Northern Illinois University (NIU) Online Counseling Programs
Northern Illinois University (NIU) offers graduate programs in counseling designed for master’s- and doctoral-level clinicians who want to specialize in trauma care and rehabilitation for people with disabilities. The programs include the online 12-credit graduate certificate in trauma-informed counseling. This fully accredited option combines expert faculty instruction with flexible online delivery to build practical skills for immediate use in agency and treatment settings.
The program focuses on evidence-based practices, cultural sensitivity, and hands-on clinical experience to help clients recover and thrive. NIU emphasizes small classes with fewer than 20 students for close relationships with peers and faculty, along with 200 approved professional development hours involving supervised counseling, professional meetings, and the disability community. Students choose their own clinical sites to match future career goals and complete supervised practicum and internships.
The graduate certificate in trauma-informed counseling prepares current practitioners to assist clients recovering from trauma. This fully online, asynchronous program starts each fall and can be completed in one year with three-credit courses. Key courses include crisis intervention; concepts in trauma-informed counseling; counseling for complex trauma; and one elective, such as creative and experiential approaches in trauma-informed counseling or resiliency and wellness in trauma-informed counseling.
Admission requirements for the certificate include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.
Northern Illinois University is a public research university located in DeKalb, Illinois. It is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The university supports online graduate education with a 130-year commitment to transforming lives through flexible, high-quality instruction.
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Graduate Certificate in Trauma-Informed Counseling
1425 W. Lincoln Hwy.DeKalb, Illinois
Program Essentials
Post-Master's Certificate
Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Yes
0 – No required campus visits
12
Fall
Complete in as few as 2 years
Program Admissions
No GRE required
2.75
No state restrictions
Program Tuition
12
$533.32
$6,399.84
$533.32
$6,399.84
Tuition is calculated based on credits, at the published tuition rate. Rates may change, so please check here for the latest tuition information. For programs with variable tuition rates, we use the rates for part-time students. “Resident” and “non-resident” refer to the student’s school-recognized state residency status. Tuition number represents the cost of tuition for the entire program, not per semester or year. Estimated total tuition does not include additional fees.
Farheen Gani
WriterFarheen Gani has researched degree programs and salaries in counseling since 2020. She has written about topics such as genetic counselor salaries and family and human development bachelor’s degrees. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.