Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

Transcription

1 Pst-Baccalaureate Certificate Prgrams Certificate prgrams benefit students and/r interest by prviding greater flexibility and brader training in areas related t the students' majr fields and making thse students mre flexible t secure prfessinal psitins r t pursue additinal pst-baccalaureate r pst-masters studies. The pst-baccalaureate certificate is nt defined as a degree prgram by the Schl f Graduate Studies and Research, but is a fcused cllectin f curses that ffers the student a recrd f academic accmplishment within a discipline r a set f related disciplines. The certificate is n guaranteed means f entry int a graduate degree prgram. Prpsals fr new graduate certificate prgrams are created and submitted by Graduate Prgram Crdinatrs/Department Chairs/Deans and Graduate Faculty fr review and apprval by the Graduate Cuncil. Each prpsal must include a signed endrsement by the department chairpersn(s), dean(s) f the cllege r prfessinal schl(s). The Graduate Cuncil cnsiders the merit f all graduate certificate prpsals, and makes recmmendatins fr apprval/disapprval t the dean f the Graduate Schl. Prir t submitting the electrnic ntificatin t The University f Nrth Carlina General Administratin (hereinafter referred t as GA ), the Graduate Dean will ntify the SACS Accreditatin Liaisn Officer and the Office f the Prvst fr final review and apprval. After such apprvals, the Graduate Schl will frward, submit, r ntify apprved certificate prgrams t GA by psting the certificate t be included in the WSSU inventry f prgrams. The Graduate Schl will award certificates upn cmpletin t include the fllwing signatures: the dean f the respective schl/cllege; the dean f the Graduate Schl; the Prvst; and the Chancellr. Criteria fr Apprval f Certificate Prgrams Criteria fr apprval f new graduate certificate prgrams must include the fllwing: 1. The prpsed sequence f curse wrk must meet a clear and apprpriate educatinal bjective at the pst-baccalaureate level; 2. The prpsed prgram must achieve its educatinal bjective in a well designed, chesive and timely manner; 3. A demnstrated need fr the certificate prgram must exist, supprted by

2 externally r internally derived data; 4. An apprpriate number f credit hurs must cmprise the certificate prgram. The number f graduate credits may nt be less than 9 semester hurs nr mre than ne-half f the semester hurs necessary fr a related graduate degree frm the Graduate Schl. Plicies Gverning Certificate Admissin Criteria and Subsequent Admissin t Graduate Degree Prgrams The certificate admissins criteria and plicies gverning the relatin f pst-baccalaureate certificates t graduate degree prgrams include the fllwing: 1. An earned baccalaureate degree r its equivalent frm an accredited cllege r university is required fr admissin t a pst-baccalaureate certificate prgram; 2. Each certificate prgram sets the minimum admissins requirements fr the certificate (e.g. grade pint average, standardized test scres, wrk experience, etc.). All certificate candidates must be infrmed at the time f their acceptance that admissin t and cmpletin f a certificate prgram des nt supersede the admissin requirements t a degree prgram shuld they subsequently apply t a graduate degree prgram; 3. Each graduate prgram must decide which, if any, certificate curses can be cunted tward the graduate degree if a certificate student is admitted int a graduate degree prgram. There may be limitatins n the hurs taken as a nndegree student that can be cunted tward a particular graduate degree, as determined by the graduate degree-granting department; 4. Graduate students currently enrlled in a graduate degree prgram, may simultaneusly pursue a graduate certificate if apprved by bth their graduate advisry cmmittee, (r graduate prgram directr if n cmmittee has been frmed), and the Graduate Schl. N ther applicatin is necessary; 5. Students wh are currently enrlled in Graduate Schl and wh wish t pursue apprved graduate certificate prgrams must apply fr admissin t such prgrams befre ne-half f the required credits are cmpleted. The Dean f the Graduate Schl, upn request by the prgram crdinatr, may grant exceptins t this plicy. Certificate-seeking graduate students wh are nt currently enrlled in a master's prgram will be admitted int a separate classificatin within the Graduate Schl, as "Certificate" students, as defined by the Graduate Schl. This separate classificatin will permit keeping f University-wide statistical and enrllment data fr certificate prgrams, and will allw inclusin f such effrts in the quarterly reprts, annual reprts and academic planning. The Graduate Schl will cntact the Registrar t nte successful cmpletin f a

3 certificate prgram n the student's transcript upn cmpletin and the Graduate Schl will award a certificate. 6. N transfer credit frm anther institutin will be cunted tward the cmpletin f a certificate prgram at WSSU with the exceptin f curses ffered as part f a certificate prgram with a cllabrating institutin; 7. Students pursuing a graduate certificate will be required t maintain a 3.0 grade pint average as specified by the Graduate Schl. Graduate students may enrll n either a part-time r a full-time basis. Students enrlled in certificate prgrams r as nn-degree students are nt eligible fr graduate assistantships r lans thrugh the Financial Aid Office. Requirements fr Certificate and Licensure Prgrams Authrizatin is nt required fr sequences f degree-credit curses that d nt cnstitute a full degree prgram, such as certificate and licensure prgrams. Hwever, licensure prgrams will require the additinal apprval f the apprpriate Nrth Carlina State Licensure Agency. This prcess can take frm three t six mnths and can be submitted t GA and the licensure agency simultaneusly. If 25% r mre f a certificate prgram is ffered nline as a certificate prgram, then SACS must be ntified prir t establishing prgram ntificatins and prpsals fr all nline certificate prgrams must be sent t the Suthern Assciatin f Clleges and Schls (SACS) befre implemented. Electrnic ntificatin f their establishment is required; hwever, an inventry f these fferings must be maintained s that GA can fulfill federal reprting requirements. The prcess fr ntificatin t G A f a certificate r a licensure prgram is as fllws: 1. The Schl f Graduate Studies and Research will submit an electrnic ntificatin fr the prgram by using the frm prvided at: This infrmatin must be entered by the Graduate Schl and nt by individual departments/schl/cllege. (Nte: Appendix E is n lnger required.) 2. The Schl f Graduate Studies and Research will wrk with the Office f Institutinal Research in submitting the needed infrmatin including: CIP cde (available frm Institutinal Research) Prgram title and descriptin Required credit hurs Prgram type and level Specialty cde (Nte: This is required fr teaching licensure prgrams, and yu shuld cnsult yur campus teacher licensure fficer t btain the crrect specialty cde.) Date f initiatin Mde f delivery Site (Indicate Internet if prgram is nline.) Cunty (Indicate Statewide if prgram is nline.)

4 Whether prgram is n-campus r distance educatin 3. If the prgram will have multiple versins (e.g., bth n campus and at ne r mre distance sites), make a separate prgram listing fr each versin. 4. When a certificate r licensure prgram (including particular versins f each prgram) is n lnger ffered, the Schl f Graduate Studies will cntact UNC General Administratin Academic Affairs and the Suthern Assciatin f Clleges and Schls (SACS) t have the prgram remved frm the inventry (and ntifies the Office f Institutinal Research). N special frm is needed fr this. Applicatin Prcedure fr a New Certificate Prgram The Graduate Cuncil will review all prpsals submitted by the Department Graduate Faculty, Departmental Chairpersn and the Dean f the schl/cllege fr all pstbaccalaureate certificate prgrams. Prpsals fr new graduate certificate prgrams must cntain the fllwing infrmatin: 1. A statement f the educatinal bjectives f the prgram and hw the prgram cntributes t the missin f WSSU; 2. A statement f the admissin standards fr the certificate prgram and a statement f the academic retentin standards fr the successful cmpletin f the prgram; 3. A statement f the prpsed curse sequence assciated with the certificate, including titles and curse descriptins bth fr existing curses and any new curses that may be develped; 4. The Graduate Catalg cpy fr the certificate prgram; 5. A statement f hw the prpsed curse sequences assciated with the certificate will meet the stated educatinal bjectives; 6. A statement f the demand fr the prpsed prgram and the basis fr such a need, supprted by either externally r internally derived data; a simple statement that there is a need fr the certificate prgram is insufficient; 7. The names and curriculum vita f the faculty, including adjuncts, assciated with r cntributing t the certificate prgram, either by teaching ne r mre f' the curses assciated with the prgram r participating in the design f the curse sequence;. 8. The name and curriculum vita f the faculty member wh will be designated as the crdinatr f the prgram fr purpses f cmmunicatin with the Graduate Schl;

5 9. A specificatin f resurces needed t implement the prgram; 10. The prpsal will be given expedited review in the apprval prcess if the prpsed graduate certificate prgram cntains n new curses, n new faculty, n additinal csts, and maintains the admissins and academic standing requirements f a related degree prgram; and 11. The unit ffering the certificate prgram must specify what prfessinal license, if any, fr which the certificate qualifies. Apprval Prcess A prpsal fr a certificate, r mdificatin f an existing ne, may be develped by an apprpriate department/schl/cllege. Upn apprval by the relevant department/schl/cllege, it will be cnsidered by the Graduate Cuncil with subsequent apprval by the Suthern Assciatin f Clleges and Schls (SACS). Publicatin Upn final apprval, a curse f study leading t a pst-baccalaureate certificate will be published in the nline Graduate Prfile, Graduate Catalg (in-print and n website) and may be therwise publicized. Requirements 1. A curse f study leading t a pst-baccalaureate certificate shall cnsist f at least 12 semester hurs, and nt mre than 18 semester hurs, f specified curse wrk. If the certificate is available nly fr pst-masters students r is linked t a degree prgram, it may cnsist f up t 30 semester hurs. 2. A grade pint average f at least 3.00 must be earned in the curses used tward the certificate. 3. Curse wrk leading t a certificate must be cmpleted within the six years immediately preceding awarding f the certificate; 4. Only curses taken at WSSU may be applied tward a cncentratin r certificate. Student Admissin and Status T pursue a certificate, a student must be admitted t the Graduate Schl as a nndegree seeking student r directly t the certificate prgram which is nt yet available in ur Banner system.

6 Effective Date: This plicy becmes effective upn adptin f Bard f Trustees. Adpted: This 18th day f September 2009.