ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must meet one of the following sets of requirements:

• Have a master’s degree, J.D., Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree from an accredited institution and at least one year of experience working in a discipline pertinent to the provision of guardianship services. Your experience must include decision-making or the use of independent judgment for the benefit of others in at least one of the following areas: law, finance, social service or health care.
• Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and two years of experience working in a discipline pertinent to the provision of guardianship services. Experience must include decision-making or the use of independent judgment for the benefit of others in at least one of the following areas: law, finance, social service or health care.
• Have an associate of arts degree from an accredited institution and four years of experience working in a discipline pertinent to the provision of guardianship services. Experience must include decision-making or the use of independent judgment for the benefit of others in at least one of the following areas: law, finance, social service or health care.
• Be a Certified Professional Guardian (CPG) who is applying to the program as a requirement to be a consultant for the Office of Public Guardianship.

Relevant supervised volunteer work can meet the experience requirement, but providing services for a family member does not. Exceptions can occasionally be made to the experience requirement. Please contact us to discuss your experience.

Note: If your intention is to become a Certified Professional Guardian (CPG) with the state of Washington, we suggest (but do not require) that you apply to the Washington State Supreme Court CPG Board. If you’re eligible, they will grant you conditional approval pending successful completion of our certificate program.

If applications exceed capacity, applicants who have applied to become a CPG and have a provisional CPG license number, or who are an Office of Public Guardianship consultant, will be given priority.

English Proficiency

If English is not your native language, you should have at least intermediate English skills to enroll. To learn more, see English Language Proficiency Requirements – Noncredit Programs.

International Students

Because this offering is 100% online, no visa is required and international students are welcome to apply. For more information, see Admission Requirements for International Students.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

Students must have a computer with broadband Internet access, Adobe Flash and audio capability. Students must be able to edit Microsoft Word and Excel documents and have Adobe Reader or the equivalent program installed to read and manipulate PDF documents. Students may also need to send an occasional fax.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

There are specific attendance requirements for in-person class sessions; contact us for further information.

Earning the Certificate

You earn the certificate by adhering to the program's attendance policy and successfully completing all required courses. For more information, see Earning the Certificate.