Argosy University/Sarasota Receives Specialized CACREP Accreditation For Mental Health Counseling Program

SARASOTA, Fla., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council for Accreditation and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, has granted accreditation to Argosy University/Sarasota’s Master of Arts (M.A.) in Mental Health Counseling program. This recognition is among the highest acclaim that an academic program can receive in the counseling field.

“CACREP accreditation is a strong and meaningful affirmation of the quality of Argosy University/Sarasota’s mental health counseling program,” says Dr. Gregory O’Brien, Argosy University president. “Our ability to enhance our students’ educational experience by offering a rigorous program that exceeds educational requirements and prepares our graduates to become outstanding professionals in the counseling field is a true testament to the caliber of the program and its faculty.”

CACREP recognized Argosy University/Sarasota’s mental health counseling program for substantially meeting or exceeding the national standards set forth by the accrediting body. Graduates of CACREP-accredited programs ensure accountability to the profession’s ethical standards and that Argosy University/Sarasota mental health counseling graduates have met prerequisites for professional credentialing; and that the school has received quality assessment in the content of education for the profession.

Dr. Terry Wise, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Argosy University/Sarasota, said, “Our counseling faculty are to be commended for ensuring that program outcomes, assessment of student learning, and quality assurance processes were firmly in place and a part of our institutional culture.”

Argosy University/Sarasota currently has 70 students enrolled in its M.A. in Mental Health Counseling program, which is one of only 40 such programs in the United States who have received CACREP accreditation.

CACREP is an independent agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit master’s degree programs in career, college, community, mental health, and school counseling; marital, couple, and family counseling and therapy; student affairs; and counselor education and supervision.

Argosy University/Sarasota is one of 13 Argosy University (www.argosyu.edu) campuses and four extension sites across the nation offering undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees in the disciplines of business, education, health sciences, and psychology and behavioral sciences. Argosy University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (NCA) (30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602, 1.312.263.0456, www.ncahlc.org).

The parent company of Argosy University, Education Management Corporation (www.edmc.com), is among the largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America, based on student enrollment and revenue. Student enrollment exceeded 66,000 as of fall 2004. EDMC has 71 primary campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. EDMC’s education institutions offer a broad range of academic programs concentrated in the media arts, design, fashion, culinary arts, behavioral sciences, health sciences, education, information technology, legal studies, and business fields, culminating in the award of associate’s through doctoral degrees. EDMC has provided career-oriented education for over 40 years.

Argosy University

CONTACT: Media, Jacquelyn P. Muller, AVP, Public Relations,+1-412-995-7262, or jpmuller@edmc.edu, or Mark C. Toth, Public RelationsSpecialist, +1-412-995-7263, or mtoth@edmc.edu, both of EducationManagement Corp.