Earn a Certificate in Social & Emotional Learning
An online certificate in social and emotional learning with a concentration in school leadership or classroom instruction.
Informational Webinars about the SEL Academy!
The SEL Academy has created a set of six different informational webinars explaining various aspects of the Academy Program. These webinars have been recorded and are available by clicking below…
Obtaining a Certificate in SEL Instruction and/or SEL Leadership
SEL and Equity 101: A Practical Approach
Leading SEL Implementation in Schools
Principles of Staff Development for Expertise in SEL/Character Instruction
How to Instruct Students in ANY SEL/Character Program Effectively
How to Integrate SEL into Social Studies/Civics/History and other Academic Areas
SEL Explained
Virtual Learning Community
Program Overview

The mission of the certificate program is to prepare school leaders to coordinate SEL implementation efforts at the building and/or district level. The program emphasizes school climate, culture, values, leadership, student voice/engagement, and SEL skills development; it is designed for people who are in formal or informal school leadership positions.
- Principals
- Assistant Principals
- Student support personnel
- Curriculum coordinators
- Lead teachers
- Members of teams or committees addressing bullying, school culture and climate, discipline, character,SEL and related school-wide areas
- Those who hold positions in district central offices
This 10-week course provides a theoretical and research-based foundation for educators who will provide direct instruction of the social-emotional and character development (SECD) competencies in a classroom, small group or after-school setting.
This 7-week course provides participants with the research, skills, and support for connecting social-emotional learning (SEL) and school culture and climate concepts to various lifelong student outcomes, including academic performance, college preparation, career expectations, family responsibilities, community and civic participation, and overall life readiness and emotional intelligence.
This 10-week course focuses on the actual methods and applications of best practices for those providing direct instruction of the social-emotional and character development (SECD) competencies in a classroom, small group or after-school setting.
This 12-week course develops unique leadership qualities and practices in educators and administrators by guiding them through the process of creating efficient strategies, networks and systems for leading sustainable school-wide SEL and school culture/climate initiatives.
This 15-week practicum is the third course in the program and is to be completed during one school year. It focuses on the supervised implementation of a Social-Emotional and Character Development (SECD) program in a classroom, small group or after-school setting.
This 16-week, project-oriented practicum course provides participants with a supportive, structured environment to plan, develop and execute an individualized strategic plan for implementing a school-wide social-emotional learning and school culture and climate initiative.
Virtual
Professional
Learning Community

Program participants receive lifetime access to the online learning community of SEL and school culture/climate innovators and practitioners as well as our regularly updated resources. Leading social-emotional learning and school culture/climate initiatives requires a great deal of collaboration, teamwork and partnership.
A hallmark of our certificate program is the high degree of collaborative learning built on supportive, caring, and respectful relationships between you, the program facilitators, other participants in your learning cohort, and the members of the professional learning community. Participants will become professionally acquainted with other members in the community and discover common threads between themselves and other like-minded school leaders with whom they will be learning collaboratively with throughout the program, and beyond.
Our online professional learning community is a safe and secure environment where you can feel confident and empowered to build lasting professional relationships and the necessary skills to help you achieve your organizational or professional goals.
The community is staffed by a team of Community Resource Managers, who regularly curate and share the most recent and relevant resources, tools, and learning opportunities, which are available exclusively to program participants. Ongoing participation in the community will be an important part of your continued implementation support system, and essential for long-term, sustainable success in bringing positive change to your school or district.
Advantages of the SEL certification
Graduates will leave the program with a diverse portfolio that exemplifies the professional development and skills obtained in the program. They will enjoy a lifetime membership in the Academy’s online professional learning community, which provides immediate access to experts in the field, carefully vetted and up-to-date resources, and a support network for exchanging ideas and best practices for implementing SEL, school culture, and climate initiatives.