November 14, 2003

Master of Science Program in Community Counseling accredited

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), granted eight years of accreditation to Loyola's Department of Education and Counseling for the master of science program in community counseling.

During the accreditation process, the program had to define multi-culturalism as one of the eight main components of the self-study. Other schools had adopted a curriculum that included one class devoted solely to multi-culturalism to fill this criterion. "In an effort to resist the pressures to lose our identity and sacrifice our personal philosophy of educating the whole person," says Director of Counseling Graduates Justin Levitov, Ph.D., "cultural pluralism was integrated into the entire program and into every class whether it's counseling, theory, or ethics." Each course, Department Chair and Associate Professor Kevin Fall, Ph.D., explains, acknowledges the spiritual dimension of the whole person and students are asked to view human behavior in light of cultural diversity and cultural biases.

"The whole program maintains a unique approach to counselor training," Fall says, "to preserve and reflect the Jesuit ideals of this university." To educate the whole person, the master of science program in community counseling curriculum is permeated by multicultural issues and avoids the "cookie-cutter approach to cultural pluralism," Levitov adds.

Nearly 50 students are enrolled in the program, many of them accumulating practicum and internship experiences in agencies, hospitals, or private practice. Nearly 20 percent of graduates have entered doctoral work. Past graduates have attended prestigious schools such as William and Mary and Berkeley. Because of the needs of an aging population and the growing awareness of social and emotional problems, job opportunities are growing as the respect for the counseling profession augments.

The accreditation decision was based on an extensive review and is reflective of the program's standard for academic excellence and Jesuit ideals. Loyola sought CACREP accreditation to bring national attention to the program and to compete with other accredited master's programs in the state. Applying for accreditation was a lengthy process that involved the joint efforts of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the Department of Education and Counseling. Financial support was provided by the dean's generosity and the frugality of Levitov and Fall.

Sunday Angleton, A'04, Intern in the Offices of Public Affairs and Publications