GRADUATE-LEVEL CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS AT

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MARSHALL UNIVERSITY

OVERVIEW

Graduate certificate prog= rams represent mid-level presentations of academic content aimed at students in search of personal/career development or professional continuing education.= As such, certificate programs will be crafted with the intent to provide needed educational services to the various populations living and working within t= he Marshall University service area.

Any graduate certificate = program offered through Marshall<= /st1:PlaceName> University shall represent a coherent, specialized body of knowledge. These certificate prog= rams are offered to students desiring an educational experience beyond the baccalaureate level but who choose not to pursue a degree-based graduate program in that academic area. Graduate-level certificates will be awarded = to those students who successfully complete a well-defined series of courses designated by the faculty in the area offering the certificate program. Bec= ause these certificates represent a specific body of knowledge, students may als= o be required to successfully integrate the required courses via a capstone exer= cise such as a comprehensive examination or research paper.

APPROVAL PROCESS

The approval process for certificate programs shall approximate that found for regular offerings at = the graduate level. Specifically, the approval process for each certificate pro= gram shall begin with a proposal offered by an appropriate academic department (= or departments in the case of a multi-disciplinary certificate). After the sponsoring department’s proposal is approved at the college level, it shall be forwarded through the remainder of the existing approval protocol:= the Curriculum Committee of the Graduate Council, full Graduate Council, and President’s Office.

In order to promote the o= rderly consideration of proposals, sponsoring departments are strongly encouraged = to seek and secure written support from departments and schools that may be affected by new certificates. The effect of a proposed certificate on existing programs is a valid considerat= ion during the entire approval process.

Each proposal shall conta= in, at minimum, information dealing with the following issues:

The sponsoring department’s determination of how credits earned within the proposed program may be applied to gradu= ate degrees offered at Marsha= ll (if applicable).
A market analysis for the proposed certificate.
How the proposed certificate will be promoted.
Admission standards and certificate requirements = for the proposed certificate.
Roster of qualified instructors (if new courses a= re proposed).
Whether the courses will qualify for professional continuing education.
Identification of relevant administrative personn= el.
Description of capstone experience (if appropriat= e).

PUBLICATION AND AWARD

All approved graduate cer= tificate programs shall be published in the Graduate Catalog. Each sponsoring depart= ment shall also be expected to actively promote its own certificate programs.

Students who successfully complete all requirements for a graduate-level certificate shall have their= accomplishments entered onto their formal transcripts. Each student shall also receive a diploma-quality certificate as an acknowledgement of his or her effort.

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

All certificate programs = shall abide by the following guidelines:

Each course of study should consist of at least 12 credit hours and no more than 21 credit hours. The Graduate Council may authorize exceptions.
No more than 6 credit hours from outside Marshall University may be transferred= into any certificate programs.
An overall GPA of at least 3.00 must be earned for all courses within the certificate program.

ADMINISTRATION

Each certificate program = will have a designated administrative home. Within each administrative home, one faculty member shall be designated as the internal and external contact per= son for that certificate program. All official communication will be channeled through that individual.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The sponsoring department= (s) shall set minimum admission standards for their certificate programs. Stude= nts should consult the catalog for admission requirements to a particular certificate program. All graduate-level certificate programs are subject to= the following minimal university-wide requirements for admissions:

An application for admission to a certificate pro= gram (with the non-refundable application fee), unless a student is already admitted to a degree program;
An official transcript from the regionally accred= ited institution granting an applicant’s baccalaureate degree.

Note 1: Admission to a de= gree program requires a separate application. Completion of a certificate progra= ms does not guarantee acceptance as a degree student in a particular graduate program. Individual departments may, however, choose to use performance in certificate courses as supporting data when considering an application for = full admission into a degree program.

Note 2: Students who wish= to pursue a degree and certificate programs concurrently should complete the application for admission to a degree program.

Approved by Graduate Coun= cil, Feb. 11, 1999 – Rev. Feb. 9, 2001; Mar. 9, 2001; May 7, 2001.