Loyola University Chicago

School of Social Work

Certificate Programs

Certificate in Advanced Psychotherapy

The School of Social Work is pleased to introduce the Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy and its year-long certificate program for licensed practitioners and clinical supervisors. This immersive professional development program provides clinicians the training needed to expand and update clinical skills, enrich care provided to clients, and enhance one’s overall practice. The framework incorporates multiple theoretical disciplines and offers a method of case conceptualization that includes various listening and intervention techniques from a variety of treatment approaches. Comprised of three learning formats (on-site residency, virtual small-group consultation, and webinars) the program enables participants to continue their daily professional practices while earning this Advanced Psychotherapy Certificate.

The Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor 72 hours continuing education for psychologists. ​Social workers licensed in the state of Illinois receive 72 hours of credit through Loyola University School of Social Work. Social Workers licensed outside of Illinois should check with their state licensing board to determine where CE credits approved by the APA and/or the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) are accepted. For more information, visit The Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy website or contact Katelyn Tippett at ktippett@luc-iap.com or Terry Northcut at tnorthc@luc.edu.

Post-MSW PEL: School Social Worker Endorsement

This program is for graduates with a MSW degree from an accredited School of Social Work that are seeking to obtain a Professional Educator License (PEL) with a School Social Work endorsement.  This is the license that is required by the Illinois State Board of Education to practice School Social Work within the public school setting in Illinois. 

School Mental Health Advanced Practice Program

This post-master’s certificate program equips mental health professionals to better affect the positive psychosocial development of their student clients. Primary takeaways from the program will include: fostering collaboration between schools and families, implementing strength-based interventions in schools, advocating for whole-school interventions, and becoming more data-driven and evidence-informed as School-Based Mental Health Practitioners (SBMHP).

Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling

Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work is accredited by the ICB (Illinois Certification Board) as an Advanced Accredited Training Program, preparing social work students and practitioners to become Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors (CADC). Upon completion of the training program students are eligible to submit their application to ICB to take the CADC exam. A passing grade on the ICB-administered exam is required for official CADC certification.

Certificate in Empowering Women: South Asian Women & Girls

This Certificate offers students an opportunity to obtain a completely online certification for working with women focusing on South Asian women and girls, a population that is underserved and high need. The certificate is open to students across disciplines, including Social Work, Theology, Business Management, Nursing, Law, Education, and Women and Gender Studies, plus it is accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students as well as to professionals.