Wayne State College is ranked third among top value, counseling master’s degrees in Nebraska.

The rating is based on the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) acquiring lists of counseling degrees available in each state. The programs are then ranked based on completion rate, job placement rate, licensing exam pass rate, accreditation, research productivity and tuition costs.

“This ranking as a top value counseling program is a testament to the quality and affordability of a Wildcat education and our dedication to students’ success,” Wayne State College President Marysz Rames said. “At Wayne State, all of the ingredients necessary for an outstanding educational experience are in place.”

Rames says WSC offers the right size, strong teaching, plenty of support and opportunities for involvement and interaction.

A part of the program’s success is that it is accredited and strictly follows the CACREP standards, which counseling teachers believe is a major reason for how the program received accreditation.

“It’s very exciting to help the program gain accreditation and succeed,” said Branis Knezevic, Counseling Department Chair. “Accreditation gives value to your program.”

The department believes that student success is fueled by the hours of practical experience they receive on campus. Counseling students in the master’s program see real clients at the Help Clinic on campus and are videotaped to receive feedback from the teachers in the program.

The Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE) has also accredited Wayne State’s human services program. This accreditation helps with the standards of the department and prepares students who enroll for the master’s program.

Wayne State offers three areas of concentration in counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling and Student Affairs & College Counseling. A graduate assistantship required as a part of the master’s program.

Knezevic, Dr. Katherine Murphy and graduate assistant Kat Kiepke are attending the American Counseling Conference in March in San Francisco and plan to bring back tools to improve the program even further.