College of Education & Human Services
ACCREDITATION
Counselor Education programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and was the first counselor education program accredited in Illinois in 1987. On July 25th, 2008 The Counselor Education Programs received an eight-year certificate of accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Therefore, the Community and School Counseling programs are now accredited under the 2016 Standards. This certificate of accreditation makes the Counselor Education Programs at Western Illinois University the longest continually accredited counseling programs in the State of Illinois. Reviewer’s comments noted in particular, “Programs receiving accreditation for an eight-year period deserve to be commended for the work they completed throughout the accreditation process. This is indeed a worthy achievement.”
Graduates of WIU’s CACREP accredited programs enjoy several significant benefits. First, in their last semester prior to graduation they are immediately eligible to sit for the National Counselor’s Exam (NCE). Secondly, since CACREP informs counselor licensure in many states in the union, graduates have the added benefit of licensure eligibility in most states. Finally, graduates of WIU CACREP programs are well-positioned to pursue doctoral education in CACREP-accredited programs.
The School Counseling program is also accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Both CACREP and ISBE have new standards. The Department prides itself on its excellent compliance with these standards.
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