Carlow University’s Professional Counseling programs (Addictions Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling) are housed in the College of Arts & Science’s Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Criminology. The programs are designed to prepare professional counselors to work with diverse clients in a variety of settings. Our counselors-in-training identity with the Counseling profession as defined by the American Counseling Association (ACA), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). According to the “20/20: A Vision for the Future of Counseling“, 31 organizations representing the counseling profession defined Professional Counseling as “a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.” To learn more about the profession of Counseling, visit the ACA website.
Our professional counseling programs consist of highly-trained counselor educators (core faculty) who identify with the counseling profession through continuous memberships in counseling organizations; maintain certifications and/or licenses pertinent to their counseling specialty area; professional service and advocacy in counseling; and research and scholarly activity in counseling as stated by CACREP (2016). In addition to the core faculty, experienced adjunct faculty assist in teaching.
Professional counseling classes are:
Students typically graduate from the program within 2.5 to 3.5 years (8-10 semesters) depending on the number of courses taken each semester. Full-time students take three (3) courses each semester while Part-Time students take two (2) courses.
View or download the following documents [pdf]:
The mission of the Carlow University Professional Counseling program is to prepare graduate-level students for careers in the counseling profession. Housed within the College of Arts & Science, the program provides the education and training required for those pursuing licensure as professional counselors in the state of Pennsylvania. The program emphasizes a developmental focus across the lifespan, ethical practice, applied scholarship to clinical work and cultivates respect for the uniqueness of all individuals. Grounded in the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy humanitarian works, the program emphasizes social justice, inclusion and advocacy within counseling.
The Carlow University’s Professional Counseling program infuses multicultural and social justice competencies in the general curriculum. These competencies prepare counselors to address the significant social, cultural and economic challenges that may negatively affect psychosocial development. Socially just practice entails professional conduct that opposes all forms of discrimination and oppression. In concurrence with the five critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy (earth, immigration, non-violence, racism, women), we believe that all people have a right to equitable treatment, support for their human rights and fair allocation of societal resources (Lee, 2007).