Texas A&M University-Texarkana Counseling Program Receives National Accreditation

The counseling program at Texas A&M University-Texarkana has received national accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, (CACREP). There are more than 400 individual standards that a counseling program must meet in order to receive accreditation. The CACREP model is used throughout the country by licensing boards as the standard for accrediting counseling and related educational programs.

The mission of CACREP is to promote the professional competence of counseling and related practitioners through development of preparation standards; excellence in program development; and accreditation of professional preparation programs.

The counseling program at A&M-Texarkana began aligning the counseling curriculum based on CACREP standards about eight years ago, which was followed by the initial step of accreditation, a self-study process. The self-study process spanned over two years with modifications to closely align courses and coursework with CACREP standards, and was later submitted to CACREP. The CACREP board reviewed the self-study and requested an addendum. After the addendum was placed under review, a site visit was made to the A&M-Texarkana campus by the CACREP board earlier this year.  The initial accreditation is for two years, at which time an interim report will be prepared and submitted to CACREP for consideration of an additional six year accreditation.

During the accreditation process, CACREP representatives praised the exemplary support for the counseling program by the university’s administration. A&M-Texarkana Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Rosanne Stripling, along with Dean of The College of Education and Liberal Arts, Dr. Glenda Ballard, were instrumental in providing support for the program, providing a positive outcome.

“A degree from a CACREP accredited counseling program instantly communicates quality,” said Dr. Stripling. “Graduates can be confident that they will be highly competitive in the work force, and employers can be confident that they are hiring a professional with the knowledge and skill set necessary for success on the job.” Dr. Ballard agrees. “This accreditation serves as a powerful recruiting tool for prospective students in our catchment area and beyond,” said Dr. Ballard. “The work of the faculty to insure we have this accreditation demonstrates the commitment to excellence at A&M-Texarkana.”

For more information about the counseling program offered at A&M-Texarkana, please contact Dr. Peter Racheotes, Professor of Counseling and Psychology at 903 223-3027 or peter.racheotes@tamut.edu .