Certificate in Sexuality Education

The general learning outcomes for the Sexuality Studies Certificate program are the following:

1. Students will articulate and demonstrate field-based ethics, digital health (digihealth) considerations, professional communication, ethical behavior, professionalism, integrity, and intrapersonal and interpersonal reflective skills.
2. Students will demonstrate understanding of major aspects of human sexuality, including, but not limited to: sexual development throughout the lifespan and life course, consent, sexual exploitations and abuses, sexual pleasure and intimacy, attachment (including digital attachment; digiattachment), interdisciplinary history of studying sexuality, principles of sexology research and research methods, intersections between substance use/abuse and sexuality, and the connections between learning theory and sexuality.
3. Students will demonstrate applicable knowledge of health/medical factors influencing sexuality including, but not limited to: sexual and reproductive anatomy/physiology, illness, substance use, mental health, conception, family planning, pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy termination, contraception, fertility, sexually transmitted infections/sexually transmitted blood borne infections, sexual trauma, injury, and safer sex practices. 
4. Students will demonstrate awareness of personal attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding human sexuality and sexual behavior through participation in a Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) training.  
5. Students will be able to articulate a range of sexual functioning and behavior, from optimal to problematic, including but not limited to: common issues such as desire and/or erotic discrepancy, lack of desire, difficulty achieving or maintaining arousal, out-of-control-sexual-behaviors, sexual pain and penetration problems, and difficulty with orgasm.  
6. Students will be able to articulate a range of relational concerns intersecting with sexual functioning and behaviors like: intimacy skills, interpersonal communications, digisexuality, multigenerational patterns, relational ethics, and pleasure-enhancing skills.  
7. Students will demonstrate knowledge of gender (e.g., cisgender, transgender, gender fluid, two-spirit, bigender, androgynous, agender, intersex, etc.), sexual (e.g., heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, etc.), erotic (e.g., kink/BDSM, tantra, digisexuality, etc.,) and relational (e.g., monogamy, polyamorous, polygamous, consensually non-monogamous, swingers, etc.) diversity (GSERD). 
8. Students will describe the impact of sociocultural influences (i.e., ethnicity, race, religion, ability, age, mediating and immersive technologies, ecological practices, etc.) and familial factors (i.e., intergenerational patterns, family sexual legacies, chosen family characteristics and patterns, etc.) as they relate to sexual values and behaviors.

In addition to the Sexuality Studies Certificate general learning outcomes noted above, the additional specific learning outcomes of the sexuality education track are as follows:

1. Students will display comprehension of theoretical concepts and methods of sexuality-related education, the PLISSIT framework as it relates to sexuality education, and comprehensive sexuality education programming across education levels and platforms.
2. Students will exhibit: principles of consultation, collaboration, and referral around sex-related assessment and diagnosis of the Psychosexual Disorders described in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, ethical decision-making and best practices, educational skills, including the PLISSIT framework among others, in which knowledge of sexuality education are demonstrated through experiential learning and related activities (e.g., role-playing, sex speak sessions, etc.). 

Sexuality Education is a multifaceted approach to provide developmentally appropriate information about sexual health, development, and well-being. This certificate focuses on a holistic view of Sexuality Education, which combines emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual, and ecological values across the lifespan. The certificate will provide students training to become competent in designing and leading curriculum that encompasses comprehensive sex education. Comprehensive sexuality education is medically accurate, evidence-based, and age-appropriate, and includes but is not limited to decision-making around sexuality, providing information about normative sexual development, contraception, sexually transmitted infection (STI) awareness, risk prevention, and consent practices. Comprehensive sexuality education begins in early childhood and continues through a person’s lifespan. Recipients of the certificate will be able to provide programs to all age levels that do not only focus on sexual development, risk prevention, and consent; but also teach about forms of gender, sexual, erotic, and relational diversity (GSERD), healthy sexual and non-sexual relationships, communication, sexual pleasure, sexual decision making, and prevention of sexual violence. The certificate will provide training on various modalities of education, including school-based curriculum, adult learning approaches, community workshops, and retreats.

Current Antioch University students can work with their assigned advisor to create a plan of study that works with their professional goals. 

In general, the course load is reasonable and standard for graduate-level training in terms of reading and writing. The classes are highly experiential and require ongoing awareness of self-of-the-therapist issues and, in some of the classes, to demonstrate active learning and application of the techniques.

REQUIRED COURSES (may be completed during one’s master’s programming) 

As we transition into the Relational Therapy Division, the sexuality education track will not be accepting applicants until the fall semester of 2026.

2026-2027 Sexuality Studies Certificate - Sexuality Education Track Courses

12 credits (up to 180 AASECT education credits) 

Fall

• CFT-5300: Human Sexuality & Gender Affirming Care *(3 credits)  

*_{CFT 5750: Gender Affirming Care can be substituted. This course may also be waived (with program approval) if a like course has been completed in the last 5 years. Students will need to take an additional 1 credit of a Gender Affirming Care course if CFT-5300 is waived.}

• CFT-6301: Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) (1 credit) (in-person residency on AUS campus - in-person attendance required for AASECT credits)

Spring

• Fundamentals of Sex Education (3 credits) 
• Diversity and Methods of Sex Education (1 credit) 

Summer

• Advanced Pedagogy (3 credits) 
• Sexuality Knowledge Showcase (1 credit) (in-person residency on AUS campus - in-person attendance required for AASECT credits)

12 credits (up to 180 AASECT continuing education credits)

Students entering the Sexuality Studies Certificate program can complete the requirements in as little as three semesters (12 months), beginning in the fall semester and with a summer session completion. Students can work with the Sexuality Certificates Program Director to create a plan of study that works with their professional goals. In general, the course load is reasonable and standard for graduate-level training, in terms of reading and writing (1-2 courses per semester; average 3-6 hours per week). The classes are highly experiential and require on-going awareness of implicit biases and assumptions in relation to sexuality.

Sexuality educators work in a variety of settings, including:

• Community and Non-profit Organizations
• Educational Settings (K-8, high school, & higher education)
• Governmental Agencies
• Healthcare and Social Services
• Technology and Social Media
• Journalism
• Private Sector

Graduates of the sexuality educator certificate will be equipped to develop curriculum for delivery in both public and private schools, to support youth group activities, to facilitate support groups, to serve in public health settings such as sexual health clinics, assisted living facilities, and other community resource centers.