Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificate Program
The ECMH certificate program welcomes professionals with a completed undergraduate or graduate degree in a human services field, including: counseling, education, early childhood special education, pediatrics, allied health services (i.e., occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology), psychology, and social work. Individuals who are currently enrolled in a human service-related graduate degree program at UNC Charlotte are also welcome to apply to the ECMH certificate program.
If certificate applicants are not already enrolled in graduate courses at UNC Charlotte, they must first complete the Graduate School applications and be accepted by the UNC Charlotte Graduate School. In addition to Graduate School requirements, admission to the Graduate Certificate in ECMH requires the following:
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75
- Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable about the applicant’s interaction skills with children and families in a professional context
- A 2-3 page statement of purpose
Students interested only in the Graduate Certificate in ECMH are not required to take the GRE or MAT. Certificate students who later wish to apply to the M.S.W. or M.Ed. programs must follow all admissions requirements for those programs, including entrance examinations. Successful completion of courses in the ECMH certificate program does not guarantee admission to any other UNC Charlotte graduate program. If a certificate-only student would like to apply for admission to either the M.S.W. or M.Ed. program, the student must complete an additional graduate application. Students can begin the ECMH certificate program during any semester.
If an ECMH Graduate Certificate student is accepted into a master’s degree program, courses completed in the Graduate Certificate program may be applied toward the Master of Social Work program or the M.Ed. in Child and Family Studies program at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director of the program to which the student applies and in compliance with existing University policy. However, credits earned in one certificate program may not be used to satisfy the requirements of a second certificate program.
Certificate Requirements
The certificate program requires a minimum of 15 graduate credit hours, including four core courses and one elective course. Courses are typically available in the evening hours, but this can vary by semester. Courses required for the ECMH certificate program can be taken in any order.
Time Limits
If a certificate student is later accepted into either the M.S.W. or M.Ed. program at UNC Charlotte, all courses for the degree must be completed within six years of initial enrollment. All courses for the Graduate Certificate in ECMH only must be completed within four years from initial enrollment in the certificate program.
