CACREP Accreditation
Austin Peay State University's (APSU) Counseling Graduate Program is committed to
excellence and, as of July 2019, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education
Accreditation (CHEA), has granted accreditation to the following programs in the Department
of Psychological Science and Counseling: M.S. in Counseling, Clinical Mental Health
Counseling concentration; and M.S. in Counseling, School Counseling concentration. CACREP accreditation recognizes that the content and quality of APSU's Counseling
Graduate Program have been evaluated and meet the high standards set by the profession.
All students who graduate within 18 months of the program receiving accreditation
(January 2018 and later) will be grandfathered and considered to have graduated from
a CACREP-accredited program.
Mission
The mission of the Master’s Program in Counseling is to provide both academic and clinical training that will prepare students to be highly effective professional counselors. Our goal is to influence students to be life-long learners who are sensitive to and appreciative of the developmental needs of individuals and groups in the context of a rapidly changing multicultural society. Students completing the school counseling concentration are eligible for Tennessee certification as school counselors pending their passing of the Praxis Exam. Students completing the mental health counseling concentration will have met the educational requirements for licensure in Tennessee as Licensed Professional Counselors with the Mental Health Service Provider designation.
Counseling Program Student Outcomes
(Fall 2024 - Summer 2025)
|
Clinical Mental Health Concentration |
School Counseling Concentration |
|---|---|
|
Number of Graduates: 22 |
Number of Graduates: 6 |
|
Completion Rate: 89% (out of 19 who started in 2023, 6 continuing enrollments, 2 withdrawals, 11 graduated) |
Completion Rate: 100% (out of 5 who started in 2023, 1 continuing enrollment, 4 graduated) |
|
Comprehensive Exam (CECE) Pass Rate: 85% (22/26) Licensure Exam (NCE) Pass Rate prior to graduation: 80% (4/5) |
Comprehensive Exam (CECE) Pass Rate: 80% (4/5) Licensure Exam (PRAXIS II) Pass Rate: 100% (5/5) |
|
Job Placement/Doctoral Acceptance Rate: 75% (12/16) at the time of graduation for students seeking employment. |
Job Placement/Doctoral Acceptance Rate: 83% (5/6) at the time of graduation for students seeking employment |
Student Assessment, Program Evaluation, & Annual Report
To ensure we are working effectively toward this mission, the Graduate Counseling Program at Austin Peay State University (APSU) engages in systematic and ongoing evaluation of its two counseling program concentrations. You can find out more about our ongoing assessment and evaluation procedures here. We also invite you to view our Annual Report, which reports the results of our program evaluation here (PDF) or by visiting the Student Assessment, Program Evaluation, and Annual Report page.
Values Statement
The Austin Peay State University Counseling program emphasizes the importance of professionalism, ethical practice, and respect for others. The program faculty are committed to educating students who strive to promote fairness and well-being in society. This commitment aligns with the ethical standards of the counseling profession as outlined in the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics (2014), the American School Counselor Association's Ethical Standards (2022), and the CACREP Standards (2024). Students enrolled in the Counseling program are expected to uphold these principles in their academic and professional conduct.
Program Objectives
The Masters' Program in Counseling strives to support the holistic development of quality counselors by meeting program and curriculum-specific objectives aligned with CACREP Standards.
- Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice
To cultivate culturally affirming, ethically grounded and self-reflective students who exhibit a comprehensive understanding of the counseling profession’s theoretical foundations, specialized domains, and contemporary development.
- Social and Cultural Identities and Experiences
To equip students to promote multicultural competence and social justice by understanding diverse cultural influences and addressing systemic inequities, discrimination, and trauma, while fostering empowerment, inclusion, and equitable access to services.
- Lifespan Development
To prepare students to apply developmental and cultural theories to promote resilience, wellness, and healthy adaptation for clients across the lifespan.
- Career Development
To equip students with culturally responsive counseling skills, demonstrate mastery of career development theories, assessment strategies, and interventions, enabling them to effectively guide diverse clients through career-related challenges while advocating for equitable access to educational and occupational opportunities in an evolving global workforce.
- Counseling Practice and Relationships
To prepare students to demonstrate proficiency in applying diverse counseling theories, models, and culturally responsive strategies to effectively conceptualize cases, establish therapeutic relationships, and implement evidence-based interventions across various service delivery modalities.
To equip students with advanced skills in critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and professional practice, including crisis intervention, documentation, case management, and the integration of technology, while cultivating a personal counseling model grounded in theory and research.
- Group Counseling and Group Work
To prepare students with the knowledge and skills to effectively apply group counseling theories, dynamics, and techniques in diverse settings.
- Assessment and Diagnostic Processes
Equip students to ethically apply culturally responsive, evidence-based assessment and intervention strategies to inform diagnosis, referral, and advocacy, while promoting client well-being and equitable access to mental health services across diverse global contexts.
- Research and Program Evaluation
To equip students to use research and evaluation methods to inform practice, advance the profession, and advocate for clients by applying ethical, culturally responsive, and evidence-based approaches to data collection, analysis, and decision-making.
- Addiction Counseling
To equip students to understand the neurobiological, psychological, and social aspects of addictions, and develop skills to identify, assess, and apply individualized strategies for prevention, intervention, and recovery.
- Counseling Children and Adolescents
To prepare students to demonstrate the knowledge and application of culturally, situationally, and developmentally appropriate treatment strategies for children and adolescents, including recognizing characteristics, risk factors, and warning signs of mental health and behavioral disorders.
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialized Practice Area
To develop students who demonstrate the ability to navigate mental health service systems, apply counseling and supervision theory and practice, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, advocate for clients, and understand licensure requirements and professional standards in clinical mental health counseling
Develop, through supervised practicum and internship experiences, an integration of the knowledge and skills needed to be successful as practicing counselors
- School Counseling Specialized Practice Area
Enact skills to design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive, student-centered school counseling programs that reflect core professional values and integrate foundational models, leadership, and advocacy to support the academic, career, social/emotional, and cultural development of all PK–12 students.
Develop, through supervised practicum and internship experiences, an integration of the knowledge and skills needed to be successful as practicing counselors
- Personal Growth and Understanding
Foster the development of professional dispositions in counseling students, including ethical integrity, cultural humility, self-awareness, emotional maturity, and a commitment to lifelong learning, in alignment with the standards of the counseling profession.
