When you graduate with your Master’s degree, you enter a very competitive field. Of course, it takes a couple of years to get licensed, and then you work to build your practice, often while working for an agency.

Certification in a specialty area can educate you in an exciting area of interest, give you a marketing edge, increase your earning potential, and allow you to make a real difference in your clients’ lives, especially those who may feel left out because they cannot find a therapist who is able to work with their particular concerns.

Some of our specialties that address these marginalized populations are:

• Sexuality and Disabilities
• Kink Aware Therapy
• Transgender Diversity
• Sex Offender Therapy

While most graduate programs include one Human Sexuality class, that does not prepare therapists to work with sexual concerns, such as

• Erectile Dysfunction
• Desire discrepancies
• Orgasmic Disorders
• Sexual Abuse and Trauma
• Intimacy and Communication concerns

It is also important for therapists to have proficiency in at least one non-talk therapy intervention. Hypnotherapy is a specialty that can be used with all of your clients, and a Sexuality and Hypnotherapy certification allows you to incorporate that intervention into your practice.

Finally, addiction is a condition that is permeating all parts of our lives, from the use of smartphones and social media, to pornography, to shopping, and of course, to drugs and alcohol. A certification in Behavioral and Substance Addiction prepares you to recognize the addictive process and how it shows up in people’s lives, and then how to facilitate living in Recovery, both from addiction and of Connection.

One of the most common questions I get asked about the International Institute of Clinical Sexology (IICS) is: “Is this program accredited?”

The answer is no, for a few reasons:

1. Small programs like IICS are not able to get accreditation from a U.S. Department of Education accreditation provider. They just don’t do it.
2. Accreditation is only necessary for programs that offer licensable degrees, such as a master’s in Mental Health Counseling or a doctorate in Psychology.
3. Financial aid is not given to students in a non-accredited program.
4. Students outside of the U.S. cannot get student visas for a non-accredited program.

So, where does that leave you when you are researching doctoral programs?

First, let’s define the nature of a PhD. It is a research-based degree that ultimately says the professional is an expert in a particular field and has contributed something new to the field, as evidenced by the completion of a dissertation. The IICS program provides a doctoral degree in Clinical Sexology, so graduates are experts in Clinical Sexology and have done original research in a sexology-related topic.

Next, there is no doctoral-level degree that is licensable other than one in Psychology. That translates to professionals earning a doctoral degree in any other field as still needing to practice under their master’s level license. Therefore, the question to ask is, “Will this monetize?” Will a doctoral degree that costs X number of dollars and takes X number of years earn me back my money and time?” Speaking for a PhD in Clinical Sexology, the answer is an enthusiastic “Yes!”

Thirdly, the tuition at IICS is still less than a good new car. Is this because it lacks value? Certainly not. There have been very few (fewer than 6) doctoral programs in this field, and the first one set the tuition very low, leading to subsequent programs trying to be competitive by keeping their fees low as well. The two original programs are gone now, but raising tuition is a slow process.

Finally, the question of student visas. IICS has students around the world and they all attend online in live webinars. As much as someone from another country may want a way to enter the U.S. for an extended period of time, it is not a necessity for completing this degree.

Red Flags

The unfortunate reality is that there are some disreputable players out there and it is the responsibility of anyone seeking higher education to do their due diligence. Below are some red flags and my response to them pertaining to IICS.

Some red flags to help identify a diploma mill, as per https://www.chea.org/important-questions-about-diploma-mills-and-accreditation-mills

Can degrees be purchased?

All degrees require tuition, so the question here is really: “Can I just walk up and pay for a diploma without doing any work?” IICS has a full curriculum with requirements for attendance, homework, passing exams, and completing a dissertation. So, no, you cannot just “purchase a degree” from IICS.

Is there a claim of accreditation when there is no evidence of this status?

No, IICS does not claim to be accredited because it is not. It is, however, licensed by the Florida Commission of Independent Education (CIE), which process is fully as rigorous as any accreditation and needs to be renewed annually.

Is there a claim of accreditation from a questionable accrediting organization?

Simply, no.

Does the operation lack state or federal licensure or authority to operate?

As stated above, IICS is licensed by the CIE and maintains that status through yearly audits and monitoring.

Is little if any attendance required of students, either online or in class?

IICS requires live, online attendance for all classes and attending supervisory meetings live as well.

Are few assignments required for students to earn credits?

For every 10 hours of class time, students are required to complete 20 hours of Independent Study and are evaluated through exams and case consultation hours.

Is a very short period of time required to earn a degree?

The average student takes 2-3 years to complete the program, including completion of a dissertation.

Are degrees available based solely on experience or résumé review?

No. All students need to complete didactic classroom hours, independent study, homework assignments, and a dissertation.

Are there few requirements for graduation?

In addition to the above-mentioned criteria, students complete a Written Exam, an Oral Exam, an additional specialty in the field of sexology, and an IRB-approved dissertation.

Does the operation fail to provide any information about a campus or business location or address and rely, e.g., only on a post office box?

IICS maintains a classroom and administrative office in Miami Shores, FL. It has a physical mailing address in Miami as well.

Does the operation fail to provide a list of its faculty and their qualifications?

All faculty, with their qualifications, are listed in the catalog and on the website at https://clinicalsexologyphd.org/about-us/instructors

Does the operation have a name similar to other well-known colleges and universities?

The IICS name is unique.

Does the operation make claims in its publications for which there is no evidence?

IICS’s ethical code precludes any false claims and the CIE monitors this.

Reading through this shows that you have a serious interest in earning a doctoral degree and are considering IICS. Please