Grief, Loss, and Trauma Graduate Certificate

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Graduate Certificate Type

Add-On
Stand-Alone (earned terminal degree required)

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 - Foundations and Applications of Grief Support (3 credit hours) Grief Outreach Initiative

•  

  Select one course (3 credit hours):

• COUN 580 - Essential Skills for Professional Counseling
• COUN 555 - Practicum in Counseling
• COUN 655 - Practicum in Counselor Education

•  

  Select a minimum of two courses (6 credit hours)*:

• COUN 551 - Counseling Theories
• COUN 554 - Group Counseling and Group Work
• COUN 562 - Child Centered Play Therapy
• COUN 662 - Advanced Theory and Practice of Counseling
• HDFS 511 - Explorations in Child Development
• HDFS 562 - Families and Children Coping with Stress

• *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:
    • Basic or applied counseling/therapy skills
    • Counseling theory
    • Group methodsa
    • Child-centered play therapy
    • Family therapy
  • 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:
  • A description of the person or group of people including developmental and cultural variables; if group, also include a description of how members of the group are connected
  • 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 members)
  • Through your current field of study, how you might assist this person or group of people by applying:
    • Basic counseling skills
    • Child development concepts
    • Models of family stress
  • Other concepts related to certificate coursework EXCEPT COUN 560 

  • A reflection of your growth in application and integration of grief or grief and trauma knowledge throughout your program of 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 (lwheat@utk.edu), certificate coordinator, for complete details and requirements.
 

To receive the certificate, students must:

1. complete the Graduate Certificate Course Verification Form and
2. through MyUTK, apply to graduate from the certificate program.