The UMA Mental Health and Human Services program is now offering an Graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorders as part of an expansion of the substance use disorder concentration. The program will admit its first cohort in fall 2020 and applications are now being accepted.

“We are very excited about this new program,” stated UMA President Rebecca Wyke. “As a completely online program, the Advance Graduate Certificate will offer current human services professionals the flexibility to obtain a graduate certificate that can lead to career advancement and become a pathway to a Master’s Degree,” President Wyke continued. “It is also consistent with Â鶹APP long-standing mission and history as a leader in distance education.”

The demand for training in the area of substance use disorders is growing exponentially and this new certificate seeks to meet the workforce development needs and societal demands of the current substance use crisis in Maine and across the country. It will also support the State of Maine’s efforts in this area, as outlined in Maine Governor Janet Mills’ .

In particular, the opioid crisis requires a concentrated effort by educational institutions and health care providers to address the need for well-qualified professionals and a well-trained workforce at all levels of the profession knowledgeable of existing treatment services, including the awareness of medically assisted treatment for this population. Additional graduate-level training will help meet the level of knowledge and expertise needed for these positions.

“The curriculum will integrate various evidence-based assessment and treatment protocols as they relate to addressing the needs and recovery of all people impacted by this disease,” explained Kim Lane, UMA Associate Professor of Mental Health & Human Services and Coordinator of the new program.

With the Advanced Graduate Certificate, individuals would also have a pathway to pursue a Master’s Degree. Since Â鶹APP program integrates course work with current academic programming available at its sister institutions within the University of Maine System, students could continue their graduate education at the University of Maine or the University of Southern Maine with some credits easily transferable.

Registration for Â鶹APP fall 2020 classes began on April 13, 2020. Now is the time to learn more about UMA online degree and graduate certificate opportunities.

Learn how to Apply ]]> /news/justice-studies-program-developing-a-certificate-in-mediation-studies/ Fri, 14 Dec 2018 19:20:09 +0000 /?p=2455 … Read More]]> As part of the Academic Programs for the Future initiative, the Justice Studies Program is seeking to develop a Certificate in Mediation Studies. In spring 2019, two new, entirely online courses will be offered, JUS 389 Mediation and JUS 489 Custody, Support, and Property Division, as part of the process.

When these courses are combined with the current paralegal certificate offerings and a mediation practicum, students will be eligible to receive a Certificate in Mediation, once approved, and ultimately begin careers as mediators.

Mediation is a growing profession across the country, and there is an immediate need for qualified court mediators across the state of Maine. Businesses engage mediators to resolve employee issues and contracts disputes. Family lawyers use mediators to help their divorce clients resolve conflicts, while communities find mediators helpful in resolving neighborhood differences. Additionally, hospitals and health care facilities utilize mediators to assist family discussions when making difficult elder health care decisions. The need for individuals with these skills will only increase as our population ages.

Academic Programs of the Future

The Academic Programs of the Future initiative arose from a re-visioning process led by UMA President Wyke over the 2017-2018 academic year. This initiative identified three academic programs that would pilot the development of an integrated and assessable curriculum focused on increasing student engagement and improving academic success. The pilot academic programs are Education Pathways, Information and Library Sciences and Justice Studies.

The Academic Programs of the Future initiative intends to align and enrich the learning experience for distance and on-site students through pedagogical design, technological platform, structured interventions, and assessment of learning outcomes; and to provide faculty with incentives and support for pilot participation.

Proposals for Second Round of Applications for Academic Programs

A request for proposals for a second round of Academic Programs of the Future will announced at the beginning of the spring semester. Additional details regarding the criteria and timeline will be provided at that time.