Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study

General Program Requirements

The Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study Program (C.A.G.S.) offers holders of a Masters Degree in Counseling an opportunity to earn a certificate attesting to completion of the educational requirements for licensure as a Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC) in the State of Ohio. The C.A.G.S. Program requires the completion of 30 graduate quarter credits of instruction in counseling and counseling related topics. Graduates of the C.A.G.S. program receive a formal certificate from the University of Cincinnati. The C.A.G.S. program may appeal especially to graduates of counseling master's programs which of insufficient length to qualify the graduate for Ohio counselor licensure.

To be licensed as a counselor in the State of Ohio, one must hold an academic degree in counseling. Since the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study is a certificate, not an academic degree, prior completion of a masters or doctoral degree in counseling, or prior licensure under the pre- Spring, 1997 rules for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Ohio is required for admission to the certificate program.

Objectives for the Certificate Program in Counseling

In addition to extending mastery of the general objectives for all students in the counseling program, specific objectives for the Certificate Program include demonstrated knowledge and skill in clinical services and specialized knowledge and skills applicable to specific settings and client populations. Studies in this area include but are not limited to:

1. The general principles and practices of etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders and dysfunctional behavior, and the general principles and practices for the promotion of optimal mental health.
2. Tthe specific models and methods for assessing mental status and the identification of abnormal, deviant, or psychopathologic behavior by obtaining appropriate behavioral data using a variety of techniques and translating findings into the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) categories.
3. Tthe specific theories for initiating, maintaining, and terminating counseling with mentally and emotionally impaired clients or clients with disabilities in a variety of settings using a variety of modalities, including crisis intervention, brief, intermediate, and long-term modalities.
4. The basic classifications, indications, and contraindications of the commonly prescribed psychopharmacological medications for the purpose of identifying the effects and side effects of prescribed psychotropic medications.
5. Tthe guidelines for conducting an intake interview and mental health history for planning and managing of client caseload.
6. The specific concepts and ideas related to mental health education, outreach, prevention, and mental health promotion.
7. Specialized knowledge and skills applicable to specific settings and client populations, including knowledge of theories, models, assumptions, and trends affecting specific setting and/or client populations, and skills to apply the techniques, methods, interventions, and strategies needed to work in the specific setting and/or with the client population.

Required Coursework

A set of courses has been approved as meeting the training requirements specified by the Counselor and Social Worker Board. These courses are distributed across five required training areas (a) psychopathology, personality, and abnormal behavior; (b) evaluation of mental and emotional status; (c) diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders; (d) methods of intervention and prevention of mental and emotional disorders; (e) treatment of mental and emotional disorders.