The University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) has launched three new certificate programs for both current students and professionals looking to refine their skills.
Certificates in Addiction Studies, Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) and STEM2 now are available for enrollment.
The Addiction Studies Certificate program will educate students about the complex nature of addiction
Julie Roddy, chair of the Department of Health and Human Services, said the certificate courses will look at addiction from both the medical/health side and the criminal justice side so students know how to appropriately respond when they see someone practicing substance misuse.
“We experience all of the ailments associated with substance use in our region and most of our students stay local. They are going to be out in our neighborhoods. It's important that we train our students on how to be compassionate and on how to help,” said Roddy, who has the goal of having an equal mix of recovering community members and students from campus enrolled in the program.
The program will provide instruction in the role of medicine in addiction, substance abuse identification methodologies, substance abuse treatment modalities and substance abuse prevention strategies. There is a specific emphasis on treatment availability within Detroit.
Upon completion of this 18-credit certificate program, recovering students will be equipped to apply for certification as a peer mentor. The certificate is currently under review with the Michigan Certification Board of Addiction Professionals (MCBAP) so that the courses can be counted toward some or all of the education requirements for Peer Recovery Mentors, Criminal Justice Professionals and Alcohol and Drug Counselors.
Certification details defined by MCBAP.
The Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate program is for those who want to teach the English language—both locally and internationally—to those outside of the Pre-Kindergarten to 12 public school system.
The TESOL Certificate program, which is 15 graduate credit hours, will equip students to teach English to non-native speakers in short- and/or long-term English language programs and educate non-native English speakers on how to best instruct English-speaking students when teaching abroad.
The STEM2 Certificate program is a collaborative program between the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide opportunities for students to further their knowledge and skills in STEM2—science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.
Susan Everett, chair of the Department of Education, said she noticed a need for a formalized program while conducting STEM-focused workshops and having educators ask her questions.
“There are workshops, but this certificate is unique,” she said. “The focus here is to move away from the isolated approach, such as ‘This is a math class’ or ‘This is a science class’ and start using an interdisciplinary one. STEM2 fields intersect in real world applications. For educators to better explain and teach these connections, they need to understand these intersections themselves.”
Three STEM2certificate programs are available:
For more information about these certificates, contact Judy Garfield at [email protected].
