Life and Career Coaching Certificate

Life and Career Coaching Certificate Requirements

There are three pathways to the Life and Career Coaching certificate in order to meet the educational requirements for certification, depending on a student's educational and professional background.

For students who hold a bachelor’s degree or a graduate degree in a field outside of social or behavioral science (e.g. mathematics, biology), three courses are required.

(9 credits)

COUN 500Introduction to Counseling and Helping Professions3
CNPY 502Theories of Counseling and Helping Professions3
COUN 505Vocational/Career Development3
or COUN 504 Vocational/Career Development in Educational Settings

For students who hold a master’s degree in counseling or a doctoral degree in a social or behavioral science (e.g. social work, education, health, or business), one course is required.

(3 credits)

COUN 501Coaching Principles and Practices3

For students who hold a master’s degree in a social or behavioral science other than counseling (e.g. social work, education, health, or business), two courses are required.

(6 credits)

COUN 501Coaching Principles and Practices3
or CURR 501 Coaching Principles and Practices
Choose one of the following electives:3
Vocational/Career Development in Educational Settings
Vocational/Career Development in Educational Settings
Vocational/Career Development
Counseling and Helping Techniques Laboratory

Courses and Descriptions

CNPY 502 Theories of Counseling and Helping Professions 3 Credits

Introduces the theoretical constructs of the primary contemporary counseling psychology theories being used in the counseling profession today. The theoretical constructs will be explored for use for self-reflection and self-development and to serve as the basis for development of psychological maps for understanding purposes of clients’ behaviors.

Prerequisite(s): COUN 500 or as corequisite.

COUN 500 Introduction to Counseling and Helping Professions 3 Credits

Educational, social, and psychological foundations of counseling services. Basic theories, principles, and techniques of counseling and related helping professions, such as coaching, and their applications to professional services. Emphasizes self-awareness as related to becoming a facilitator of helping skills. The team approach to counseling services and the contribution of the various specialties within the total counseling services program are stressed.

COUN 501 Coaching Principles and Practices 3 Credits

The course covers core coaching competencies, including coaching screening and orientation, fundamental skills, assessment, approaches for organizations, and coaching ethics. The course meets all 30-hour educational requirements for certification as a Board Certified Coach (BCC) through the Center for Credentialing and Education and is required course for the 60-hour BCC educational requirements.

COUN 504 Vocational/Career Development in Educational Settings 3 Credits

This course provides a comprehensive and practical approach to career counseling, coaching, and curriculum design in Kindergarten through postsecondary settings. Theories of vocational development and decision making form the foundation for designing career counseling curriculum. The problems and techniques of using college and career information, assessment tools, educational and vocational goal setting, conflict management strategies, and individual and organizational change processes are stressed. Concepts of career/life planning and the interrelationships among life roles, family, ecosystemic influences, and work in a diverse and changing society are explored.

COUN 505 Vocational/Career Development 3 Credits

Includes organizational change and vocational development theories, research, and literature in the field to inform practice with clients with vocational/career concern. The problems and techniques of using occupational and career information, assessment tools, educational and vocational goal setting, conflict management strategies, and individual and group processes are stressed. Includes concepts of career/life planning and counseling and coaching techniques, lifespan transitions, and the interrelationships among work, family, and other life roles.

COUN 550 Counseling and Helping Techniques Laboratory 3 Credits

This a laboratory course, which provides opportunities for both the observation and practice of counseling and professional helping skills. The purpose of this course is to provide students with their initial training in counseling and helping skills under closely supervised conditions. The focus of this course is the development of initial client interviewing and basic counseling and helping skills through an emphasis on techniques (basic and advanced listening and helping skills), strategy (the counseling and helping process), and self-development (the student as counselor and helper) grounded in theories of counseling and related helping professions.

CURR 501 Coaching Principles and Practices 3 Credits

This course is an introduction to the profession of coaching for educators. It is designed to fulfill the educational requirements for certification as a Board Certified Coach through the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). The CCE competencies for certification provide the basis for course material.

CURR 504 Vocational/Career Development in Educational Settings 3 Credits

This course provides a comprehensive and practical approach to career counseling, coaching, and curriculum design for educators who work in Kindergarten through postsecondary settings. Theories of vocational development and decision making form the foundation for designing career counseling curriculum. The problems and techniques of using college and career information, assessment tools, educational and vocational goal setting, conflict management strategies, and individual and organizational change processes are stressed. Concepts of career/life planning and the interrelationships among life roles, family, ecosystemic influences, and work in a diverse and changing society are explored.