Program Description

The Graduate Certificate in Veteran Services (GCVS) curriculum is designed to involve the learner as an active participant in the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for competent practice when working with veterans. It is the intent of the program to graduate students with:

• an understanding of the psychosocial, social, vocational, and health needs of veterans, and the impact of those needs upon the veteran and their family system;
• the ability to facilitate various types of groups for veterans; and
• the ability to network and link veterans and their families with specialized services.
  
  

The Graduate Certificate in Veteran Services program is a distance education, graduate certificate program designed to provide comprehensive training to serve and work with veterans. Our mission is to provide high quality instruction to prepare students for a rewarding career working with veterans.

The graduate certificate in Veterans Services is designed for:

• Clinical Rehabilitation Counselors who wish to advance their knowledge
• Veterans who want to serve other veterans
• Active-duty personnel interested in a career serving veterans
• Students and professionals in rehabilitation sciences, health and human services, counseling, and social science
• Veterans’ Administration employees who wish to advance their knowledge
• Education and career advisors who work with veterans
• Veterans’ services officers
• Human resources professionals in organizations committed to hiring veterans
• Law-enforcement personnel and other first responders
• Military family members who wish to advocate more effectively
  
  

Graduates will have career opportunities in almost every aspect of the helping profession in substance abuse counseling, health and human services, community mental health centers, community resource centers, homeless shelters and services, Veteran Affairs’ hospitals including their specialty units and research/service centers.

Mission, Goals, and Objectives

The mission of the graduate certificate in Veterans Services at Texas Tech University Health Sciences center forwards the mission of the University by providing a practitioner training program focused on the unique needs of diverse communities. As part of the college’s ongoing commitment to veterans, this certificate provides professionals with skills and knowledge they need to support veterans as they transition to civilian life. We are committed to preparing entry-level professionals to work competently and ethically through the mastery of evidence-based practices. Our focus centers on empowering veterans to make informed choices, build viable careers, and live more independently within the community.

The objectives of our program are linked to our mission statement. They are to provide:

• Educational experiences that facilitate the development of knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to the practice of qualified health professionals with a diverse veteran population in a wide variety of contexts.
• Learning opportunities to support the ability to implement culturally responsive and ethically sound health professionals throughout their careers, and to advocate for individuals with disabilities and the profession.
• Clinical training experiences focused on translating acquired knowledge, attitudes and skills to evidence-based practice in a wide range of real-world environments.
  
  

Admission to the Program

The Graduate Certificate in Veteran Services enrolls students in both the Fall and Spring Semesters. Students applying for the Fall semester must submit an application by July 1, and those applying for Spring semester must submit an application by November 1.

Individuals applying to the program should already hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, preferably with prior work experience, paid or voluntary, in human service settings. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.5 is required; this includes all courses taken at every institution attended, or must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 credit hours from all institutions.  Persons applying with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission.

The applications for admission to the graduate certificate in Veteran’s Services are reviewed and rank ordered according to:

• Academic performance
• Career goals
• Previous work or volunteer experience to the field
• Unique individual contributions to the field
• Writing skills
• Computer literacy

Application Process

Students will submit a completed application form, transcripts, an essay from the applicant outlining their rationale for applying to the program, 2 letters of reference, and a resume. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to assure that all supporting documentation is received by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Application materials and detailed information on application procedures and admission criteria can be accessed via the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Health Professions website at http://www.ttuhsc.edu/healthprofessions/admissions/application.aspx.