Support the mental health needs of PreK-12 students and their families with this post-master’s certificate for licensed mental health counselors.
Modality
School Adjustment Counseling for Mental Health Counselors Certificate Program Overview
The School Adjustment Counseling for Mental Health Counselors certificate is a post-master’s certificate for licensed mental health counselors. It provides the additional credential of licensed school adjustment counselor.
The program provides the coursework and field experience needed without repeating coursework you will already have taken for mental health.
All required classes are taught remotely via Zoom and some have asynchronous options. However, the field experience must be completed in-person.
School Adjustment Counseling for Mental Health Counselors Certificate Program Highlights
The School Adjustment and Mental Health Counseling certificate program trains mental health professionals to work within the school culture and in clinical settings to support the mental health needs of PreK-12 students and their families. The use of evidence-based counseling strategies when working with children and adolescents in school settings is emphasized.
In 2021, Cambridge College's mental health counseling certificates were ranked as #1 in New England for Best Quality, #2 in New England for Best Value and #25 in the U.S. for Best Value by Healthcare Degree Search (HDS), an organization that specializes in promoting healthcare careers, and ranks programs on outcome-based factors, based on data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Learning Outcomes
Students in this program will learn to:
- Apply the principles and best practices of counseling, including various psychotherapeutic techniques for work with individuals, couples, families and groups; group counseling; and consultation to organizations and communities
- Study human development, dysfunctional behavior and mental illness
- Assess, diagnose and treat within the scope of the counselor’s practice and become able to utilize community resources for referrals
- Apply strategies for prevention and treatment of substance abuse, domestic violence and the spectrum of mental illnesses and use psycho-educational techniques aimed at preventing such disorders
- Become familiar with state regulations applicable to mental health practice and licensure
School Adjustment Counseling for Mental Health Counselors Certificate Tuition Information
*See curriculum sheet for a breakdown of credits and credit ranges.
Course List
This certificate features courses such as:
- School Adjustment Counseling/School Social Work
- Trauma Interventions in Schools
- Counseling Techniques with Multi-Problem Families in Changing Communities
Prospective graduate degree students for programs in the School of Education & Counseling must satisfy the following requirements plus any program-specific requirements your program may have.
- Complete and sign the online application.
- Pay the application fee. Pay your $50 ($100 for international students) application fee by the term start date.
- Send official transcripts. Maildirectly to Cambridge College in a sealed, unopened envelope. Learn How to Send Transcripts. Required degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities.
- Master's and most graduate certificate programs require an earned bachelor's degree.
- Post-master's certificates and CAGS require an earned master's degree.
- International transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved agency. See all international student requirements
- Send your résumé and work experience. Send your resume that details your education and work experience, including how they pertain to your career goals. If your SEC program has a work experience requirement, it will be listed in the Program-Specific Requirements section below.
- Submit your personal statement. Write a 500-word, typed, double-spaced essay describing your professional experience, goals and objectives for graduate study. How do you expect your graduate studies to enhance your future career?
- Include two professional recommendations (not required for fully online programs). These should address your professional character and ability to perform graduate work. Download Applicant Recommendation Form
- Interview (required for some programs). If your program requires an interview, it will be listed in the Program-Specific Requirements section below.
- Satisfy Health Insurance & Immunization requirements. (Massachusetts only). These are required only for graduate students taking six or more credits per term in Massachusetts through on-campus or hybrid classes. Health insurance may be waived.
Teacher Licensure Program Requirements
In addition to the requirements listed above, our Teacher Licensure Programs have these additional requirements:
- Earned bachelor's degree with 3.0 or higher GPA.
- MA Educator Documentation from the Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website. Keep copies of all documents submitted and, upon admission, post in your electronic portfolio:
- Massachusetts Educator Personnel ID (MEPID number)
- MTEL Communication & Literacy Test, successfully completed.
Required if completed:
- Massachusetts preliminary license, if held
- Sheltered English Instruction requirement
- Fingerprinting and Criminal Offender Record Information
Applicants who do not initially meet all requirements (e.g. GPA of 3.0 or MTEL) for admission into their chosen licensure program must enroll in the corresponding non-licensure degree option. Students who achieve a 3.0 GPA upon completion of the first three SEC courses, pass the MTELs, and now meet all requirements, may request a change of program.
Disclosures: For all Licensure Programs
- Licensure requirements are subject to change per Massachusetts regulations. All Cambridge College licensure programs are based on current regulations.
- All candidates admitted for licensure programs must successfully complete the program in its entirety.
- All requirements at the time of program completion must be finalized prior to seeking Massachusetts endorsement for licensure purposes.
- If you have any licensure questions, please speak to your program chair.
Program-Specific Admission Requirements
- Completion of current Cambridge College 60-credit MEd in mental health counseling or equivalent program. (Bachelor's degree also required.)
- Pass the Massachusetts Communication & Literacy Test (MTEL) and all other DESE licensure requirements for School Adjustment Counseling.
School Adjustment Counseling Careers
Students are prepared to meet the licensing standards of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In addition, graduates may apply for the School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor (all levels) credential, which is approved by the department as preparation for initial licensure.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Boston and Cambridge have some of the highest levels of employment for child, family and school social workers. The annual mean wage for school social workers in this area is $62,980.*
$62,980
Annual mean wage for school social workers in Boston*
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 21-1021 Child, Family and School Social Workers, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211021.htm (visited December 27, 2023).