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Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice Certificate

The Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice certificate is designed to provide students with opportunities to build strong mentoring and reflective professional practice skills while exploring what it takes to be a mentoring leader. The certificate offers courses in mentoring, leadership, communication skills, and more.

Why Combine Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice?

In today’s fast-paced world, organizations need leaders who can mentor and remain resilient by fostering effective and productive teams. The goal of the Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice certificate is to help students gain the skills needed to facilitate environments conducive to effective and efficient productivity, as well as employee growth and leadership. We look forward to you joining us for classes that will support you in your journey to actualize your own mentoring and leadership potential while learning how to support others.

Who Will Benefit from Completing the Program?

  • Employees, leaders, and mentors interested in developing or improving their mentoring, leadership, and teambuilding skills.
  • Employees seeking career advancement or transferable skills to maximize prospective employment opportunities.
  • Postdoctoral fellows preparing for entry into the workforce who want to stand out among their peers as the candidate with the most promise.
  • Current UAB employees, leaders, and mentors who are satisfied with their environment and wish to apply an institutional benefit that supports continued academic learning.
 

  • Course Details

    The MENT graduate certificate can be completed within four or five semesters when students complete two, 3-credit hour courses in the fall or spring semesters and at least one, 3-credit hour course other semesters. Completion timeline may depend on elective preferences. Note: new curriculum implemented in spring 2026.

    Required Course (3 credit hours) Name Credit Hours Offered
    MENT 719 Introduction to Mentorship 3 CH Spring: Online
    Elective (12 credit hours) Name Credit Hours Offered
    At least one course suggested from:
    MENT 730 Maintaining a Professional Image 3 CH Fall
    RECM 701 Oral & Visual Communication 3 CH Spring
    At least one course suggested from:
    MENT 746 Critical Decisions in Mentoring 3 CH Fall
    RECM 745 Communication and Diverse Audiences 3 CH Fall
    GRD 617 Critical Thinking & Decision-Making 3 CH Fall, Spring and Summer
    At least one course suggested from:
    MENT 680 Reflective Professional Practice 3 CH Varies
    LEAD 580 Transformational Leadership 3 CH Varies
    *RECM 707, GRD 735, and GRD 713 may substitute for one, 3 credit-hour elective. 3 CH
    Total Credit Hours: 15 CH

     

    Course Planning
    Term Fall Start Spring Start Summer Start
    Fall RECM 745
    Spring MENT 719 MENT 719
    Summer Option: GRD 617 Option: GRD 617
    Fall MENT 730 and MENT 746 or LEAD 580 RECM 745 and MENT 746, 730, or LEAD 580 RECM 745 and MENT 730 or 746 or LEAD 580
    Spring Option: RECM 701 or MENT 680 Option: RECM 701 and MENT 680 MENT 719
    Summer Option: GRD 617
    Fall Option: MENT 746, 730 or LEAD 580 MENT 746, 730 or LEAD 580
    Spring Option: RECM 701 or MENT 680

    Schedules subject to change. Please check with program director for options during a specific semester.

  • Faculty & Contact

    Dr. Penny S. Seals, psseals@uab.edu.

  • Course Requirements and Schedules

    Any graduate student, post-doctoral fellow, or UAB employee with a bachelor’s degree can enroll in this program. There are no prerequisites required. Some courses can simultaneously count toward the Mentoring and Leadership graduate certificate, other certificates and degree plans.

  • Application Checklist
    • New students
      • Request official copies of all your academic transcripts to be sent to UAB graduate admissions (more details in the application)
      • Complete the online application
      • Pay the application fee
  • You're Admitted - Next Steps
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the admissions requirements for Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice?

    All applicants must:

    1. Current student: complete the Change of Graduate Program
    2. New Students:
      • Complete and submit the UAB Graduate School Application.
      • Submit official copies of all academic transcripts demonstrating that you have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a 3.0 minimum grade point average.
      • GRE and MAT are not required to be admitted.

    Can undergraduate students take Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice courses?

    No. Undergraduate students interested in studying leadership should contact Dr. Penny S. Seals regarding the LEAD graduate certificate program, which is open to undergraduate juniors and seniors. Email psseals@uab.edu.

    Do you have to be a Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice student in order to take Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice course?

    No. You do not need to be admitted to the certificate in order to take Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice courses. Anyone in the following groups may enroll in Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice courses:

    • Non-degree Seeking, Post-Bac
    • Graduate Students
    • Post-Doctoral Fellows
    • Community members
    • UAB employees

    *** Please note that if you are not a current degree-seeking student, you should apply as a non-degree student in order to take individual courses. If you want to earn the certificate, apply as a degree-seeking student and choose the Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice certificate.

    Can UAB employees use the tuition benefit to pay for Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice courses?

    Yes, current UAB employees may use their tuition benefits to take Mentoring and Reflective Professional Practice courses.

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