Yes, Grand Canyon University holds CACREP accreditation for two of its counseling programs. GCU’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and its Master of Education in School Counseling are both accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. This is a relatively recent development, with GCU announcing the accreditation in 2024.
Which GCU Programs Are CACREP Accredited
CACREP accreditation at GCU applies specifically to two graduate programs: the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and the MEd in School Counseling. Other counseling-related programs at GCU, such as the addiction counseling degree, do not carry CACREP accreditation. The MS in Addiction Counseling holds a separate accreditation through the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC), which serves a different purpose.
This distinction matters because CACREP accreditation is not a university-wide designation. It applies program by program. If you’re considering a GCU counseling degree that is not one of those two, you would not be graduating from a CACREP-accredited program.
What CACREP Accreditation Means for You
CACREP is the primary programmatic accreditation that state licensing boards, employers, and credentialing organizations look for when evaluating a counseling degree. Graduating from a CACREP-accredited program generally simplifies the path to becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), depending on what your state calls the credential.
Many states accept a degree from a CACREP-accredited program as meeting the educational requirements for licensure without additional course-by-course review. Some states are moving toward requiring CACREP accreditation outright. Without it, applicants may need to submit detailed syllabi, demonstrate equivalent coursework, or complete additional credit hours before a licensing board will approve their application.
Beyond licensure, CACREP accreditation can affect employment opportunities. Some federal agencies, the VA hospital system, and certain clinical settings prefer or require candidates who graduated from CACREP-accredited programs.
When the Accreditation Took Effect
GCU earned CACREP accreditation for these two programs in 2024. According to the university, students who were enrolled in either program as of January 17, 2024, are considered graduates of a CACREP-accredited program. This is significant because CACREP accreditation can sometimes be applied retroactively to students who were already in the program when it was granted, easing licensure pathways for those graduates.
If you graduated from GCU’s clinical mental health counseling or school counseling program before this date, you would generally not be considered a graduate of a CACREP-accredited program. You may need to check with your state licensing board about how your degree is evaluated.
Licensure Without CACREP
Not every state requires CACREP accreditation for counseling licensure, though the landscape is shifting. Some states still accept a counseling degree from any regionally accredited university as long as the coursework covers required content areas. Others have adopted or are phasing in stricter requirements that make CACREP accreditation essential.
States that do require CACREP accreditation typically define a qualifying degree as a master’s in counseling from a CACREP-accredited program with at least 60 graduate semester hours. The curriculum must cover specific academic areas including human growth and development, group counseling, assessment, research methods, ethics, and practicum or internship hours.
If you’re currently enrolled in one of GCU’s two CACREP-accredited programs, this concern is largely resolved for you. If you’re in a different GCU counseling program, check your state’s licensing board website carefully. Some boards will conduct a course-by-course equivalency review, while others will not accept a non-CACREP degree at all.
GCU’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
GCU’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is designed to meet the academic requirements for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential through the National Board for Certified Counselors, as well as the Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) credential. The program also aligns with the licensing requirements for Arizona’s Licensed Associate Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor designations.
After completing the degree, you still need to fulfill state-specific requirements before you can practice independently. This typically includes passing a licensing exam (most states use the National Counselor Examination or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination) and completing a set number of supervised clinical hours, which commonly range from 2,000 to 4,000 hours depending on the state.
GCU notes that students planning to practice outside Arizona should review that state’s specific requirements. The university publishes state-by-state disclosure information on its program pages, which can help you identify any restrictions or additional steps that apply in your location.
Other GCU Accreditations Worth Knowing
GCU holds several other programmatic accreditations in the counseling and social sciences space. The Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which is the equivalent gold-standard accreditation for social work degrees. The MS in Addiction Counseling carries NASAC accreditation, and the MS in Christian Counseling of Substance Use and Addictive Disorders holds conditional NASAC accreditation.
GCU itself is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which is a regional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This institutional accreditation is separate from CACREP and covers the university as a whole rather than individual programs.