Educational Therapy
Empower your students
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certificate Description
Announcing a new post-certificate pathway!
We are delighted to announce a new articulation agreement with Notre Dame de Nemur, one of only two AET-approved master's degree programs. Once you've completed your UCSC Extension certificate, you can now transfer your credits and complete only 13 more semester units to earn a master's degree. Learn more.
The impact of inspired learning
Learn how individualized interventions can make a tremendous impact in the classroom, in private practice, and in the home. In one of the few Association of Educational Therapists-approved training programs, you will learn to assess the different challenges students have so you can effectively collaborate with an educational team and understand the underlying theory and the latest research to implement practical strategies for learning.
Teachers, tutors, resource specialists, and aspiring educational therapists will learn to empower and inspire their students. The material also supports you in setting up your own clinical practice.
Educational and therapeutic strategy
Our curriculum guides you to combine educational and therapeutic strategies—for evaluation, remediation, advocacy, and case management—on behalf of individuals with learning differences.
Gain one-on-one experience
Educational therapists work one-on-one through using socio-emotional, psycho-educational, and neuropsychological paradigms to develop individualized learning and treatment plans. They alleviate learning difficulties by using individuals’ strengths to overcome challenges.
Our Educational Therapy students
This program is designed for all educators, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and other allied professionals at all levels as well as individuals interested in learning enrichment.
Educational Therapy certificate program objectives
- Understand challenges faced by students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism spectrum, and other learning differences.
- Comprehend the theories, issues, strategies, and materials related to the assessment and instruction of students with reading difficulties.
- Learn how dyscalculia impacts learning and apply strategies for helping students understand computation and problem-solving in mathematics.
- Employ ethical principles in the field, and develop a business plan for managing a clinical practice.
- Use and understand assessment tools and procedures frequently used in educational therapy settings.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the priorities of learners, their needs, and the process of building a remediation plan.
Suitability for practice
The UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy program is committed to candidates’ development of ethical practice, establishment of professional boundaries, client confidentiality, and awareness of internship competence and personal limitations.
At any time during a candidate’s progress through the internship, should a significant concern regarding the candidate’s suitability for the profession occur, in accordance with the AET Code of Conduct and based on the candidate’s apparent behavior, a committee of program director, program manager, program chair and mentor shall convene to review the candidate’s conduct and performance. The committee shall interview the student and person(s) who raised the concern and consult with administration. After careful deliberation, the committee will determine, whether or not there is a basis for concern and, if there is a basis for concern, will determine a course of action, which could include possible immediate program disqualification or substantive remediation that can involve course or clinical placement or repetition. Should a candidate wish to appeal the review committee’s decision, the same procedures would be followed for appealing an academic decision as described in the UCSC Extension policies.
AET-approved
The UCSC Silicon Valley Professional Educational Therapy certificate program is approved by the Association of Educational Therapists. Founded in 1979, AET defines and sets standards for the professional practice of educational therapy. Educational therapists provide a broad range of individualized educational interventions for children and adults with learning disabilities and other learning challenges.
See the Professional Development section below for more information on AET.
Recent online events
Elevate Your Educational Therapy Career
Educators, administrators, parents, and allies of people with learning differences explore the transformative world of educational therapy in our AET-approved program. Learn about upcoming courses to expand your toolbox. (February 2024)
Intro to 2e: Understanding Bright Students Who Struggle
Experts talk about the twice-exceptional learner, how to reframe the situation, reduce stress, work with unexpected behaviors, and help neurodivergent, 2e children feel supported. (July 2023)
Teaching the Struggling Student
Learn to work with students who have common learning differences in this in-depth overview presentation by Diana Kennedy, an educational therapist and instructor in the UCSC Extension certificate program. (May 2023)
Program Overview
Estimated Cost: Starts at $6,090. Does not include potential practicum or internship costs. (You pay only for courses you enroll in.) | International Tuition Cost
Program Requirements: 10–11 courses (minimum 30 quarter units). Take 7 required courses (21 quarter units), 2–3 elective (minimum 4 quarter units), and capstone course (5 units). End with certificate review.
Minimum Hours of Instruction: 300 hours of instruction.
Estimated Duration: A full-time student can complete the certificate in about two years.
Special Programs:
Courses
1. Required Course(s): Seven Total & Equal to 21 Units
2. Electives:
3. Capstone Course:
4. Completion Review:
Meet Our Instructors
What students are saying
"Diana is a compassionate and encouraging instructor, her wealth of knowledge is only exceeded by her obvious love of the work she does and the students and families she supports. Her literacy course stands out as a wonderful learning experience."
— Lisa M. Barratt
Educational Therapist
"Diana is a fabulous instructor and is always willing to share her insights and make sure course content is adapted to everyone's needs. She is approachable and willing to help you have a thorough understanding of the content without judgment."
— Jasleen Kaur Monga
International Student
Learning Specialist | Educational Therapist
"The instructor provided practical guidance, helped give me the confidence to work with a new cohort of students, and made sure that class sessions were useful. She invited allied professionals to provide insight and advice on the field of ET."
— Lisa Epstein, MSTC, JD, MSW
Learning Specialist | Educational Therapist | Business Owner
"Diana's knowledge is incredible, and her willingness to share it all is an integral part of her contribution to the field of Educational Therapy. One couldn't ask for better guidance or teaching."
— Sharon Barkan, MA, ET/P
Educational Therapist
Certificate Inquiry Form
Recommended Course Sequence
Flexible course sequence
Courses may be taken in any order provided the prerequisites are met and your final course is Educational Therapy Practicum.
Substitutions
To receive your certificate
Professional Development
AET-Approved
The UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy certificate program is approved by the Association of Educational Therapists.
Benefits of an AET-approved Program
- Fast-Tracked Membership—Alumni of UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy professional certificate program proceed through the AET membership process faster than those students who graduated from a program that is not AET-approved.
- Professional Opportunity—Although to become a Board Certified Educational Therapist-level AET member requires a master's degree, graduates of our Ed Therapy certificate program can become an associate member of the AET without a master's degree. Note: BCETs need to take professional development courses and earn 40 hours every four years.
- Conference Scholarships—UCSC Extension students may apply for scholarships to attend AET’s annual conference.
AET Certification
Visit the Association of Educational Therapy, to learn more about the organization's own certification requirements.
Licensure and Certification Policy
The certification by the AET is optional for practice in the field. There is currently no state licensure for educational therapy.
Please see our Licensure and Certification Policy to learn more.
Continue your education in an accredited master's degree program
Completion of the UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy certificate program allows you to transfer 30 quarter units (equal to 20 NDNU semester credits) toward the Notre Dame de Namur University Master of Arts degree in Educational Therapy. The NDNU MA program requires 33 credits. Have questions? Contact Polly Mayer at NDNU at pmayer@ndnu.edu
Requisite Knowledge
Please review the course descriptions to ensure that you have taken necessary prerequisites or meet the requirements through job experience or previous education.
Note: We require a bachelor’s degree and preferably some experience working with children to complete this certificate program.
If you do not have an educational background, we strongly recommend that you enroll in the following courses.
Advisory Board
Certificate Program Chair
SHARMILA ROY, Ph.D., has over 30 years of experience in special education, primarily in teacher training, classroom interventions, and curriculum development. She is a special consultant for the Schwab Learning Center in Palo Alto, CA, and has worked in private practice as an educational therapist, as well as in the non-profit sector, and helped families navigate the special education system for their children. She has extensive experience working in K-7 classrooms and one-on-one with exceptional students, especially in the area of multi-sensory mathematics learning for students with learning differences and executive functional skills. Roy has been trained in the United Kingdom and received a doctorate in Special Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She has served as the chair of the Educational Therapy certificate program since 2014.
Certificate Program Advisory Committee
JOHN FLEMING, M.Ed., BCET
DLS Founder & Director, Developmental Learning Solutions
Instructor, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy Certificate Program
DIANA KENNEDY, M.A., BCET
Educational Therapist, Mindspark Custom Learning Solutions
Instructor, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy Certificate Program
BIBI PIRAYESH, Ph.D., M.A., B.A.
Educational Therapist, Founder @OneofOneKids, Keynote Speaker, Professor
ERIN POWERS, M.Ed., BCET
Education Consultant and Literacy Specialist, Erin Powers Learning
SHARMILA ROY, Ph.D.
Chair/Instructor, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension Educational Therapy Certificate Program
ASHLEY SHAPIRO, M.A., BCET
Executive Director / Founder of edcahoots
Establish Candidacy
Who should establish candidacy?
- People who are pursuing a certificate (and have enrolled in a course in the program).
- People who want to lock in the current requirements of a certificate or specialization.
4 Simple Steps to a Certificate or Specialization
- Complete a course in your selected program.
- Establish candidacy. Click on the Establish Candidacy button on your program page.
- Take all required courses for certificate completion.
- Once your grades are posted on your final course, enroll in the certificate review fee.
A Benefit of Establishing Candidacy
Program requirements may change. Once you commit to a program by establish your candidacy, you will not have to change your plans to meet new requirements. They are locked in for you. Timeline: 4 years to get it done (or 3 for a specialization) You must complete all the necessary units in a certificate within a four-year window. The clock begins on the first day of your first course in the certificate program. For example, if you started a course on Sept. 5, 2023, you would have to finish by Sept. 4, 2027.
Note: Establishing candidacy does not trigger the beginning of the four-year window. It begins the first day of the first course in your chosen certificate program. The Certificate Completion Review process does not have to occur within the four-year timeframe.
Exceptions to the four-year requirement
- If you Established candidacy prior to Jan. 1, 2024, you will have five years to complete a program.
- Students participating in a special program, such as workforce, international, or our curriculum partner programs, such as the Legal Studies courses (CLS by Barbri) and sales and business courses (Ziplines Education) have shorter completion requirements.
Grade Requirements
Please note that only letter grades of C or higher may be applied to a certificate, and in some programs, students may have more stringent requirements. Students in most employer- and government-sponsored payment programs, such as workforce development, as well as international students on F-1 visas, need to maintain a B average to meet their requirements. Personal Financial Planning students have additional grade requirements for individual courses to attain a certificate.
See Grading and Credits Policy for further information.