be found on their website.
PROGRAM MISSION AND OBJECTIVES
EKU’s Counselor Education Program maintains the same mission as its department, which is as follows:
As educators, clinicians, mentors, and scholars, the Department of Clinical Therapeutic Programs empowers future professionals and leaders to enhance the quality of lives of individuals with communication, swallowing, counseling, and/or mental health needs and their caregivers, families, and communities through service, teaching, research, and advocacy.
The Counselor Education Program further has the following Program-Level Learning Objectives (PLLOs) for its degrees:
As a result of participating in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, students with a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in clinical mental health counseling will…
- Be able to 1) Critically analyze strengths, drawbacks, and multicultural considerations of major counseling theories; 2) evaluate their own backgrounds and values as well as the impact of those on the counseling process with their clients; and 3) begin to construct their personal theoretical orientation for future clinical counseling practice.
- Be able to demonstrate the necessary dispositional counselor characteristics and [skill] competencies to clinically practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge in the high common core areas of counseling practice set by CACREP (2024): 1) Professional counseling orientation and ethical practice, 2) social and cultural identities and experiences, 3) lifespan development, 4) career development, 5) counseling practice and relationships, 6) group counseling and group work, 7) assessment and diagnostic processes, and 8) research and program evaluation.
As a result of participating in the School Counseling program, students with a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) degree in school counseling will…
- Demonstrate knowledge of the American School Counselor Association’s National Model for school counseling programming.
- Be able to demonstrate the necessary dispositional counselor characteristics and [skill] competencies to clinically practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge in the high common core areas of counseling practice set by CACREP (2024): 1) Professional counseling orientation and ethical practice, 2) social and cultural identities and experiences, 3) lifespan development, 4) career development, 5) counseling practice and relationships, 6) group counseling and group work, 7) assessment and diagnostic processes, and 8) research and program evaluation.