Learn the key differences between MPCAC and CACREP accreditation and what they mean for clinical mental health counseling students.
BY UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN STATES
Both MPCAC and CACREP provide specialized accreditation for graduate programs that prepare counseling professionals. Although their standards reflect different educational frameworks, both serve an important quality-assurance role by evaluating programs against established standards for graduate education and professional preparation.
For prospective Clinical Mental Health Counseling Students, understanding those differences can provide useful context when evaluating a program and its approach to education, clinical training, and preparation for professional licensure. The University of Western States M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is accredited by MPCAC, whose interdisciplinary approach integrates counseling and psychological principles within a science-based framework. Understanding what MPCAC accreditation represents and how it compares with CACREP can help prospective students make a more informed evaluation of the UWS program.
MPCAC vs. CACREP: The Short Answer
The Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) are specialized accreditors that evaluate graduate programs against established standards. Both use accreditation as a form of quality assurance, but their scopes and approaches are not identical.
The clearest distinction is disciplinary scope: CACREP focuses on counseling while MPCAC encompasses both counseling and psychology. CACREP standards organize education around the knowledge, skills, and professional identity of counselors. MPCAC standards intentionally emphasize counseling and psychological principles, emphasizing scientific evidence, culturally responsive services, and the integration of science and practice.
For applicants, this difference can shape the educational experience. MPCAC’s framework supports programs that draw on complementary knowledge from counseling and psychology while developing a clear professional identity. Applicants interested in integrated practice should consider how a program translates that framework into its curriculum, clinical experiences, and preparation for collaboration across disciplines. They should also confirm that the program meets educational requirements for licensure where they intend to practice.
What Is Programmatic Accreditation?
Accreditation is a quality-assurance process in higher education. Institutional accreditation evaluates a college or university while specialized or programmatic accreditation evaluates a particular academic program or professional field.
For counseling students, programmatic accreditation provides an external review of the education and training offered by a graduate program. Accrediting organizations establish standards and evaluate programs to determine whether they meet those standards. Accreditation applies to the program, not to an individual student or graduate, and it is separate from professional licensure or certification.
What Is MPCAC Accreditation?
MPCAC stands for the Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council. MPCAC accredits master’s programs in counseling and psychology that prepare practitioners to provide counseling and psychological services.
A defining feature of MPCAC accreditation is its interdisciplinary foundation. MPCAC standards incorporate principles and theories from both counseling and psychology. The accreditor emphasizes the integration of science and practice, evidence-based education, culturally responsive services and measurable program outcomes.
MPCAC’s competency-based framework gives programs flexibility in how they prepare students to meet established professional standards. Its objectives explicitly encourage experimentation and innovation in training design. This flexibility supports interdisciplinary education that connects counseling and psychology and adapts training to populations, settings, and professional goals. Rather than requiring every program to use an identical model, its standards allow for variation while requiring program to demonstrate that their curriculum, field experiences (e.g., practicum and internship), faculty, program evaluation, and other elements meet rigorous accreditation standards.
What Is CACREP Accreditation?
CACREP stands for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. CACREP accredits master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling and specialized counseling practice areas.
CACREP describes its accreditation process as a peer-review system of quality assurance. Programs voluntarily undergo review against CACREP standards addressing areas such as institutional and program requirements, curriculum, practicum and internship experiences, faculty qualifications and workload, student advising, and program governance and evaluation.
CACREP’s standards are counseling-specific: they establish requirements for counselor preparation, counseling specialties, and professional counselor identity. CACREP does not accredit psychology programs. Although its standards allow innovation in how requirements are met, programs must operate within its counselor education framework, including defined curriculum and core faculty qualifications. This differs from MPCAC’s explicit interdisciplinary foundation in counseling and psychology.
What Are the Main Differences Between MPCAC and CACREP?
MPCAC and CACREP share a basic purpose: both provide external quality assurance for graduate education that prepares counseling professionals. Their principal differences involve the scope of the programs they accredit and the frameworks reflected in their standards.
| Area | MPCAC | CACREP |
| Full name | Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council | Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs |
| Primary scope | Master’s programs in counseling and psychology that prepare providers of counseling and psychological services | Master’s and doctoral programs in counseling and counseling specialties |
| Educational framework | Integrates counseling and psychology, supporting interdisciplinary education and the integration of science and practice. | Uses counseling-specific standards centered on counselor education and professional counselor identity. |
| Standards emphasis | Science-based education, integration of science and practice, culturally responsive services, outcomes and program improvement | Counselor preparation standards covering curriculum, clinical experiences, faculty, governance, assessment and related requirements |
| Program design | Explicitly encourages flexibility, experimentation and innovation within its accreditation standards | Allows varied instructional approaches while evaluating programs against CACREP’s counseling-specific standards |
Is MPCAC or CACREP Accreditation Required for Counselor Licensure?
Counselor licensure is regulated at the state level, so there is no single answer that applies everywhere. States can differ in their educational requirements, required examinations, supervised experience, and treatment of programmatic accreditation.
That makes the intended state of practice an important part of evaluating any clinical mental health counseling program. Prospective students should review the current requirements of the appropriate state licensing board before enrolling rather than assuming that accreditation by any organization automatically satisfies every licensure requirement.
How Does MPCAC Accreditation Apply to the UWS M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling?
The University of Western States M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is accredited by MPCAC from March 2025 through March 2033. The program is designed to prepare graduates to sit for the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), either or both of which may be required for professional counselor licensure depending on the state.
UWS delivers the program’s coursework online, with supervised clinical field training completed at approved sites in students’ local communities. Because licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction, UWS advises prospective students to review the requirements for the state or territory where they plan to seek licensure. The UWS CMHC program is committed to maintaining MPCAC accreditation every 8-year review cycle.
What Should Prospective Counseling Students Look for in an Accredited Program?
Accreditation is an important consideration, but the name of the accreditor is only one part of evaluating a graduate counseling program. Students should also consider whether the curriculum supports their professional goals, how the program approaches clinical training, whether its format fits their circumstances, and, especially for students pursuing licensure, whether the program’s education meets the requirements of the jurisdiction where they plan to practice.
Understanding the difference between MPCAC and CACREP can make that evaluation easier. Both represent programmatic accreditation, but MPCAC brings counseling and psychology together within a science-based master’s-level framework, while CACREP focuses its standards on graduate counselor education. The most relevant question for an individual student is how an accredited program’s specific training and outcomes align with the professional path they intend to pursue.
Learn More About the UWS M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Ready to explore the next step toward a career in clinical mental health counseling? Complete the brief form below to learn more about the UWS M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, including its curriculum, admissions requirements, clinical training, and MPCAC accreditation.
