International School Counseling Certificate

Be an Effective Counselor with Culturally Focused Skills and Sensitivities

The International School Counseling Certificate program is designed to provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to effectively provide counseling and develop school counseling programs in International Schools.  Certificate participants will acquire a working knowledge of career, academic, and social-emotional counseling specifically focused on counselors wanting to and working in international schools.

The International School Counseling Certificate is offered by the USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences’ Counseling & Marital and Family Therapy department, and facilitated by the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. The certificate is designed for professional practice with the goal of enhancing counseling skills to international school students.

The Certificate comprises 10 units of coursework offered with the Professional and Continuing Education department to give Graduate Level Extension credit and is designed to support and develop the skills of educators working in counseling-related roles in international schools. Participants meet online every other week in groups with a dedicated instructor. For those with a prior MA in school counseling, this certificate can act as an opportunity for supervision, community and networking. For those who are are already working in international schools that are presented with opportunities to work in counseling or student support roles this certificate will help to provide content, new skills, and a sense of shared community. The format of the program is collegial and case presentations are used as the main mechanism of instruction. All content areas (e.g. systems, cross cultural perspectives) are appproached as a series of lenses that can be applied to the cases with increasing complexity. Due to the flexibility of this format, courses do not have to be taken in order. 

Certificate Requirements

Complete the requirements below to earn a professional certificate in International School Counseling. The certificate can be completed in less than 12 months. Read Certificate Benefits and Policy.

• Complete 4 required courses, COUN-X563, COUN-X565, COUN-X566 and COUN-X567 (total of 10 units)

Prerequisites

• Currently working in an international context, or have worked in an international context
• Masters degree (preferred, but not required) or other training in a field other than school counseling

PLEASE NOTE: Due to regulations from the U.S. Department of Education, the University of San Diego is unable to enroll students in its online programs who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

Online/In-Class Learning Information

Online Fixed-Date

Online Fixed-Date: Online fixed-date courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that enables you to collaborate with your instructor and other students in a shared, online learning environment. These courses have fixed start and finish dates, but as an online student you will have 24/7 online access to your classroom assignments, syllabus and course resources. Our online fixed-date courses allow you to work on your assignments anytime, although you are required to complete the assignments by specific dates.

How is the learning structured? In an online fixed-date course, you and your classmates will proceed through the curriculum together, collaborating in a shared learning experience. Each online fixed-date course is asynchronous, meaning that you can work on your assignments anytime, although required to complete the assignments by specific dates. The course is designed with learning modules where all of the content is grouped into weekly assignments. Each module covers one or more topics. Within each of the learning modules, you can expect the following components:

• Module introduction that outlines what you can expect to learn in the module.
• Required readings (textbook, articles, journals, etc.) and presentations (audio and/or video).
• Assignments with due dates (which may include: written assignments, journal entries, research, blogs, etc.) based on the readings and presentations.
• Discussion forum where you answer prompts from the instructor and interact with your classmates.
• Module conclusion to review the topics and what you should have learned.
• Typically, there is a final project, paper, or exam due in the last module that culminates all of the topics covered in each of the learning modules. You’ll find that the design of the learning modules has a rhythm to help you manage your time in the course.

Curriculum

Enroll in this certificate program, and purchase the certificate fee. Earn graduate level extension credit in semester hours from the University of San Diego.

Benefits

• Graduate level extension credit from the University of San Diego’s Professional and Continuing Education Department.
• Highly flexible coursework designed for working professionals
• Opportunity to collaborate and network with other international professionals
• Increase school counseling skills in international schools
• Gain support in often isolated professional settings
• Work with faculty with advanced degrees and years of counseling experience

Instructors

Professional development courses offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education are taught by faculty that possess a depth and breadth of academic and real-world professional experience.

Frequently Asked Questions