The graduate certificate in grief, loss, and trauma is intended for currently admitted graduate students wishing to acquire knowledge and develop skills to work with individuals who have experienced or are experiencing grief, loss, or trauma.
Campus Code
Knoxville Campus
Graduate Certificate Type
Stand-Alone (earned terminal degree required)
Add-On
Admissions Standards/Procedures
Certificate candidates must currently be admitted to a graduate program at the university or hold a terminal degree and be admitted through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Academic Standards
A minimum 3.50 graduate GPA must be earned in all certificate courses.
Credit Hours Required
12 graduate credit hours
Required Courses
- COUN 560 (3 credit hours)
- An important part of the program is COUN 560 for graduate students who participate as grief facilitators in the Grief Outreach Initiative.
- COUN 480 or COUN 555 or COUN 655 (3 credit hours)
- Select at least two (6 credit hours) of the following*:
*Students may request substitution for one of the required courses listed in this bullet; requires approval from the certificate coordinator
Non-Course Requirements
- All courses must be completed within five years of admission to the certificate program.
- Following completion of all certificate course work, applicants will submit a capstone paper by the end of the next academic semester (fall or spring) OR midterm of the semester of application for graduation, whichever is earlier.
Students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS), Counseling Psychology (PhD), Counselor Education (PhD), School Counseling (MS), School Psychology (PhD), Social Work (MSSW, DSW, or PhD), or other related “helping” programs:
- Write a maximum 12-page paper (not including title page and references; abstract not required) in current APA style in which you conceptualize a client/patient or group of clients/patients with which you have worked as a practicum student or intern or observed through shadowing a professional in your field of study. Include the following elements in your case conceptualization:
- A description of the client/patient/group members including developmental and cultural variables; if group, also include a description of the purpose and structure of group
-
Your understanding of their grief-related or interconnected grief and trauma concerns (if group, focus on your understanding of the common grief-related or interconnected grief and trauma concerns of group members)
-
Your work (actual or hypothetical) with this client/patient/group on their grief-related or interconnected grief and trauma concerns, through one of the following:
-
A reflection of your growth in application and integration of grief or grief and trauma knowledge throughout your program of study and field experiences
Students in any other program:
In a maximum 12-page paper (not including title page and references; abstract not required) in APA style, compose a hypothetical case study of a person or group of people living with grief or interconnected grief and trauma. Include the following elements in your case study:
Though there is no specific required number of references, students should cite relevant literature wherever applicable. Following completion of all certificate coursework, applicants will submit the capstone paper by the end of the next academic semester (fall or spring) or midterm of the semester of application for graduation, whichever is earlier.
Contact Laura S. Wheat (wheat@utk.edu), certificate coordinator, for complete details and requirements.
To receive the certificate, students must:
1) complete the Graduate Certificate Course Verification Form (located on the Graduate School webpage under the Forms Central tab) and
2) through MyUTK, apply to graduate from the certificate program.
Return to: