The Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program provides those who have completed, or are currently completing, a graduate degree (e.g., MS, PhD, PsyD) opportunities to complete didactic coursework and mentored experiences to prepare students for the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC®) exam of the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
Completing the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate prepares individuals for employment opportunities working alone and/or alongside other health professionals in some of the following settings: general health care (injury prevention and/or rehabilitation), sports medicine, counseling or clinical psychology, adaptive sports, exercise and fitness, military, performing arts, e-sports, and gaming.
The course and credit requirements for the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program depend upon whether the student is completing the program in-tandem with another graduate degree or as a post-graduate curriculum. Upon application into the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program, each student will undergo a transcript review whereby prior coursework and mentored experiences will be evaluated to create a personalized course plan.
For additional information, please contact the Program Director, Dr. Monna Arvinen-Barrow, PhD, CMPC FAASP (United States), CPsychol AFBPsS (United Kingdom), UPV sert. (Finland). Please visit the Sport and Performance Psychology Laboratory website for more information.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Application
- Students wishing to obtain this certificate must declare their intention by applying to the program office or director.
- All graduate certificate applicants—even those already enrolled in a UWM graduate program—must apply to the Graduate School.
- Graduate degree and previously admitted graduate non-degree students who decide to pursue a certificate program must submit the application before completing 6 credits in the certificate sequence.
- Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree and have a minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate grade point average to be admitted into a certificate program.
Admission
The Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program uses a rolling admission process.
The admission requirements of the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program are consistent with those requirements specified by the Graduate School of UWM. In addition, students must also meet the following requirements:
- Currently enrolled, and in good standing, in a graduate degree program at an accredited university, OR;
- A Master's or Doctoral degree from an accredited university.
- Transcripts from all university degrees/coursework.
- Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
- Personal statement that includes rationale for certificate study and career goals.
- Two letters of recommendation from persons most knowledgeable about the applicant's recent academic and relevant work experiences.
- Electronic interview with program faculty may be requested by the Program Coordinator.
- Students wishing to obtain the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate should inform the Program Coordinator and apply using the Graduate School online application.
- Upon review of the application materials, the Program Coordinator will generate a Plan of Study for the student.
- The Plan of Study will be shared with the student in-writing and via verbal discussion.
- A Plan of Study signed by the Program Coordinator and the student will be sent via email to the Graduate School and placed in the student's official file.
Credits and Courses
In-Tandem Requirements
Students who enroll in the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program in-tandem with a current graduate degree must complete a minimum of 34 credits. The number of credits needed to obtain this certificate depends on the needs of each student.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Didactic Coursework 12 | ||
| COUNS 814 | Professional, Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling Psychology 1 | 3 |
| PRPP 551G | Psychology of Injury: Prevention, Rehabilitation & Return to Participation 2 | 3 |
| PRPP 552G | Psychology of Personal Excellence 2 | 3 |
| PRPP 553G | Psychological Considerations for Optimizing Health & Performance 2 | 3 |
| PT 723 | Physiological Regulation in Exertion & Disease 3 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: 4 | 3 | |
| Multicultural Considerations in Lifespan Psychopathology | ||
| Adult Psychopathology | ||
| COUNS 714 | Essentials of Counseling Practice 5 | 3 |
| ED PSY 624G | Educational Statistical Methods I 6 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: 7 | 3 | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Psychophysiology | ||
| COUNS 715 | Multicultural Counseling 8 | 3 |
| Clinical Experience 9 | 10 | |
| Professional Studies in Sport & Performance Psychology 10 | ||
| Mentored Fieldwork in Sport and Performance Psychology 11 | ||
| Total Credits | 40 | |
- 1
Knowledge Area 1: Professional Ethics & Standards
- 2
Knowledge Area 2: Sport Psychology
- 3
Knowledge Area 3: Sport Science
- 4
Knowledge Area 4: Psychopathology
- 5
Knowledge Area 5: Helping Relationships
- 6
Knowledge Area 6: Research Methods & Statistics
- 7
Knowledge Area 7: Psychological Foundations of Behavior
- 8
Knowledge Area 8: Diversity & Culture
- 9
More than 10 credits (equivalent to 400 clinical hours) may be necessary to amass the required combination of clinical hours.
- 10
Students must enroll in and complete PRPP 854 for a total of 6 credits.
- 11
Students must enroll in and complete PRPP 855 for a total of 4 credits.
- 12
Other courses as approved by the program director.
Post-Graduate Requirements
Students who enroll in the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program as a post-graduate with a completed graduate degree must complete a minimum of 15 credits. The number of credits needed to obtain this certificate depends on the needs of each student.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Didactic Coursework | ||
| Select one or more of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Psychology of Injury: Prevention, Rehabilitation & Return to Participation | ||
| Psychology of Personal Excellence | ||
| Psychological Considerations for Optimizing Health & Performance | ||
| Clinical Experience 2 | 12 | |
| Professional Studies in Sport & Performance Psychology 3 | ||
| Mentored Fieldwork in Sport and Performance Psychology 4 | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
- 1
Knowledge Area 2: Sport Psychology
- 2
More than 12 credits may be necessary to amass the required combination of clinical hours.
- 3
Students must enroll in and complete PRPP 854 for a total of 6 credits.
- 4
Students must enroll in and complete PRPP 855 for a total of 4 credits.
Additional Requirements
Transfer Credit
Transfer credit is not allowed for this certificate.
Minimum Grade Requirement
Students must complete all courses with a grade of B or better (not including B-).
Time Limit
It is expected that students completing the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program in-tandem with another graduate degree at UWM complete the requirements for the certificate within seven years. It is expected that students completing the Sport and Performance Psychology Graduate Certificate program as a post-graduate curriculum complete within three or four years, pending credit requirements.
Articulation with Degree Programs
- Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting UWM graduate degree requirements subject to the following restrictions:
- Degree programs must approve the courses from certificates that can double count toward the degree.
- All credits taken in completion of certificate requirements may count towards a UWM graduate degree as long as they do not contribute more than 90% of the total credits needed to obtain the degree. (Note: Students in PhD programs must still complete the minimum residency requirements)
- Certificate courses used toward meeting degree requirements must be completed within the time limit for transfer credit.
- Courses completed for a degree may be counted toward a subsequent certificate, subject to all certificate policy requirements.
- A course may count toward no more than one certificate and one degree.
- Students may not earn a certificate subsequent to a concentration in the same area.