Mercy University Launches Bilingual Extension Certificate for Pupil Personnel Services Professionals
This post-master’s certificate program addresses growing need for culturally responsive support for students and their families.
Today, Mercy University announced the launch of a new Bilingual Extension for Pupil Personnel Services Advanced Certificate to equip education professionals with specialized skills to effectively support bilingual students and their families.
The program responds to the increasing diversity in New York schools and the need for pupil personnel services professionals who can provide culturally- and linguistically responsive support. The advanced certificate equips graduates with evidence-based strategies to address the unique needs of bilingual learners and engage effectively with multilingual families.
“This certificate program provides an important opportunity for school counselors, psychologists, and social workers to strengthen their knowledge and skills to better address the mental health and emotional well-being of the youth they are charged with supporting,” said Dr. Cynthia Walley, interim dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Mercy University. “As the mental health needs of our students and school communities continue to evolve, it is essential that we equip professionals with the knowledge, skills and practical strategies necessary to recognize and respond to these challenges and ensure that every student has the support and resources needed to succeed academically, socially and emotionally.”
The bilingual extension program is specifically designed for professionals who have completed a master's degree in School Counseling, School Psychology or School Social Work. Applicants must hold a current New York State provisional, permanent, initial or professional certificate in their respective pupil personnel services discipline.
The program’s online, asynchronous coursework provides flexibility for working professionals to continue in their current roles while completing the certificate. Supervised field experiences are integrated into the coursework and may be completed in participants’ current professional settings, when those settings meet program requirements.
Through this advanced certificate, participants will develop competencies in bilingual assessment, culturally responsive intervention strategies, family engagement across language barriers and advocacy for English Language Learners and their families.
The interdisciplinary learning experience brings school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers together to share professional perspectives and strengthen collaborative approaches to supporting multilingual students and families. The certificate prepares eligible professionals to pursue the New York State Bilingual Pupil Personnel Services Extension, subject to applicable state certification requirements.
For more information about the Bilingual Extension for Pupil Personnel Services Advanced Certificate, visit https://mercy.edu/academics/programs/bilingual-extension-certificate-pupil-personnel-services.
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About Mercy University
Mercy University is an independent, coeducational institution serving more than 9,000 students each year across campuses in Westchester, the Bronx, Manhattan, as well as online. It is a federally designated minority-serving institution and the largest private Hispanic Serving Institution in the state of New York. Mercy offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificate programs within six schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Mercy was founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy whose mission of transformative education remains strong. For more information, visit www.mercy.edu.