Program Overview

Play Therapy, Certificate

College of Education

Gain clinical certification to work with children and adolescents in South Carolina’s only graduate certificate play therapy program.

Our certificate program is open to anyone who has at least a master’s degree in counseling, social work or psychology. You will learn developmentally appropriate approaches and receive supervised experience conducting play therapy sessions. Learn counseling through play therapy for in-person and virtual sessions.

Program Highlights

• Hands-on Training Gain the experience you need for effective outcomes through our interactive courses.
• Real Experiences Work with children and adolescents in the community. Practice play therapy skills throughout each course.
• Unique Program We are the only university in South Carolina that offers the play therapy graduate certificate.

What You’ll Study

Discover the history of play therapy, its theories, techniques and methods and gain hands-on experiences for its application. Expand your practice to help children with a variety of needs. Coursework meets the educational requirements of the Association for Play Therapy for individuals interested in pursuing the Registered Play Therapy credential.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

• Therapeutic Intervention Using proven strategies to help individuals or groups achieve positive outcomes
• Listening Skills Understanding what others are saying to facilitate effective communication
• Empathy Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, and demonstrating compassion and support
• Communication Exchanging information and ideas through speaking, writing or other means of expression
• Collaboration Working with others to achieve a common goal or objective
• Flexibility Adapting to changing circumstances and being open to new ideas and approaches

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

• Potential Careers
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
  • School Counselor
  • Social Worker
  • Psychologist
• Workplace Settings
  • Education
  • Private practice
  • Government agency

Related Degrees

• Certificate
  • Nursing Education, Certificate
  • Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Certificate
  • Aging, Certificate
  • Global Health, Certificate
  • Behavioral Health in Athletic Training, Certificate
  • Critical Incident Management and Primary Care in Athletic Training, Certificate
  • Drug and Addiction Studies, Certificate
  • Maternal and Child Health, Certificate
  • Social and Behavioral Health with Military Members, Veterans, and Military Families, Certificate

Colleges & Schools

• Arts and Sciences
• Business
• Education
• Engineering and Computing
• The Graduate School
• Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
• Information and Communications
• Law
• Medicine (Columbia)
• Medicine (Greenville)
• Music
• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Public Health
• Social Work
• South Carolina Honors College

Offices & Divisions

• Employment
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Bursar (fee payment)
• Veterans and Military Services
• Disability Resources
• Access and Opportunity
• Human Resources
• Law Enforcement and Safety
• University Libraries
• All Offices and Divisions