Program Overview

Trauma Informed Care, Graduate Certificate

The Certificate in Trauma-Informed Care is a multidisciplinary program that integrates knowledge from the social, behavioral, and health sciences. The primary goal of the program is to train graduate students from the helping professions in specialized knowledge and skills related to psychological trauma.

Overview

This graduate certificate program exposes students to the theory and practice of trauma-related service delivery. It is designed for graduate students in several helping professions, including social work, counseling, nursing, and occupational therapy.

Admission Requirements

• Application deadlines vary by program; students should review the application deadline chart for specific programs.
• Students must declare their intention to pursue the certificate by applying to the program office or director.
• All graduate certificate applicants, including those already enrolled in a UWM graduate program, must apply to the Graduate School through the Panthera Admission Application.
• Graduate degree and previously admitted graduate non-degree students who decide to pursue a certificate program must submit the Panthera application before completing 6 credits in the certificate sequence.
• Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree and have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate grade point average to be admitted into a certificate program.

Credits and Courses

• All students participating in the certificate program will complete 15 academic credits related to trauma theory and practice.
• Core courses include:
  • SOC WRK/COUNS/NURS/OCCTHPY 774: Trauma Counseling I: Theory and Research (3 credits)
  • SOC WRK/COUNS/NURS/OCCTHPY 775: Trauma Counseling II: Diagnosis and Treatment (3 credits)
• Electives: Students must select 9 elective credits from a list of approved courses, which may include:
  • SOC WRK 680: Death and Dying (3 credits)
  • SOC WRK 691: Practice Methods in Social Work (1-3 credits)
  • SOC WRK 753: Adult Psychopathology (3 credits)
  • SOC WRK 754: Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (2 credits)
  • PSYCH 711: Current Topics in Psychology (1-4 credits)
  • PSYCH 727: Cognitive Neuroscience (3 credits)
  • COUNS 704 and COUNS 705: Multicultural Mental Health Guidelines and Ethics Overview and Multicultural Practice (6 credits)
• Recommended Field Work: Students may select 3-6 credits from a list of approved field work courses, which may include:
  • SOC WRK 721: Field Instruction I
  • SOC WRK 722: Field Instruction II
  • SOC WRK 821: Field Instruction III
  • SOC WRK 822: Field Instruction IV
  • SOC WRK 921: Field Instruction V
  • COUNS 764: Supervised Practicum 1 in School Counseling
  • COUNS 765: Supervised Practicum 1 in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • NURS 899: Practicum in Nursing Research
  • OCCTHPY 725: Occupational Therapy Field Service I
  • OCCTHPY 735: Occupational Therapy Field Service II

Additional Requirements

• Transfer Credit: No more than 20% of the required credits may be taken at an institution other than UWM, subject to Graduate School transfer policy and approval by the director of the certificate program.
• Grade Point Average Requirement: A minimum cumulative 3.00 grade point average in certificate courses taken at UWM is required.
• Articulation with Degree Programs: Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting UWM graduate degree requirements, subject to certain restrictions.
• Time Limit: Certificate program time limits are established as follows:
  • 18 or fewer credits: Three years from initial enrollment in the certificate sequence.
  • 19 or more credits: Four years from initial enrollment in the certificate sequence.