What you will study
Experience a career-driven education as you earn your Mental Health certificate at
the University of Central Missouri. You’ll gain knowledge on tracking how individuals
with mental illnesses have been treated through time (including processing through
the criminal justice system), identifying the etiology and diagnosis of mental illnesses,
the role and impact of substance use, and assessing possible treatment paths.
The 12 credit hours of study include three required 3-hour courses in Criminal Justice
and Mental Health Systems, Abnormal Psychology and Addiction and the Family. The remaining
three credits are elective and can be selected from courses pertaining to multicultural
approaches, youth services, health, social work and more. Upon completion of this
certificate, you will be able to:
- Explain how people with mental illness are treated within all components of the criminal
justice system.
- Discuss problems or issues regarding the treatment of people with mental illness within
the criminal justice system and generate possible solutions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of theories and techniques of individual, conjoint and group
psychotherapy in prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.
- Articulate the contextual and systemic dynamics in substance use treatment and prevention
(e.g., gender, age, socioeconomic status, culture/race/ethnicity, sexual orientation,
spirituality, religion, larger systems and social context).
- Identify recent research findings on the proposed etiologies of particular mental
disorders and therapeutic interventions commonly used to treat them.
Excellence in Mental Health
- A Best Criminal Justice & Corrections School in Missouri (College Factual, 2023)
- A Best Value College for Social Work (College Factual, 2022)
- A Most Focused College for Human Development & Family Studies in the Plains States Region (College Factual,
2022)
- Psychology curriculum that meets the standards and goals set by the American Psychological
Association
Unique learning opportunities in mental health
Combine our Mental Health certificate coursework with your undergraduate degree program
for even more experiential learning and professional development opportunities.
- Hands on learning: Part of your experience will include visits to self-help groups and treatment/recovery
programs. One elective option includes clinical experience at an agency such as a
school or hospital. Classes also offer field trips to places like the Glore Psychiatric
Museum or a youth corrections facility.
- Student life: Even from a distance, you can get involved in any of our related student groups such
as the Association of Social Work Students, Council for Human Development and Family
Science, Juvenile Justice Association, NAMI On Campus, Pre-Family and Marriage Therapy
Club, Psychology Club and more.
- Accessible faculty: Whether in class, a field placement, or participating in a research project, you
will always be in contact with your UCM faculty.
What can you do with a certificate in Mental Health from UCM?
The current demand for mental health professionals is high. Whether you’re a current
undergraduate or a working professional, adding this certificate to your toolkit prepares
you to begin or advance in a variety of growing careers, such as:
- Addiction counselor
- Clinical caseworker
- Education specialist
- Probation and parole officer
- Social service specialist
- Support care assistant
- Direct support professional
- Developmental assistant
- Youth services specialist
- Correctional officer
- Nurse
Exciting careers with a certificate in Mental Health
Use the interactive tool below to gather insights about job outlooks and potential
salaries with a Mental Health certificate from UCM.
Financial assistance options for your Mental Health certificate
We believe that nothing should get in the way of your career goals, especially not
the cost of your education. That’s why the University of Central Missouri provides
you with a variety of options to help finance your undergraduate education.
In addition to university-wide scholarships and grants, you may qualify for scholarships
through your major field of study. Visit your major’s program page to learn more about
the scholarships available to undergraduates in your bachelor’s degree program. You
can learn more about program-specific scholarships at the UCM Scholarship Finder.
Meet CJC Program Faculty Member Dr. Angela Collins
Director of the Criminal Justice Institute at UCM
Dr. Collins’ expertise includes criminological theory, juvenile justice and delinquency
and life-course criminology. She served as a volunteer victim advocate for The Victim
Center in Springfield, Missouri, and she’s the faculty sponsor for UCM’s Juvenile
Justice Association student group. She brings this expertise to her courses on Introduction
to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Juvenile Justice and more. Meet the Faculty
Meet Dr. David Kreiner
Expert in language processing and memory
Dr. Kreiner brings his background studying the instruction of psychology to students
in his General Psychology and History of Psychology courses. He also focuses his work
on cognitive psychology and statistics as used in the behavioral sciences.
Meet Dr. Marlys Peck
BSW program director
Dr. Peck teaches classes on human development, basic skills and macro social work
for the bachelor’s degree in Social Work program. You may also see and learn from
her outside the classroom, as she serves as the faculty mentor for the Association
of Social Work Students.
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