HOW TO BECOME A CERTIFIED SEX EDUCATOR
WHAT IS A CERTIFIED SEX EDUCATOR?
Certified Sex Educators are responsible for providing accurate, up-to-date, encouraging, and celebratory information about topics related to sex and sexuality. It is unfortunately clear that sex educators are still in high demand today in this country. Certified sex educators have undergone rigorous training to ensure their biases have been tested and they are prepared to answer questions about anything and everything. Those that are certified sex educators do not provide diagnoses, prescribe any medications, or offer any treatment.
HOW TO BECOME A CERTIFIED SEX EDUCATOR
Though there are multiple online or in-person programs, the Sexual Health Alliance makes it easy for you to become a certified sex educator! There are five steps to becoming a certified sex educator:
Complete four online modules
With regular updates, multiple quizzes, and ample opportunities for reflection, our online modules are rigorous and will cover everything you will need for your sexuality career, and then some.Attend three conferences
As a student, you will have at least eight (but probably more like ten!) SHA conferences to choose from each year. At our weekend-long conferences, you will meet experts in the sex field and cover current conversations in the sexuality field.Attend one Sexual Attitude Reassessment
Your SHA tuition includes attendance at one of SHA’s Sexuality Attitude Reassessments, or SARs, which are advanced weekends where your biases as a sexuality professional will be tested.Create Student Capstone
Once you complete the online modules, the next task is to create your Capstone, which can be on any topic in the sexuality field that interests you. This project consists of a recorded presentation, plus a tool or essay.
Graduate from the Sexual Health Alliance and start the sexuality career of your dreams!
Every graduate receives a certificate from SHA that indicates the program they completed, plus a Do-It-For-You AASECT packet that streamlines your AASECT application.
SHA’S SEX EDUCATION CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The Sexuality Educator Certificate Program offered by the Sexual Health Alliance consists of four rigorously and consistently updated online modules, three two-day conferences, and one Sexual Attitude Reassessment. We encourage anyone who is looking to lead workshops, teach classes, or organize and facilitate seminars on sex and sexuality to set themselves apart from the rest by joining our program. Sexuality educators may teach in the classroom at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels, but also work outside of the classroom with essay or book writing, community outreach programs, and further training of healthcare or corporate professionals.
As an SHA student, you will have access to our online module that weaves the need-to-know with interactive questions and videos, plus offer ample opportunities to test your own biases. Our program is rich with sex-positive historical and educational texts, video interviews with professionals and experts, and exercises to help retain and interpret this vibrant knowledge. Besides the offered explorative and reflective coursework, as a student, you can expect a global community of professionals in all sexuality-related fields, virtual community gatherings, and networking opportunities, a discount on the ticket price for all our future events, assistance with AASECT Certification application, and much more!
WHAT CAN A SEX EDUCATOR DO?
The most common profession for Sex Educators is teaching in a K-12 setting, and though our country is desperate for celebratory and comprehensive sexual education, there are many options for those with a sex education certificate. Sex Educators can provide private education to certain groups, assist in training professionals, and lead outreach programs in their communities. Some alumni from SHA design and conduct workshops, courses, and seminars; contribute to the sexuality education literature; develop curriculum; plan and administer programs; deliver lectures, and provide one-on-one client education sessions.
WHO CAN BECOME A SEX EDUCATOR?
For those interested in a career in the sex and sexuality field, it will always help to start with a Bachelor’s degree. To become AAECT certified, you need at least a Bachelor’s, but to become a mental health professional like a sex therapist, one needs at least a Master’s degree. Don’t worry if this sounds like it excludes you: current university students are welcome to apply and receive their certificate alongside their degree. If you don’t have a Bachelor’s, there are still many options for you like our Sex Coach and Consultant Certificate Program.
Anyone with a passion for disrupting the current status quo of sex education in our country can become an impactful sex educator. SHA’s students come from every background, and not everyone in our Sex Educator Certificate Program comes from an educational or academic background. If you’re interested in leading workshops, guest lecturing, writing curriculum or essays, or anything political in the sex and sexuality field, a certificate in Sex Education will get you far.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A SEX EDUCATOR
Because our online programs, including our Sexuality Educator Certificate program, are self-paced, the program can take as long or short as the student may want or need. On average students are completing the program in the span of 10-18 months, though some have completed it in as short as six months! It is entirely up to your availability and energy outputs. Though we offer many throughout the year, it is also important to note the scheduling of three conferences and a SAR as part of your SHA journey, which could also extend your time in the program.
WHY THE SEXUAL HEALTH ALLIANCE?
Since 2015, SHA has hosted over 10,000 people at our events, certified specialized sex therapists, counselors, and sex educators, and have been lucky enough to collaborate with many of the leading experts in sexuality and relationships. Throughout the year, SHA facilitates communication among sexual health providers through our signature workshops and conferences, special events, and social media. Our events and programming are intended to build community, spark dialogue and encourage collaboration. We build communities that are well-informed and all-inclusive. We're dedicated to bringing the brightest minds and biggest game changers in sexual health to every area of the world. Another great example of our community coming together is our WYLD Conference where we push the boundaries of what we know about sex through the lens of our SHA Rising Stars, the students, and alumni of our SHA programs. More than a dozen students and alumni will present on various topics.
