Mission:

The UNT Counseling Program promotes human development through education, research, and service that advance the profession of, and scholarship in, counseling. 

Through education, the Program prepares highly competent counseling professionals – including counseling associates, entry and advanced level counselors, counselor educators, counselor supervisors, counseling researchers, and counseling administrators – for work in schools, communities, colleges, business, and industry. Through research, the Program creates, applies, and disseminates innovative knowledge, especially in the area of counseling for holistic wellness with at-risk and diverse populations. Through service, the Program provides humanitarian assistance to academic, professional, and public communities, including volunteer counseling services to the public.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council of Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA), exists, in part, “to promote high standards of graduate preparation in counseling.” CACREP has conferred accreditation to the following tracks in counseling at UNT: community counseling (MEd, MS), elementary school counseling (MEd, MS), secondary school counseling (MEd, MS), college and university counseling (MEd, MS), and the PhD track.

Over the years, the UNT Counseling program has won several honors and awards. It was the first in the nation to receive the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision's (ACES) Outstanding Program Award and earned that recognition again in 2000. The Counseling program faculty also received that Association's "Publication in Counselor Education and Supervision" Award for their 2004 book, The Professional Counselor: Portfolio, Competencies, Performance Guidelines, and Assessment (3rd ed.).

The UNT Counseling Program ranked #1 in Texas and 15th nationally according to the 2008 U.S. News & World Report ranking of counseling and counseling psychology programs housed in colleges of education.

Vision:

The UNT Counseling Program seeks local, state, regional, national, and international prominence as a collaborative and transformative community engaged in exemplary research, education, and service that benefit the profession of counseling, the public it serves, and humanity at large.