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Overview

Students in the Child and Adolescent Psychology certificate program learn approaches to helping young people who are struggling with mental health issues and other challenges, such as peer pressure, body image, drugs or alcohol, relationships, sexuality, trauma, or difficult life changes like parental divorce or death. They learn to enhance their psychological knowledge and understanding of issues faced by children and adolescents across a variety of settings and applications. 

The Child and Adolescent Psychology certificate program is geared toward professionals in a variety of roles in educational, support and service settings who want to enhance their skills and gain the practical experience necessary to work with children and adolescents. Coursework addresses such topics as psychopathology and behavior disorders, trauma and crisis intervention, and evidence-based programs for children and adolescents. Graduates are equipped with knowledge of the biological, psychological, and social factors that impact children and adolescents’ mental health while learning to develop practical approaches to well-being for this young population.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this certificate program students will be able to:

• Demonstrate acquired knowledge and respect for the psychological bases of behavior and developmental issues across the lifespan.
• Demonstrate knowledge of psychological theory and assessment techniques to evaluate various dimensions of human experience across a range of contexts.
• Integrate knowledge of psychological theory, research, and professional literature to choose activities that promote optimal health and well-being in individuals, groups, and systems.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Child and Adolescent Psychology Certificate must submit the following:

• Application
• Apply Online
• Application Fee: $50
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae 
• Essay - Please answer the following question within three double spaced typed pages (approximately 500-750 words). Essay must specifically address the program/specialization for which you are applying.
  • Psychology is a vast discipline with many career options. In an essay format, please describe:
    • Why you chose this particular program/specialization * Cite specific experiences and examples.
    • Why it is important to you to study this discipline at a school that emphasizes cultural awareness, competence, and understanding of diversity (see our Commitment to Diversity statement).
    • Your professional career goals as they relate to this specialization.
    • Why you believe this program will assist you in reaching these goals.
• Official College/University Transcripts
  • Students must submit official transcripts from all schools where degrees have been earned. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology requires that all schools be regionally accredited higher education institutions. Official transcripts may be sent directly from the institution or with your application for admission as long as they are official, sealed, and signed across the envelope flap when they arrive

TOEFL or IELTS, International Credentials, and International Students

TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your primary language, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application (TOEFL School Code: 7161). International students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited United States institution are exempt from this requirement. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 79 internet based; IELTS - 6.5.

ELS Educational Services, Inc.: The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is a cooperative member of ELS Educational Services, Inc. which provides intensive English language programs. Students who have successfully completed ELS course 112 may be considered for admission in lieu of the TOEFL or IELTS.

International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc(www.ece.org). In addition to the agency evaluation, all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.

International students: International students must submit a completed application by the general consideration deadline. In addition, once accepted, international students must submit the International Student Information form, a copy of their passport, and financial documentation showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study and all living expenses. This documentation must be submitted at least two months prior to the start of the semester in order to allow sufficient time for the school to issue an I-20 for the student to obtain an F-1 visa, if needed. An I-20 visa will not be issued without this documentation.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $250 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

Policies

The following policies are located under Academic Policies and Procedures : Transfer Credit/Course Waiver, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Grading Scale, Grade Change Requests, Degree Completion, Degree Conferral, Minimum and Maximum Timeframe requirements, and Credit Hours per semester for Financial Aid.  Information on the Academic Success Program is located under Student Life  

Academic Development Plans

An Academic Development Plan (ADP) is initiated and created by the program in which the student is enrolled. When a student demonstrates deficiencies in competencies that interfere with academic performance, training competence, and/or professional behavior, the ADP is initiated. The completion of an ADP does not constitute disciplinary action, but failure to complete the plan may lead to disciplinary action.

Student Learning Assessment

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) is committed to offering the highest quality undergraduate program and graduate programs in applied professional disciplines. To meet TCSPP’s standard for academic quality, program learning outcomes are aligned with course learning outcomes and guide assessment.   Data collected from the results of student assessment and the aggregation of these data will inform how students are progressing towards achieving program outcomes. 

All academic programs report annual assessments of student learning and other indicators of program effectiveness as part of the Academic Program Review process.