The NDSU School of Education provides high-quality academic programs that prepare graduates for successful careers in various areas of education, including the counseling profession. The School of Education demonstrates program quality through a variety of methods that emphasize the continuous improvement of our programs. Within the institution, these methods include program assessment every year and academic program review every five to seven years. External methods of ensuring quality include institutional memberships in relevant professional organizations, state approval of licensure and credential programs, and program accreditation where appropriate. Both state approval and program accreditation require additional annual reporting to ensure professionally agreed upon standards are being met.

Assessment in individual courses is typically based on the tests and assignments that contribute to the grading process. In addition to assigning individual grades to students, assessment at the course level also includes reflecting on how well students as a whole are achieving the established learning goals. Because academic programs in the School of Education are expected to be more than a collection of courses, our degree programs have learning goals and assessments that are broader than those of the individual courses. Reports of program-wide assessment results are reported annually to the Office of the Provost, and results are regularly used to inform curricular decision making.

Academic program review is a comprehensive evaluation of an academic program that is designed to both foster improvement and demonstrate accountability. At NDSU, program review occurs at the departmental level and includes a brief departmental self-study conducted by the departmental faculty and staff, a review of the department's academic programs by a team of faculty from across campus, and recommendations for improvement based on the conclusions of the self-study and the reviewers.

Completion of academic degree programs in education and counseling do not guarantee licensure, certification, credentialing, or placement of our graduates.  A graduate who seeks licensure, certification, and/or credentialing in any state or jurisdiction needs to check the specific requirements for that state or jurisdiction and, if needed, discuss the policies with her or his advisor.

Additional information can be found on our State Program Approval page.

Program Accreditation provides recognition that the content and quality of the program has been evaluated and meets standards set by the profession. Students and their families can be assured that appropriate knowledge and skill areas are included and that the program is stable, both professionally and financially.

Additional information can be found on our Program Accreditation page.

Institutional memberships help ensure that our degree programs adhere to current standards and best practices established by the profession. The professional organizations listed below require an initial review during application to ensure programs meet basic professional standards, and supplemental periodic review ensures our programs are focused upon continuous improvement as the field evolves.

Additional information can be found on our Institutional Memberships page.