extension.uci.edu/certificates/education/iec

Education

Independent

Educational

Consultant

Certificate Program

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Improve Your Career Options with a ProfessionalCertificate

In todays competitive businessenvironment, leaders are appointedbased on credentials and experience. To stay ahead of the competition, advance your career and increase yourearning potential, enroll in one of Universityof California, Irvine Extensions professionalcertificate programs. Convenient and affordable, UC Irvine Extension makes iteasy to learn on your own time, in your ownway. Courses are designed to ensure yougain mastery of a particular topic, andinstructors are highly qualified leaders intheir professions.

UC Irvine Extension is the only continuingeducation provider in Orange County thatrepresents the University of California. A certificate bearing the UC seal signifies a well-known, uncompromising standard of academic excellence.

Independent Educational ConsultantCertificate Program UC Irvine Extensions Independent Educational ConsultantCertificate Program provides the precise knowledge baseto build a business practice in educational consulting.Coursework examines the skill requisite and specializationneeded to successfully navigate the college admissionsprocess. In addition to its entrepreneurial focus, this program provides core education in the tenets of advisingstudents and explores the use of best practices in thegrowing and changing educational consulting profession.

Who Should Attend Individuals interested in transitioning into the college

admissions consulting profession

Individuals looking to launch a private educational consulting practice

Well-established consultants seeking professional development

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Program Benefits Learn how to effectively work with families through

the college admissions process and financial aid network.

Acquire the basic skills required to start, open, andgrow a successful and ethical educational consultingpractice.

Learn strategic thinking for developing your businessmodel and marketing plan using proven tactics.

Implement proven marketing and PR efforts appropri-ate for the profession.

Structure contacts with students and parents in a purposeful manner.

Certificate RequirementsA certificate is awarded upon completion of five requiredcourses and two elective courses (a total of 15 units) with a grade of C or better. All requirements must becompleted within five (5) years after the student enrolls inhis/her first course. Students not pursuing the certificateprogram are welcome to take as many individual coursesas they wish.

Completion of the IndependentEducational Consultant CertificateProgram satisfies the experience requirement when applying for associatemembership in the IndependentEducational Consultants Association(IECA).

Free Quarterly WebinarA free education planning webinar is offered quarterlyand is packed with information about the IndependentEducational Consultant program, courses being offeredin upcoming quarters, and relevant industry news andtrends. Visit extension.uci.edu/events to view the webinar schedule, enroll in an upcoming free event orregister to view previous webinar recordings.

Group DiscountsDiscounts are available for groups of three or more.Please call (949) 824-9304 or email Lkadowak@uci.edufor more information.

For more information: Lisa KadowakiLkadowak@uci.edu(949) 824-9304

Advisory CommitteeSteven Antonoff, Certified Educational Planner,Antonoff Associates, Inc.

Judith Berg, Judith Berg Associates

Karol Gottfredson, Coordinator of Intern TeachingCredential Program, University of California Irvine

Dodge Johnson, Principal, College Planning

Bari Norman, Director, Expert Admissions

Jane Shropshire, Shropshire Educational Consulting,LLC

Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IndependentEducational Consultants Association

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CurriculumRequired Courses Principles of Educational ConsultingEDUC_X406 (2 units)Designed to introduce emerging consultants to the educational and professional issues faced when advisingstudents in the college planning process, this courseexamines the principles and practices associated with thedevelopment of an independent college counseling prac-tice. Highlighted is the role of the educational consultantas a resource for students and parents and the operatingphilosophies connected to that role. Additional topicsinclude: the complexities of college choice, ways to makethe practice successful and what is changing in theadmission and higher education landscape.

Navigating the Financial Aid NetworkEDUC_X406.1 (2 units)Designed for educational consultants interested in broad-ening their range of services to parents and their depend-ent student, this course focuses on vehicles of collegefunding, issues of affordability, and sources of federal andinstitutional financial aid. Consultants can help studentsgain access to colleges that are affordable for them.Review the Federal Methodology (FM) and Title IV funding,which includes all types of federal student aid, such asloans, grants, work-study, the FAFSA, the SAR and loanrepayment terms. Review the Institutional Methodology(IM) used by elite private colleges via the CSS Profile form,types of scholarships available, and the role of enrollmentmanagement in financial aid. Through case studies, learnhow to read financial aid packages and how to compareand contrast students awards from multiple colleges.Learn about the role of the financial aid administrator andcircumstances that may qualify for professional judgment.Review how to position services, direct families to qualityconsumer information, and commit to the highest level ofethical behavior and principles of good practice.

College Admissions Consulting ResourcesEDUC_X406.21 (2.5 units)There are hundreds of books and websites devoted tocollege planning. This course focuses on managing all of this information to help identify the most reliableresources for college planning. In addition, the courseprovides an overview of the resources and tools availablefor educational consultants and when to use them inones practice. Example areas include: working with parents, helping students with careers, helping studentsmake successful college visits, dealing with selective college admission, non-travel ways to learn about colleges, and online resources.

Developing an Independent Educational ConsultingBusinessEDUC_X406.3 (2.5 units)Address the key components necessary for developingand operating an independent educational consultingbusiness. Topics include: business finance options, con-tracts and agreements, software and hardware options,insurance and incorporation and how to develop andimplement a business plan. The course highlights issuesrelated to setting fees, collecting payment, managing theinquiry process, hiring employees and subcontractors,budgeting and launching a website for business.

Independent Educational Consulting PracticumEDUC_X406.4 (3 units)This capstone course gives participants the opportunityto apply the knowledge gained through the programscourse work to their own independent consulting prac-tice. Students will be expected to contract with a clientfamily and demonstrate their ability to guide the clientthrough the beginning stages of the application process.Students will develop their professional identity as educa-tional consultants. Students must have completed allrequired core courses or have Directors approval prior to registering for the Practicum course.

For class schedule: extension.uci.edu/certificates/education/iec

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Elective CoursesWorking with Students with Learning DifferencesEDUC_X406.51 (1.5 units)Examine the various methods used in counseling college-bound students with learning differences and explore theunique characteristics of this student population. Topicsinclude: specific learning disabilities; gifted students withLD; fostering independence; college planning; assessingcollege learning support services and programs. Supple-mental resources include information on interpreting aneuropsychological report.

Marketing and Public Relations for the EducationalConsultantEDUC_X406.6 (1.5 units)Gain a strong understanding of fundamental marketingand public relations principles and practices. Learn howto develop a marketing plan, leverage branding concepts,use social networking tools, including internet forums, blogs,wikis, podcasts, and social networking sites, develop apublic relations plan and analyze the effectiveness ofsmall business strategic and tactical plans.

Consulting Transfer, Summer, and Gap Year StudentsEDUC_X406.8 (1.5 units)This course focuses on how to serve students in transitionby studying three key areas within the college admissionsprocess: advising high school students on summer programs and gap/interim year opportunities as well assupporting college students through the transfer admis-sions process. Topics will include transfer admission policies and procedures and how they vary from schoolto school and state to state; how to identify and counselstudents for whom a gap year may be appropriate as well as information on specific programs; and howadvising on these three topics can enhance the practiceof an independent educational consultant.

American College Consulting for the InternationalStudentEDUC_X406.81 (1.5 units)Designed to introduce consultants to advising the studentliving outside of the United States who is looking atAmerican options in higher education. Examine howadvising the international student, or American studentliving overseas, varies from counseling the domestic student. Sometimes even basic concepts are subject tomisinterpretation, and diverse attitudes and expectationsmust be approached with cultural sensitivity and aware-ness. Cultural adjustment to the U.S. as well as campuslife must also be considered in order for the student to be successful. In addition to understanding cultural con-siderations, articulate why international students wouldchoose an American higher educational experience, beable to compare the mechanics of the international col-lege application process with that of the more traditionaldomestic student, assist families to understand financialand visa matters, know how to assess and advise onoptions when the student is not yet academically readyfor the American university experience, and defend andrepresent ethical practices in international consulting.

Social Media for the Independent EducationalConsultantEDUC_X406.9 (1.5 units)

Successful business owners understand the importanceof connecting with constituents and maintaining openchannels of communication. Perhaps no set of tools havebeen as perfectly suited for communication as are todayssocial media tools. Social media is especially helpful fornetworking, listening to key constituencies and fosteringcommunication. Its now incumbent upon consultants tonot only be familiar with, but to implement and manage a myriad of effective online communication channels.Examine all types of social media from social network-ing to blogging, to multimedia sharing and bookmarking.Learn strategies and become familiar with the mostimportant social media tools in todays digitally connected world.

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extension.uci.edu/certificates/education/iec

Independent EducationalConsultant

Certificate Program

Printed on Recycled Paperrev. 05.25.12

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