Our Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Counseling at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is to prepare culturally responsive school counselors, clinical mental health counselors, counselor educators, and supervisors who will facilitate holistic client/student growth through exemplary individual and group counseling skills as well as sustained engagement in ethical practice, scholarship, leadership, and social justice advocacy. 

History

The Department of Guidance and Counseling was formed in 1966 with three faculty members. The new master's program was designed to prepare school counselors. In 1969, the Counseling Services Program was added to the department to respond to students wanting to work in community agencies. In the early 1970s, the department changed its name to Counselor Education, and later became the Department of Counseling in 1996.

Since then, the department has grown to a total of nine faculty members. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation was received in July 2008 and continues through October 2024 and our next site visit. All of our degree programs are offered in both Indiana and the Pittsburgh area (IUP Pittsburgh East).

Program Objectives

The Counseling Department’s objectives for providing graduate programs dedicated to the preparation of counselor educators, school counselors, and clinical mental health counselors.