Undergraduate certificate proposal guidelines

An undergraduate certificate program is for students who are currently enrolled in undergraduate coursework or who have previously earned an undergraduate degree and would like to add a certification to their current or past degree program. The certificate program may be within a single discipline or multidisciplinary and is designed to provide students with specialized knowledge that is less extensive than an undergraduate major. These programs may be directed at three groups of individuals:

1. WSU undergraduate students pursuing a major in a related field
2. WSU undergraduate students pursuing a major in another department; or
3. students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree and want a further concentration in a related field.

Academic requirements

Undergraduate certificate programs are open to WSU students who have completed at least 60 credit hours and have a GPA of 2.0 or above. The program also is open to students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree at WSU or another institution. Individual programs may set higher admission standards or requirements for eligibility.

The program consists of at least 12 semester credits of advanced courses at the undergraduate level (3000- to 6000-level). All credits must be earned at WSU. Students who have completed their bachelor's degree may apply up to 9 credits toward certificate requirements at the discretion of the department.

The curriculum focuses on content and skills that are at an advanced undergraduate level. Where appropriate, the courses and/or curriculum should include projects and reports of an integrative, design, or research nature.

The program should utilize existing courses, facilities, and resources to the extent possible.

Review the Board of Governors' guidelines for the establishment of undergraduate certificate programs for additional information on academic requirements.

Program proposal approval procedures

Program proposals should include the following sections and be sent to the Associate Provost for Academic Programs:

• Certificate title, home unit, inception date, and contact person for the program
• Description and background of the program
• Rationale and need for the program (e.g. student needs survey/job survey)
• Program learning objectives
• Admission requirements
• Curriculum requirements
• List of core and elective courses and their prerequisites
• Subject area code (SAC), number, title, and credit hours
• Program standards
• Program administration
• Program evaluation and assessment plans
• Academic oversight
• Advising
• Financial Aid Eligibility Statement
• Budget and resource requirements
• Accreditation
• Proposed undergraduate bulletin copy

Post-baccalaureate certificate proposal

A post-baccalaureate certificate program is for students who hold a bachelors degree but do not have graduate program status. Such certificates are to be undergraduate in nature and do not substitute for a Master's degree. These certificate programs serve mainly three groups of students:

1. those who are changing fields and require the equivalent of the undergraduate program in a new discipline;
2. those who wish to prepare themselves for entry into a graduate degree program; or
3. those students who wish to develop skills or add a body of knowledge for personal development or career growth.

Academic Requirements

• Open only to students with a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• Normally, students will be in a post-bachelors status at Wayne State University
• The certificate program should consist of at least 24 credit hours of university-level courses, of which usually a minimum of 18 credits must be taken at WSU.
• A minimum GPA of 2.5 must be achieved to obtain the certificate
• The program should utilize existing courses, facilities, and resources
• The certificate program will comprise only undergraduate-level (1000- through 6000-level) courses. Up to four 5000- and 6000-level courses may be designated for which the students in that course may elect to do the work required of graduate students. A student subsequently admitted to the Graduate School may petition to be allowed graduate credit for no more than two (6 to 8 credits) courses in which such election was made and passed with a grade of "B" or better. The petition must be approved by the department, school/college, and Graduate School.

Review the Board of Governors' post-baccalaureate certificate program guidelines for additional information on academic requirements.

Program Proposal Approval Procedures

Program proposals should include the following sections and be sent to the Associate Provost for Academic Programs:

• Certificate title, home unit, inception date and contact person for the program
• Description and background of the program
• Rationale and need for the program (e.g. student needs survey/job survey)
• Program learning objectives
• Admission requirements
• Curriculum requirements
• List of core and elective courses and their prerequisites
• Subject area code (SAC), number, title, and credit hours
• Program standards
• Program administration
• Program evaluation and assessment plans
• Academic oversight
• Advising
• Financial Aid Eligibility Statement
• Budget and resource requirements
• Accreditation
• Proposed undergraduate bulletin copy