Sports Counseling Certificate Online

Help athletes maximize their mental and physical potential with this 100% online certificate.

Develop specialized counseling skills to improve the wellbeing, mental functioning and physical performance of athletes. Designed for counselors, counselors in training, educators, coaches, and professionals in any sports-related field, the online graduate certificate in sports counseling from California University of Pennsylvania can be completed in during the summer terms.

Cal U's counseling education programs are among the top in Pennsylvania, and the sports counseling graduate certificate program is rooted in the American Counseling Association code of ethics and the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices.

Improve therapeutic relationships and efficacy with sports counseling expertise.

Take best practice-based courses in:

The foundations of sports counseling.
The contextual dimensions of sports counseling.
Knowledge and skills for the practice of sports counseling.
Student-athlete mental wellness.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: SPORTS COUNSELING AND STUDENT ATHLETE MENTAL WELLNESS

Online Flexibility
Access classes from anywhere, and at any time, with 100% online courses. Learn through streaming videos, PowerPoint presentations and online forums. Communicate with professors and peers through discussion groups, chat rooms and email.

Top Reputation
Although there is no current accreditation for sports counseling, all program courses are housed in Cal U's Department of Counselor Education, which is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and related educational programs (CACREP).

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Growing

The American Psychological Association (APA) lists sports counseling among the fastest growing careers in counseling and psychology.

$60K - $80K

Sports counselors working for collegiate athletic departments can easily earn between $60K and $80K per year, according to the APA. At large universities, that income can exceed $100K.

Degree Benefits

Unlike sports psychology, which focuses primarily on athletic performance, sports counseling takes a holistic approach to the mental wellbeing and pyscho-emotional needs of athletes.

Incorporate principles of counseling, career development, movement science, psychology and human development into effective therapeutic relationships.
Operate from a multicultural perspective and a strength-based model of counseling.
Assist athletes at any level, from youth to professional.

Graduate Outcomes

This program enhances the career opportunities and job efficacy of counseling and helping professionals working with athletes and their families within a variety of settings, including:

Schools and higher education institutions.
Interscholastic programs.
Community and social agencies.
Outpatient clinics and rehabilitation centers.
Private practices.
Professional and amateur sporting agencies.

Curriculum, Admission Requirements and Related Programs

The four-course (12-credit) graduate certificate in sports counseling has a summer start date and is delivered 100% online. Courses will not certify you as a professional counselor, but may be utilized as Act 48 continuing education units, and applied toward Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) credentials.

Curriculum

Course	Credits
CED 780 Issues and Techniques in Counseling Athletes	3
CED 781 Sports Counseling Programming	3
CED 783 Counseling and Advising Athletes with Death, Loss and Grief OR CED 788 Contemporary Topics in Counselor Education (approved related to sports counseling)	3
CED 784 Student Athlete Mental Wellness	3
Total	12

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission Requirements

Certificate: Bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.90 or higher (Students with a GPA below 2.90 may apply for conditional admission)
Official transcripts from an accredited institution
Interview may be required
One-page resume of work and education may be required

Conditional Admission Requirements

Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:

Certificate: Bachelor's degree with a GPA under 2.90 will be reviewed for a decision
Interview may be required
One-page resume of work and education may be required

Provisional Admission:
Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, prerequisite courses, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.

This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

How to Apply:

Complete the Graduate School Application
Submit the nonrefundable $35 Application Fee
Mail official transcripts to:

School of Graduate Studies and Research
California University of Pennsylvania
Box 91
250 University Ave.
California, PA 15419

For additional information:
Email: calugo@calu.edu
Phone: 1.866.595.6348

Related Programs

Concentrations

Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's Degree
A master of science degree leading to NCC and LPC credentials for students who want to work as counselors for clients across a spectrum of mental and emotional disorders.
School Counseling Pre K-12 Master of Education Degree
A master of education degree fulfilling LPC requirements for students who want to work as counselors assisting Pre K-12 students in their academic, personal and career development

Certificates

Course Spotlight: Counseling and Advising Athletes with Death, Loss and Grief

Learn practical skills and treatment strategies for dealing with death, loss and grief situations you may encounter working with athletes. This course examines research on grief counseling and intervention, as well as death, loss and grief in sports.