Graduate Certificate Programs

Early Childhood Education Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education is designed for licensed preschool or elementary teachers seeking to add an endorsement in early education.

Whether your interest is in improving as a professional or advancing in your profession, our mission is to empower you with advanced knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will enable you to explore your interest in early childhood learners and learning.

Educational Leadership Post Masters Graduate Certificate

Marshall University’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership prepares educators to step into leadership roles within schools and educational organizations.

This advanced program focuses on developing the skills needed for effective administration, including strategic decision-making, policy development, and instructional leadership, helping graduates excel in roles such as school principals or district leaders.

Elementary Math Specialist Graduate Certificate

The Elementary Math Specialist Graduate Certificate program at Marshall University offers educators specialized training in mathematics instruction for elementary students.

The Elementary Mathematics Specialist endorsement must be associated with a master’s degree. The courses for this endorsement associated with a master’s degree are offered through two different pathways:

1. Candidates can gain a master’s degree in education by taking the required Elementary Mathematics Specialist courses as an area of emphasis along with master’s core and capstone courses for a total of 36 hours of course work.
2. If the applicant already has a master’s degree in education, candidates can gain a graduate certificate by taking only the required Elementary Mathematics Specialist courses for a total of 21 hours of course work.

Instructional Technology and Learning Graduate Certificate

The Instructional Technology and Learning Graduate Certificate at Marshall University features hands-on use of available technologies to enhance teaching and learning experiences.

Instructional Technology & Learning may be completed as a Graduate Certificate or as an area of emphasis under the Master of Arts in Education. This is not a teacher licensure program.

Literacy Education Graduate Certificate

The Literacy Education certificate at Marshall University is intended for educators who hold an initial teaching license and wish to become highly qualified teachers of reading.

It consists of five courses, with embedded field-experiences and can lead to a reading endorsement at either the elementary or secondary level.

Mathematics Through Algebra I Graduate Certificate

The Mathematics through Algebra I Graduate Certificate at Marshall University is designed for licensed teachers seeking to add an endorsement in teaching Math 5-9.

In cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Education, the goal of this program is to provide teachers with an avenue to attain a Mathematics through Algebra I endorsement on their teaching license. After completing the program, passing the Middle School Mathematics Praxis II is required to qualify for the license endorsement.

School Library Media Specialist Graduate Certificate

The School Library Media Specialist Graduate Program at Marshall University is designed for licensed teachers seeking to add an endorsement as a School Library Media Specialist (K-12).

The goal of this certificate program is to prepare participants to manage school library media centers, collaborate with other faculty to support the school curriculum, and facilitate information literacy among students. Satisfactory completion of the certificate program and state licensure requirements leads to the addition of a School Library Media Specialist (K-12) endorsement on an existing, current, regular, teaching license.

Social Service and Attendance Graduate Certificate

This program provides the required coursework for Social Service and Attendance licensure. The program is designed for educational personnel who hold a valid license, or for social workers who hold at least a bachelor’s degree.

In addition to the coursework requirements, students who do not hold a Professional Teaching Certificate or a master’s degree are required to pass the PRAXIS 5752 Core Academic Skills for Educators test for licensure.

Teaching English as a Second Language (Licensure) Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language may also be completed as an area of emphasis within the M.A. in Education. This certificate includes both licensure and non-licensure tracks. The licensure track is designed for teachers seeking to add the Teaching English as a Second Language (K-12) endorsement. The goal of this certificate program is to prepare participants to work with learners whose first language is other than English. Satisfactory completion of the certificate program and state licensure requirements leads to the addition of a Teaching English as a Second Language (K-12) endorsement on an existing, current, regular, teaching license.

Teacher Licensure

A teacher with a valid West Virginia professional license who wants to add another teaching endorsement may do so by completing the course requirements, a performance assessment at the appropriate grade level, and, where specified, acceptable scores on the appropriate Praxis II test. Applicants from other states should verify eligibility for added endorsements through their state’s Department of Education.

Violence, Loss & Trauma Graduate Certificate

The graduate certificate in Violence, Loss & Trauma Counseling at Marshall University is designed for professionals seeking expertise in trauma-informed care.

The graduate VoLT Certificate offers comprehensive understanding of how violence, loss, and trauma affect lives. It prepares clinicians for creative, expressive, and experiential interventions that promote healing, resilience, self-care, and personal responsibility for a life well-lived.