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Graduate Certificate Programs

The goal of Graduate Certificate (GC) programs at NDSU is to provide didactic course experiences that form a distinct knowledge or skill set identified as a named certificate.

Summary of Procedures for a graduate certificate

1. Have a baccalaureate degree from an educational institution of recognized standing.
2. Apply to the Graduate School. Application requires form, fee, Statement of Purpose and official transcripts.
3. Be approved for admission by the program administrator hosting the Graduate Certificate program and by the Dean of the Graduate School.
4. Have an academic adviser assigned by the program administrator of the respective Graduate Certificate program at the time of admission.
5. If English is not the applicant's first language, have a TOEFL or IELTS score equivalent to that needed for master's or doctoral programs in the unit or provide sufficient documentation of adequate or better English language proficiency.
6. Admission into a Graduate Certificate program does not guarantee admission into a graduate degree program nor imply the waiver of any requirements for admission into a graduate degree program.
7. No more than 3 transfer credits may be applied towards the certificate. Any transfer credits must be approved by the GC program committee.
8. Course grades of C or higher will satisfy requirements for course completion. Cumulative GPA on all credits taken must be a 3.0 or better.
9. Upon successful completion of course work and any other requirements of the program, complete Verification of Certificate form and submit it to the student service associate in the Graduate School.
10. Courses used to satisfy the Graduate Certificate program requirements cannot be older than three years at the time the certificate completion is verified.
11. Certificates will be mailed to the student.
12. Transcripts will list Graduate Certificate program.

Administration

Origination and planning of each Graduate Certificate (GC) will occur within certificate program committees hosted by an academic program. Interdisciplinary programs are encouraged, and in such cases, primary contributors will be listed as host programs.

1. The Graduate School will administer GC programs.
2. Each GC program will be determined by a committee. Each committee will be comprised of three to five graduate faculty members. The committee must determine the program outcome(s) and designate the courses that meet that outcome. Graduate Faculty committee members must indicate their approval by signing the final program description. The host program administrator(s) must also sign in approval. Committee chairs must be full members of the NDSU Graduate Faculty and be selected by the committee. The chair will reconvene the committee at least annually, and whenever program changes are appropriate, to review the program.
3. Committees will provide outcome or descriptive information to The Graduate School that will establish and maintain a Web site to advertise and explain NDSU graduate certificate programs to potential candidates. The site will list courses for each certificate, admission requirements, past completers (with permission), etc. The Graduate School must be sure that the site is updated at least annually.
4. Graduate Certificate program candidates who do not have active Graduate Master's (GM) or Graduate Doctorate (GD) classifications will be classified as GC.
5. Since GC is not a degree track, federal Title IV student financial assistance and tuition waivers will not be available for students classified as GC.
6. Students classified as GM or GD may pursue Graduate Certificate programs.
7. Program administrators will monitor and report GC completions in program reviews, annual reports, and other summative documents. Faculty should be given credit for GC participation in merit/tenure considerations.

Curriculum Development

1. Committees will develop programs with a minimum of 8* credits in specific graduate-level didactic courses which can be completed preferably within one year but no more than three years.
   * Different certificates may have higher credit requirements.
2. No more than 3 transfer credits may be applied towards the certificate. Any transfer credits must be approved by the GC program committee.

Approval Process for Graduate Certificate Programs

The approval process will be the same as that of degree programs.
The usual supporting documentation is outlined: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/forms/
www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/administration/committees/academic_affairs/

Signatures are required from

1. Program administrator(s) of the host academic program(s)
2. College Curriculum Committee
3. Academic Dean
4. Graduate Council and dean of Graduate School
5. University Academic Affairs Committee
6. University Senate
7. State Board of Higher Education

Review and Maintenance

1. The Graduate School will ask the University Senate Program Review Committee to include Graduate Certificate programs as a separate section of its review of programs.
2. The Graduate School will request that the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs ask the State Board of Higher Education to drop a Graduate Certificate program at any such time as 1) there have been no certificates issued in any three-year period or 2) following the recommendation of a Graduate Certificate committee that its program be discontinued.
3. The Graduate School will provide a yearly report on the state of NDSU Graduate Certificate programs to the Graduate Council, the University Senate Academic Affairs Committee, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, each academic dean, and the Director of Distance and Continuing Education.
4. The Dean of The Graduate School or designee will obtain evaluative information about NDSU Graduate Certificate programs from the employers of certificate program completers who give the Dean of The Graduate School permission to obtain such evaluative information and from other sources such as professional associations.