EVANSTON, Ill., and LANDOVER, Md., July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Family Institute at Northwestern University and 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWOU), announced today that they will partner to deliver a new online Master of Arts in Counseling degree program, Counseling@Northwestern, which will begin accepting applications in fall 2014 for classes beginning in spring 2015.

The Family Institute at Northwestern University is renowned for training counseling students to become self-reflective clinical practitioners who offer mental health counseling to clients in a range of professional settings. Counseling@Northwestern will continue that tradition, offering students around the world the chance to earn a top-tier degree while improving lives in their own communities. All coursework and clinical training will be based on standards set forth by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

"By offering our Master of Arts in Counseling program online we now have the opportunity to extend our mission of strengthening and healing families from all walks of life through clinical service, education, and research," said Cheryl Rampage, executive vice president of The Family Institute at Northwestern University. "This new program will provide the same rigorous, world-class training that we offer on campus to a new group of students beyond the Chicago metropolitan area."               

With a curriculum that will build students' foundations in traditional counseling practices, the Counseling@Northwestern program will be delivered on 2U's technology platform and will feature:

• Collaborative, live classes, in which students build meaningful relationships with peers and faculty.
• High-quality, self-paced coursework, including video case studies and research, which integrates theoretical material with real-world therapeutic client interactions.
• Courses designed and led by Northwestern University's cutting-edge faculty, who are leading the way in conducting psychotherapy and setting the standard for innovative research, teaching and service in the field.
• Two years of immersive, hands-on clinical practicum and internships selected by Northwestern University faculty and chosen with each student's location and career goals in mind.

"Northwestern University is among the world's premier research universities and its counseling program is nationally renowned for preparing highly effective counseling professionals," says Chip Paucek, CEO and co-founder of 2U. "We look forward to collaborating with The Family Institute at Northwestern University to leverage our learning platform and white glove student support services to expand their reach and to train more students in this important and growing field."

More details about the new online program will be announced in fall 2014. For more information, please visit 2U.com.

About Northwestern University
Founded in 1851, Northwestern University is one of the country's leading private research and teaching universities with an enrollment of approximately 8,000 full-time undergraduate students and approximately 8,000 full-time graduate and professional students and approximately 2,000 part-time students on campuses in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, and Doha, Qatar. Northwestern combines innovative teaching and pioneering research in a highly collaborative environment that transcends traditional academic boundaries. Northwestern provides students and faculty exceptional opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth in a setting enhanced by the richness of Chicago.

About The Family Institute at Northwestern University
The Family Institute at Northwestern University (www.family-institute.org) is committed to strengthening and healing families from all walks of life through clinical service, education and research. An affiliate of Northwestern University, The Family Institute is a unique, innovative not-for-profit organization, governed by its own independent Board of Directors and responsible for its own funding. The Institute offers a wide range of high quality mental health counseling through its staff practice and sliding-fee scale Bette D. Harris Family and Child Clinic, with a commitment to serving at-risk, under-resourced communities. The Family Institute also operates two nationally-renowned graduate programs in marriage and family therapy and counseling in affiliation with Northwestern University, and conducts cutting-edge research projects that lead to a better understanding and treatment of mental health issues.

About 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWOU)
Founded in 2008 by a team of education and technology veterans, 2U enables leading colleges and universities to deliver their high-quality education to qualified students anywhere. Our cloud-based software-as-a-service platform provides schools with the comprehensive operating infrastructure they need to attract, enroll, educate, support and graduate their students. Our mission is to enable the education our clients provide to reach its highest potential so students can reach theirs. To learn more, go to 2U.com.

Media contacts:

Cyndi Schu, The Family Institute at Northwestern University
312-609-5300, ext. 483
cschu@family-institute.org

Erin White, Northwestern University
847-491-4888
ewhite@northwestern.edu

Shirley Chow, 2U, Inc.
858-336-0358
schow@2u.com

SOURCE 2U, Inc.