Child Therapy, CAS

Contact:

Dyane Watson, Department Chair and Professor of Practice

Department of Marriage and Family Therapy

315-443-6170

dkwatson@syr.edu

Description:

The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Child Therapy is available to students currently enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy or Masters of Social Work residential programs, or the Marriage and Family Therapy online program who intend to expand their knowledge and skills in clinical practice with children and their families or caregivers. The Certificate of Advanced Study in Child Therapy addresses the critical shortage of mental health professionals who are trained to address the needs of children, adolescents and their families.

The core courses, and elective options, address the theoretical foundations of child therapy, as well as evidenced-based trauma- informed practice approaches and techniques.

Courses in the Child Therapy CAS may be delivered either residentially and/or through distance education format and sections may be restricted or reserved for certain populations. Applicants are encouraged to contact their advisor and/or the MFT Department Chair for information regarding course offerings.

Admission:

The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Child Therapy is restricted to baccalaureate prepared licensed/certified professionals, and students currently enrolled in the Marriage and Family Therapy or Masters of Social Work residential programs, or the Marriage and Family Therapy online program. GRE’s are not required. Psychopathology (or its equivalent) is required for completion of the Child Therapy CAS. Because Psychopathology is a required course in the SWK, MFT and MHC master’s degree programs, it is not listed as a course in the Child Therapy CAS. Completion of the Advanced Certificate in Child Therapy program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure as a social worker, marriage and family therapist, or any other profession licensed under Title VIII of the Education Law, nor does it authorize a certificate holder to engage in those scope-restricted professions.

Eligibility requirement: To be awarded a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS), a student must be matriculated in the certificate program for at least one semester. Matriculation may not be backdated.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Apply principles of child development; human sexuality; gender development; and family development and processes, especially in the context of trauma

2. Evaluate which models, modalities, and/or techniques are most effective for presenting problems with children, including children and families with trauma

3. Explain a variety of individual and systemic therapeutic models and their application, including evidence-based therapies and culturally sensitive approaches for working with children and families, including trauma- related approaches to treatment

4. Deliver interventions in a way that is sensitive to special needs of clients (e.g., gender, age, socioeconomic status, culture/race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, personal history, larger systems issues of the client)

Curriculum Requirements:

Three of the following courses:

Either
MFT 686 - Play Therapy with Children and Families 3 credit(s)
or
COU 678 - Child Centered Play Therapy 3 credit(s)
One of:
SWK 626 - Persons in Social Context 3 credit(s)
or
MFT 688 - Family Therapy Across the Life Cycle 3 credit(s)
or
COU 626 - Social and Cultural Dimensions of Counseling 3 credit(s)
or
COU 645 - Counseling Prepracticum II: Advanced Multicultural Counseling Skills 3 credit(s)
Either
MFT 643 - Family Therapy with Complex Trauma 3 credit(s)
or
SWK 738 - Core Concepts in Trauma Treatment for Children and Adolescents 3 credit(s)

And one of the following courses:

MFT 642 - Therapy with LGBTQ Couples and Families 3 credit(s)
SWK 709 - Practice with Children, Adolescents and Families 3 credit(s)
COU 672 - Counseling Children and Adolescents 3 credit(s)

Transfer Credit:

A maximum of three credits from a combination of transfer and/or external examinations/extra-institutional and experiential learning will be accepted toward a C.A.S.

Part-time Study:

Part-time study is allowed.

Satisfactory Progress:

Students must complete each course with a grade of B- or better and an overall GPA of 3.00 or better.