The Graduate College
Certificate Programs
[link to Full Graduate Catalog]
[link to Program Listing, Alphabetically]
[link to Program Listing, by College]
Certificate Program in Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Western Michigan University offers a program for the training of substance abuse specialists through the Graduate Certificate Program in Alcohol and Drug Abuse (SPADA). The departments of Biological Sciences, Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Public Affairs and Administration, Sociology and the School of Social Work provide the multi disciplinary and interdisciplinary bases to the specialty. Courses are planned and taught by program faculty and faculty from the contributing disciplines.
Students receive training for dealing with varied aspects of substance abuse, including prevention, community education, treatment and rehabilitation, program management and evaluation. Program graduates are employed by many public and private organizations, including social agencies, psychological clinics, family counseling services, alcohol and drug councils, hospitals, schools and industries.
Certificate Program in Educational Technology
This graduate certificate program provides a strong framework for the development of educational technology competencies for individuals that are employed or seek professional employment in the field of education as technology specialists. The audience for the program is anticipated to be in-service teachers interested in educational technology in the classroom, in-service teachers with more advanced technology knowledge interested in competencies and responsibilities required for building level technology specialists, in-service teachers or individuals who desire or assume the position of district technology coordinator, and district administrators and staff who desire advanced skills in the area of educational technology coordination.
Certificate Program in Ethnohistory
Geographic Information Science
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Science
This certificate program is designed for post-baccalaureate students in social and physical sciences, public administration, information technology, engineering, business, and other disciplines. Many professionals in these areas need skills in handling and analyzing geographically distributed data.
The overall objective is to provide a strong framework for developing competencies in geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial analysis. Specifically students completing the program will be able to:
a) Collect, assemble, organize, manipulate spatial data using Geographic Information Ssystem (GIS) software
b) Analyze and interpret patterns and trends in spatial data to aid decision-making
c) Use GIS and image analysis software to model, design, and analyze geographic problems and produce professional cartographic products such as maps and charts to aid solutions of those problems
Students will complete a total of 19-20 credit hours, including a core of 16 credit hours and an elective
Certificate Program in Health Care Administration
The purpose of the Graduate Certificate in Health Care Administration is to enhance the capacity of its graduates to function effectively as managers in the health care system. The program includes the legal, financial and policy dimensions of contemporary health care administration, critical management issues, strategic planning and evaluation, and critical issues in the delivery of health care services.
Certificate Program in Holistic Health Care
The Graduate Certificate Program in Holistic Health Care is designed to provide education and experience in holistic approaches to health. Multidisciplinary in nature, it includes eighteen semester hours of study in holistic health care and related topics.
The Holistic Health Care specialization may be taken independently or can be used to supplement graduate training in related fields such as counselor education and counseling psychology, psychology, social work, speech pathology and audiology, occupational therapy, blind rehabilitation, and physical education and recreation. It also complements many other graduate areas such as business, public administration, theology, nursing, medicine, and education.
The certificate program can help health and human service professionals gain new knowledge and skills to be more effective in their present professional role or to equip themselves for new job opportunities in a health care setting that emphasizes holistic approaches. The program is designed to provide opportunities for advanced training in the following areas: emerging health care paradigms, lifestyle assessment, health counseling, stress management and biofeedback, spirituality in health and healing, community and healing, and environment and health. Graduates of the program are employed by various public and private agencies and often work with interdisciplinary teams of health care professionals.
Certificate Program in Nonprofit Leadership and Administration
The purpose of the Graduate Certificate Program in Nonprofit Leadership and Administration is to enhance the capacity of its graduates to function effectively as leaders in nonprofit organizations. It is designed to meet the development needs of professionals currently filling administrative roles in nonprofit organizations, as well as those who plan to fill such roles in the near future. The Nonprofit Leadership and Certificate program may be taken by itself or in conjunction with a graduate degree program.