Whitworth’s Master of Education in School Counseling Degree Receives Accreditation
Ronald Jacobson, Ph.D., dean of the Whitworth School of Education, credits program director Wendy Bleecker, Ed.D., for her leadership over the past few years in securing the program accreditation.
“We are so proud of this outstanding achievement, especially so of our school counseling program director, Wendy Bleecker, and all who did exemplary work toward this goal,” Jacobson says.
Bleecker was notified by Jane Stafford, MPCAC chair, of the program’s accreditation on Jan. 5.
“We are excited to work with MPCAC,” Bleecker says. “MPCAC is a quality organization offering counseling standards that will provide a solid framework and alignment for our school counseling program. MPCAC specifically supports equity, diversity and inclusion in education, strong ethical and professional values, and research-based theory supporting relevant counseling strategies and interventions, which nicely aligns with Whitworth’s mission.”
MPCAC’s standards reflect a clear commitment to professional identity by requiring programs to offer training in both ethical practice and professional values and attitudes. In that context, programs must demonstrate how their students display a defined professional identity in the science-based practice of counseling and psychological services as it relates to their area of concentration.
As of June 2020, 57 applied master’s programs from 50 institutions across 23 states were accredited by the MPCAC. For more on the MPCAC and its accreditation process, visit mpcacaccreditation.org.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu
