Department
of Counseling/Human and Organizational Studies
Pre-Master’s Certificate in Counseling
Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Persons
The Program
The
GSEHD counseling faculty affirms its commitment to counseling as an effective,
viable means of assisting individuals through normal development and in coping
effectively with personal and social problems. National trends illustrate that
the mental health field needs to improve the quality of services it provides to
its increasingly diverse clientele. Counselors must expand upon their education
and training to enhance their ability to effectively provide assessments,
treatments, and interventions to this population. The counseling faculty uses a
basic curriculum model to provide concurrent and ongoing exposure to the
conceptual diversity frameworks and to informed practice. It is recognized that
an interaction of these two components is essential.
The
goal of the graduate certificate in counseling culturally and linguistically
diverse persons is to expand counselors, teachers, and other professionals’
understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity within the workplace,
school, and community settings, and, in the process, enhance their
understanding of their own psychosocial identity.
The
Pre-Master’s program is a 12-credit program designed to introduce the issues,
theories, and techniques of community, rehabilitation, or school counseling,
enhance knowledge and skills of working with a diverse population, and increase
effectiveness in a community or school setting. Upon completion of this
certificate program and completion of the Graduate Record Exam, students may
wish to apply for a master’s degree from the University’s accredited community,
rehabilitation or school counseling program.
Accreditation
The
George Washington University’s graduate counseling programs are fully
accredited by the appropriate counseling bodies. The MA programs in school and
community counseling and the doctoral program in counseling are accredited by
the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
(CACREP). CACREP is the nationally recognized agency for the accreditation of
graduate programs in counseling. The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)
accredits the program in rehabilitation counseling. The MA program in school
counseling is accredited by the
National
Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and formally
approved in the District of Columbia.
Pre-Master’s Certificate
(12 credit-hour program)
Sample Program
CNSL 251 Professional and Ethical
Orientation to Counseling
CNSL 263 Social and Cultural Dimensions
of Counseling
CNSL 259 Theories and Techniques of
Counseling
HDEV 229 Cultural Effects on Child,
Adolescent, and Adult Development
Applications and Admissions
Applications
to the certificate program are to include a completed application form, a 1-2
page statement of purpose, two professional references, official transcripts
from all institutions attended and a resume. Applicants must have a minimum 2.7
undergraduate GPA and must have an interview with a faculty member. For
additional information, please visit the GSEHD Office of Admissions at the GSEHD Web site.
Graduate Student Financial Assistance
GSEHD
offers a limited number of tuition fellowships and support from endowment funds
for on-campus students. For additional information, contact the Office of
Admissions.
For additional program information please e-mail cnsl@gwu.edu.