About the Counselor Education Track

• The Counselor Education Track is CACREP accredited.  The University of Akron’s doctoral program was the first CACREP-accredited program in Ohio (continuous accreditation has been awarded since 1985)
• It is approved by the Ohio Counselor and Social Worker Board as meeting the educational requirements for professional licensure in Ohio (e.g., Professional Clinical Counselor and Supervising Counselor endorsements)
• The program teaches students how to advance the profession of Counseling by becoming advanced clinicians, instructors, and clinical supervisors.
• It adheres to a practitioner-scientist model of development in that students are taught clinical, academic, and supervisory skills informed by research/science.

Graduating students usually gain employment as counselor educators/researchers in academic institutions, administrators of mental health service agencies, and advanced practitioners/supervisors.

During the program students will:

• Complete doctoral foundation courses such as advanced theories of counseling, professional/legal issues in counseling, socio-cultural issues and use of assessment data
• Complete supervised Advanced Practica at the Clinic for Individual and Family Counseling
• Receive training and practical experience focused on clinical supervision
• Learn research skills through didactic coursework and research dissertation mentoring
• Gain specialized training in clinical practice, teaching, research and/or supervision by completing two semesters of Internship

The Counselor Education track consists of a 120 credit hour curriculum. Up to 50% of this track’s total required coursework (i.e., 60 graduate credits) may be transferred into the curriculum from a previous master’s or doctoral degree program if the graduate-level courses substitute for required coursework needed to complete the degree, if the student received a grade of ‘B’ or better in the courses, and if the transfer of credits are approved by the student’s Faculty Adviser. Other conditions may apply.

Addressing the Needs of the State and the Region

Student enrollment has remained relatively steady over the past few years, reflecting the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, report projecting faster than average growth in counseling positions at both the master's and doctoral levels through 2012 (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition). Growth in Ohio is expected to parallel the national picture as reflected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.