Graduate Certificate Proposals

This section describes the specific criteria for establishing Graduate Certificate programs.
 

Admission Criteria

A Graduate Certificate is a graduate-level program, open only to those students who can meet the general graduate admission requirements of the University. Specific certificate programs may stipulate additional requirements.
 

Academic Requirements

• The program shall consist of at least 12 graduate-level semester credits.
• At least one course must be at the 7000 or higher level.
• No transfer credit will be accepted for a certificate program.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved in Certificate course work to obtain a Graduate Certificate.
• The Certificate program must be completed within three years.
• The program should utilize existing courses, facilities, and resources.
• Not more than nine semester credits taken in this classification may be applied toward a graduate degree, subject to the approval of the relevant academic unit and graduate office.
   

Approval Procedures

Typically, Graduate Certificate program proposals adhering to these requirements are eligible for expedited approval. Approvals include:

• Departmental faculty and chair
• School/college curriculum committee (or other appropriate faculty body) and dean
• New Programs Committee of the Graduate Council
• Provost
• Board of Governors

Please see Fast Track procedures for expedited approval details.

Proposals

Proposals for Graduate Certificate programs should include the following sections and provide the information as outlined in the Fast Track Guidelines:

• Graduate Certificate title, home unit, inception date and contact person for the program
• Statement of how the proposed program meets eligibility criteria for fast-track approval
• Need for the program and how the proposed program will meet that need
• Program objectives
• Admissions requirements
• Academic requirements
• List of core and elective courses -- Prefix number, title, credit hours
• Administrative structure (academic oversight, admission, advising, program evaluation)
• Target audience and marketing plan
• Program evaluation plans
• Proposed Graduate Bulletin copy