Winebrenner Theological Seminary’s “Substantive Change Request” to move the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) degree program to a fully digital delivery has been approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This means that we are now able to offer the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) as a fully online and fully accredited program of study.
We are grateful for the MACC-National students who have worked so earnestly in their program of studies and have proven to be our best evidence that our digitally delivered counselor education program works.
Starting this Fall 2025, the MACC program and the MACC-National program will be merged into one, fully accredited online degree program known simply as the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) with fully-online digital delivery.
There is a new “residency” requirement that has been added by CACREP for all CACREP programs including Winebrenner’s. Policy A.2.e. Program Training Requirement states: Beginning July 1, 2026, programs, regardless of program delivery method, require and deliver an in-person, synchronous experience to observe and assess counseling skills and professional dispositions for all students at least at two points throughout the student’s program of study of which one occurs prior to the practicum.
The MACC Program Director, the Chief Academic Officer, and the Director of Organizational Accreditation and Assessment will meet to determine the best way for this on-campus, synchronous, residency requirement to be met. CACREP has provided a Guiding Statement on this new Policy that will be used to design a suitable experience “to observe and assessment counseling skills and professional dispositions.” More information on this will follow.
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As part of our ongoing accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) we hosted a team on May 12 and 13 for our “Mid-Cycle Review.” We have received notification that the report submitted to HLC has been accepted! The official language is that the Institutional Actions Council (IAC) has “accepted the report and continued the accreditation of Winebrenner Theological Seminary.” The remainder of the letter is consistent with our expectations and, overall, a very positive response to the visit.
Many hours were invested in these endeavors and we are grateful for your ongoing prayer and support!
You can read about previous and additional accreditation and governance updates by clicking here. And, yes, it does seem as though everything in education needs an acronym!
- Brent C. Sleasman, President