Social Emotional Learning, Character, and Ethics (SEL) Certificate

• Certificate Courses

• EDCE 533: SEL Core Competencies
• 3

This course will provide a fundamental overview of the profound benefits that are derived by explicitly including a social emotional learning (SEL) program into the school curriculum to reduce stress and anxiety, promote well-being, enhance relationships, and promote safety and personal health. Specific strategies will be examined to help students acquire the following: social skills, social awareness skills, social decision-making and problem-solving skills, self-awareness skills, and self-management skills. 

• EDCE 541: Mental Health Intervention
• 3

This course prepares candidates with the ability to provide an initial assessment of a student's mental health needs and make the appropriate referrals within and external to the school site. Candidates will learn to counsel and address mental health needs of students during times of transition, separation, or heightened stress, and how to access community services that assist all student needs. Additionally, candidates will be able to develop, implement, and monitor prevention, education, and intervention programs, including but not limited to behavior disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual abuse, and suicide.

OR

• EDSC 541: Psychopathology
• 3

This course will examine the wide range of clinical, social, emotional and behavioral disorders which may add to psychological problems impairing the academic success of children and adolescents. Students will review research, case studies, assessment tools, and school-based interventions to help in their development as a school counselor.

• EDCE 543: Managing Classroom and School-Wide Behavior
• 3

This course will help leaders in education develop a proactive approach to preventing and solving problem behavior on a school-wide basis through effective instructional programs and staff development. Specific strategies will be examined on how to teach appropriate behavior, motivate the apathetic, and reinforce those who exhibit positive behavior. 

• EDCE 553: Building Character and Ethics in Today’s Schools
• 3

This course will provide clear rationale for intentionally incorporating a comprehensive character education program in today’s schools and proactive strategies to help students understand the urgency and relevancy of internalizing ethical values such as respect, honesty, justice, civic virtue, compassion, and kindness into their core as people of integrity. The benefits to schools that incorporate character education programs will be examined such as: higher academic performance, improved attendance, reduced violence, fewer disciplinary issues, and overall improvement in children’s emotional, moral, and intellectual development. 

• EDCE 561: Crisis Response, Intervention, and Management
• 3

This course prepares candidates to define a crisis, identify the appropriate responses, and develop a variety of intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group, or school community before, during, and after crisis response. Students will demonstrate knowledge of trauma-informed care processes including but not limited to addressing social/emotional & mental health, needs, crises, and traumas that are barriers to student achievement. 

OR

• EDSC 561: Crisis Response, Interventions and Management
• 3

This course will prepare the school counselor for an effective response when faced with crisis in the school setting through the introduction of a variety of response approaches to assess and address the needs of children. Focus will be given to intervention and management skills needed when working with children at-risk for academic failure due to family stress, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, traumatic events, natural disaster, and terrorist events.