Leadership, Mental Health, Education Offer New Certificates of Advanced Study

CAS in Leadership

The Advanced Certificate in Leadership is a 12-credit program geared toward professionals in the workforce. In the future all courses will be available online.

“The program is perfect for businesses, non-profits and government agencies that want to offer employees the chance to enhance their leadership skills,” said Marguerite Adelman, director of graduate admissions. Skills learned enable certificate candidates to excel as leaders in all facets of their lives. They have the opportunity to apply coursework to specific interest areas. In addition, the courses can be applied toward a master’s in leadership offered at SUNY Plattsburgh, Adelman said.

CAS in Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education Certificate is open to teachers who have their initial or professional certification in elementary education but who want another teaching certificate, Adelman said.

“The program leads to initial teacher certification in the birth-to-second-grade area,” Adelman said. “This program is ideal for teachers because it can be done in a summer — four courses, 12 hours. If they don’t have their master’s yet, they can get this certificate and apply to and work on our master’s degree in Teaching and Learning. And, they can teach from birth to second grade while continuing on to earn a master’s.”

CAS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The third certificate, Advanced Study in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, is a 24-credit-hour program that prepares students for work in a range of positions calling for counseling expertise in private and public agencies.

“It’s meant for people who have a counseling-related degree but not a mental-health counseling degree,” Adelman said. “For instance, a counselor may have a master’s in school counseling or substance-abuse counseling. This gives them the chance to be eligible for licensure as a clinical mental-health counselor in New York state.”

SUNY Plattsburgh students already in the master’s programs in student affairs or school counseling can add on the mental-health counseling certificate program, Adelman said.

Additionally, students in this 24-credit-hour program are eligible for financial aid, she said.

For more information, contact Adelman, graduate admissions, at 518-564-4723.