Mercy University adds bilingual extension certificate for pupil personnel services

Mercy University on Oct. 28 launched a new post-master’s bilingual extension certificate for school counselors, psychologists and social workers. The online program is aimed at helping New York education professionals better support bilingual students and multilingual families as schools grow more diverse.

Why it matters: - New York schools are serving more bilingual students and multilingual families, increasing demand for pupil personnel services professionals with culturally and linguistically responsive training. - The certificate is designed to help school counselors, psychologists and social workers better support students’ mental health, emotional well-being and academic success.

What happened: - Mercy University announced the Bilingual Extension for Pupil Personnel Services Advanced Certificate on Oct. 28, 2026. - The post-master’s program is intended for education professionals who want specialized preparation to work with bilingual students and their families. - The program is based at Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

The details: - The certificate is for professionals who have completed a master’s degree in School Counseling, School Psychology or School Social Work. - Applicants must hold a current New York State provisional, permanent, initial or professional certificate in their pupil personnel services discipline. - The coursework is online and asynchronous, which lets working professionals continue in their current roles while completing the program. - Supervised field experiences are built into the coursework. - Participants may complete fieldwork in their current professional settings if those settings meet program requirements. - The curriculum covers bilingual assessment, culturally responsive intervention strategies, family engagement across language barriers and advocacy for English Language Learners and their families. - The interdisciplinary format brings school counselors, school psychologists and school social workers together to share perspectives and strengthen collaboration. - The certificate prepares eligible professionals to pursue the New York State Bilingual Pupil Personnel Services Extension, subject to state certification requirements. - Dr. Cynthia Walley, interim dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Mercy University, said the program gives school counselors, psychologists and social workers an opportunity to strengthen their skills to better address student mental health and respond to evolving needs in school communities.

Between the lines: - Mercy is positioning the certificate as both a workforce-development program and a response to a broader shift in student needs across New York schools. - The online format signals an effort to make additional credentialing accessible without pulling professionals out of full-time roles. - The cross-discipline structure suggests the university sees bilingual student support as a collaborative service, not a single-role function.

What's next: - Eligible professionals can use the certificate as a pathway toward the New York State Bilingual Pupil Personnel Services Extension. - More information is available in Mercy University’s program announcement.

The bottom line: - Mercy University is expanding bilingual support training for school-based mental health and student-services professionals at a time when New York schools need more culturally responsive expertise.