The counselor education graduate programs at the University of New Orleans received full reaccreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The doctoral program in counselor education and the master's program concentrations in school counseling and clinical mental health counseling all received full reaccreditation through 2030. 

CACREP is the leading accrediting body for the counseling profession. Earning CACREP accreditation involves a rigorous assessment of compliance with standards related to the learning environment, the entry-level counseling core curriculum, professional practice, program evaluation and various specialty areas. The counselor education faculty regularly collect data on program activities and outcomes; they have spent the last few years compiling the necessary reporting documents, completing the accreditation site visit, and responding to feedback, all while navigating the challenges and delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida.    

CACREP accreditation is required for Louisiana licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Louisiana Department of Education certification as a Professional School Counselor. Additionally, doctoral graduates who wish to work as faculty in accredited graduate programs must have doctoral degrees from an accredited program. 

“This accreditation decision would not be possible without the hard work of program faculty, students, alumni, field site supervisors, and university staff and administration,” said Chris Belser, associate professor in the School of Education and counseling graduate program coordinator. “This process is absolutely a team effort, but much credit goes to assistant professor Dr. Anabel Mifsud, who shepherded us through this process and compiled significant amounts of data.”