Eating Disorders Certificate

According to statistics compiled by the National Institute for Mental Health, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any diagnosable mental illness in the United States. Eating disorders are one of the largest undiagnosed and untreated problems facing mental health and medical practitioners today, yet training specific to eating disorders is extremely rare.

The Eating Disorders Certificate program at Lewis & Clark is one of the only graduate programs in the country devoted to the topic, and the only program in the Pacific Northwest.

Given lifetime prevalence rates of eating disorders and associated co-occurring disorders, it is inevitable that professional mental health practitioners across a wide array of settings will be faced with clients presenting with these problems. 

Program of Study 

The Eating Disorders Certificate program is an 8-credit course of study that provides the comprehensive knowledge base required to work professionally with clients experiencing disordered eating. Participants join with practitioner faculty in small classes for discussion, study, and field experience. This program is appropriate for graduate students completing master’s degrees in counseling or therapy, as well as mental health and addictions practitioners, nutritionists, or medical personnel working in the field.

To accommodate the schedules of working professionals, classes convene one weekend per month for 10 months. Study and discussion continue online between class sessions.

Required Courses

CPSY 572 Introduction to Eating Disorders (2 semester hours)

CPSY 575 Treatment Modalities of Eating Disorders (2 semester hours)

CPSY 577 Nutritional Principles and Treatment for Eating Disorders, Obesity, and Body Image Concerns (2 semester hours)

CPSY 579 Eating Disorders Capstone (2 semester hours)

All courses in the certificate program can be applied toward graduate degrees if they are taken for degree-applicable credit. Continuing education (non degree-applicable) credit is also available for anyone not working toward a degree.

Admission Information

Students may be admitted into the Eating Disorders Certificate program on an ongoing basis. The admission process takes approximately four weeks from the receipt of the complete admission packet.

Applications are evaluated by a review committee. Selection of program participants is based on the admission requirements. Applicants will receive written notification of their acceptance, inclusion on a wait-list or non-acceptance two weeks after the application deadline. Applicants accepted to the program will be sent registration information for the first-semester courses. Wait-listed applicants will be notified if space becomes available and will be given an opportunity to register. If space does not become available, wait-listed applicants will be offered a space in the program’s next academic year.

Detailed information about applying to this program, as well as the application form can be found here.

Current Lewis & Clark students enrolled in master’s degree programs may be able to take courses required for the certificate as electives for their degree program and should consult with an advisor to find out. 

Tuition and Fee Information

Tuition is payable on a semester by semester basis and should accompany course registration. The following is tuition for academic year 2013-2014 per semester hour:

Graduate degree applicable credit: $804 per semester hour

Continuing education credit: $350 per semester hour

Note:  Continuing education students must register for classes at least one week prior to the start of class.