Post Master's Certificate

This certificate is for persons who have already attained a Master of Arts degree in a counseling-related program, but whose degree program and/or post-graduate clinical experiences do not meet specific state licensure or national certification requirements. In such cases, program faculty collaborate with the student to develop a specific program of study that seeks to fulfill the identified academic requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to provide evidence identifying the specific academic content or coursework required by the particular credentialing entity. This evidence is typically discovered through the student's consultation with the particular licensure/certification board.

Admission Requirements include:

A master's degree from an accredited college or university, or an institution accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education.
A graduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from the graduate degree-granting institution from which at least 30 semester hours were completed.
A completed application form and all required documents for admission to the IWU Graduate Studies in Counseling Certificate Program.
A letter of intent clearly stating reason(s) for seeking admission into the certificate program.
The minimum number of classes that can be taken to earn a post-master's certificate is 12 credit hours or 4 courses.
The maximum number of classes that can be taken to earn a post-master's certificate is 18 credit hours or 6 courses.
There can be no transfer of courses from another University for a post-master's certificate.
The post-master's certificate is aid eligible.
In those cases where the applicant is seeking to fulfill requirements for any licensure/certification, identification of a specific plan of study (typically 15-18 credit hours) for any license/certification process is the responsibility of the applicant.
Students seeking licensure for Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Marriage & Family Therapy/Counseling, and Addictions Counseling, need to submit an application for licensure to the Professional Licensing Agency or respective state licensing board, and provide the letter received from the board specifying content area deficiencies.
If clinical hours (practicum and/or internship) are needed, the student must demonstrate evidence of entry-level proficiency in the delivery of counseling services. This is accomplished by presenting a recorded sample of the applicant's direct service to a client and a reference from a qualified supervisor. This tape and reference will be reviewed by the Graduate Counseling Director of Clinical Training and be considered in the admission process.

Exit Requirements include:

Successful completion of all coursework identified on certificate plan of study.
All course grades at or above level of "C."
Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0.