Program Overview

Bilingual Counseling Graduate Certificate

The 12-hour Certificate in Bilingual Counseling (CBC) is designed to meet the needs of students interested in developing foundational skills in bilingual counseling with an emphasis on Spanish. This certificate is offered through the Department of Counseling (COU) with support from the Department of Bicultural and Bilingual Studies (BBL). Both departments reside in the College of Education and Human Development and developed the CBC to meet growing PK-12 school and community needs.

Program Overview

Students who are passionate about meeting the growing need for improved bilingual counselor education in our community will find themselves at home in this program. The certificate coursework provides students admitted to the Master's Counseling program with a strong linguistic background in Spanish. The certificate also emphasizes cultural factors impacting the Latino/a culture. Additionally, the certificate focuses on improving language skills and provides opportunities to apply this knowledge in relevant counseling contexts through supervised counseling experiences with Spanish-speaking clients.

Admission Requirements

• Required Degree: Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution.
• Minimum GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale); departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours.
• Transcripts: Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English.
• Credential Evaluation: Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions; submit an evaluation of your transcripts from FCSA or any NACES-approved credential evaluation agency.
• English Language Proficiency: 550 TOEFL Paper / 79 TOEFL Internet / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100.
• Department Requirement: Admission to the MEd in School Counseling, the MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, or the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision or related fields.
• Language: Attainment of Level 2 or 3 in Spanish Proficiency Test administered by BBL.

Application Deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents, and letters of recommendation (if applicable) must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.

• Timing on Admission Decision: Applicants can expect to receive an admission decision within 4 to 6 weeks after the posted deadline.
• Application Deadlines for:
  • Spring 2026: October 1 (Priority and Domestic).
  • Summer 2026: Not Available.
  • Fall 2026: February 1 (Priority and Domestic).
  • Spring 2027: October 1 (Priority and Domestic).
  • Summer 2027: Not Available.

Funding Opportunities

Resources are available for students.

Career Options

The possible careers below are based on data pulled from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, and other government databases to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.

Graduate Advisor of Record

Claudia Interiano-Siverdecker, PhD.

Student Development Specialist

Jessica Gonzalez.