Hunter
08/15/24
The University of Iowa is offering a new undergraduate major due to demand for professionals to help with the mental health crisis.
The College of Education is launching the new major in counseling this fall. The Bachelor of Arts Counseling and Behavioral Health Sciences was approved by the Board of Regents this spring, and core classes begin with the fall semester.
The need for professional counselors has increased in recent years, due to the combination of provider shortages, the stigma of mental illness, and the isolation and anxiety brought on by the COVID pandemic. Lack of accessibility in rural areas is also a concern; 88 of Iowa’s 99 counties are classified by the US Department of Health and Human Services as having a shortage of mental health services.
University of Iowa College of Education Dean Dan Clay told the Press-Citizen that students who want to get into the mental health field but aren’t sure which direction to go can get a solid undergraduate degree with which to explore future pathways in the field.