Academic Certificate Proposal Policy & Procedures

Definition and Context

Certificates are undergraduate or graduate academic plans that are typically interdisciplinary in nature. Certificates are formally approved by the 91PORN through either the Dean and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education or the Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Undergraduate certificates require a minimum of 12 credits and graduate certificates require a minimum of 9 credits. Certificates are recorded in student records and displayed on transcripts upon completion. At the undergraduate level, the number of discipline-specific credits required for a certificate may not exceed those required for a major. Approved certificates are designated on official diploma-like documents.

A certificate generally signifies either (a) a concentrated study in a narrow sub-discipline not offered by standard academic options or (b) an interdisciplinary focus of study, also not offered by standard academic options.

Certificate Program Requirements

  1. Each formal undergraduate certificate must require a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 semester hours of academic credit as specified by the originating faculty oversight unit. Certificates may include requirements in addition to formal coursework, and, in those cases, the usual customary guidelines for time and effort for approximately equivalent coursework should apply if the additional credits are credit-bearing.
  2. Degree-seeking students pursuing a certificate will have both degree and certificate plans active in the student information system.Ìý
  3. Academic units determine the requirements for certificates and may choose whether they are only available to students in a degree-seeking status.Ìý
  4. If an academic unit chooses to accept nondegree students into their certificate programs, those students must be admitted and administered through Continuing Education. Students who decide to complete certificate requirements, but not continue in their degree program, also must be changed to a nondegree status with Continuing Education.
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  1. Students working toward an interdisciplinary graduate certificate ordinarily are enrolled in a campus master's or doctoral program. Students working toward completion of a professional certificate may be enrolled with or without completing work toward a degree program.
  2. Prospective students who are not currently matriculated graduate students must be admitted through Continuing Education as non-degree students, and internally to the unit’s certificate program, per standard program admission guidelines.
  3. Students must have an awarded bachelor's degree to pursue a graduate certificate.
  4. Graduate certificate proposals must include a minimum curriculum of 9 hours of graduate level coursework. In many disciplines, 12 hours is the appropriate minimum standard. Students may not double count courses between multiple certificates.
  5. In order to earn a certificate, students must receive a minimum grade of a C or higher in each course. The cumulative GPA for certificate courses must be 3.0 or higher. More stringent certificate program requirements may apply.
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Procedures

The certificate approval processÌýhas several steps and points of review.ÌýSimilar to degree proposals, certificate proposals follow a process through the Curriculum Inventory Management system (CIM).ÌýLinks to the forms and information on the process can be found on theÌýacademic programs page.

TheÌýprogram intent proposalÌýform allows multiple stakeholders to review the proposed elements of the program at a high levelÌýand provide early feedback to utilize in crafting a full proposal. The intent proposal must include an initial draft budget and supporting documentation related to the new program's anticipated studentÌýand industry demand, university resources, etc.

Submitted forms are first reviewed and approved by appropriate dean(s), then byÌýthe Office of Academic Affa