Overview
Graduate certificate programs are available at UCF to supplement an existing
graduate program or to provide specialized knowledge in disciplines that complement
the education of working professionals in the metropolitan area served by UCF.
Many of our area employees have advanced graduate degrees and can enhance their
education with specialized courses. Frequently a package of specialized courses
that forms a certificate will increase employment credentials and lead to career
enhancement.
It is the intent of these programs to be current, providing specialized and
state-of-the-art content to area employees. Often certificate programs are offered
using flexible and nontraditional delivery systems that provide the best service
to the employees in this metropolitan area. Distributed learning, weekend courses,
evening courses, and accelerated term courses are acceptable.
Certificate programs are often ideal for nondegree students who would like
to sample graduate courses before committing to a graduate degree program. Certificate
programs may round out a graduate degree program, providing a special emphasis
in addition to a graduate degree. Frequently a certificate program can provide
an interdisciplinary focus to an existing program of study to provide more depth
and understanding to enhance the graduate program.
Any academic unit may propose a graduate certificate program that encompasses
graduate courses in its graduate program. If an interdisciplinary certificate
program is proposed, it must be acceptable to departments and faculty offering
the courses and graduate programs on which the certificate program is based.
University Admission Standards
Students admitted to a graduate degree program or to post-baccalaureate status
are eligible to take graduate certificate programs. Those with bachelor's, master's,
or doctoral degrees are eligible to enroll in certificate programs and must
apply by submitting a separate graduate certificate application that designates
the graduate certificate. Entry to a certificate program does not guarantee
admission to a graduate program. However, once a person is accepted into a regular
graduate program, credits from a UCF certificate program may be applied toward
an existing graduate program with the consent of the program. Post-baccalaureate
students who are enrolled in a certificate program are not eligible for tuition
waivers, assistantships, fellowships, or federal financial aid. Students are
advised to apply for the graduate certificate program well in advance of completion
of all required courses so that their additional graduate status can be on file
and to enable the program and university to accurately track certificate activity.
Course Requirements and Loads
A certificate program must comprise a minimum of nine semester hours and a
maximum of 18. The course work must consist of an integrated and organized sequence
of study; course substitutions are not permitted beyond the specified curriculum.
No internship or independent study courses may be used in a certificate program.
The use of practicum courses in certificate programs is not generally encouraged,
but may be used in programs where there is a strong professional setting and
on-campus faculty supervision. Alternative delivery programs are acceptable
and encouraged.
A course may not apply toward more than one certificate program. Certificate
students must take the full number of required hours. If an overlap of course
work occurs between two or more certificate programs for the same student, the
student must complete the total required hours by taking electives approved
by the program.
All courses that are offered as part of a certificate program must be graduate-level
courses. Students must earn course grades of "B-" or better to get credit toward
the certificate. Courses may be retaken to achieve a better grade. However,
the certificate will only be awarded if the overall grade point average for
all courses in the certificate program of study is 3.0 or higher.
Applicable Credits
Transfer of Credit
No graduate credit hours taken at other institutions can be applied to a graduate
certificate program at UCF.
Recency of Credit
Graduate credit hours taken at UCF less than three years previously from a
prior baccalaureate, master's, specialist, or doctoral degree may be applied
toward a certificate, with the consent of the program.
Completion of Graduate Certificate
Students will not be processed for completion of a graduate certificate unless
there is a record of application that designated the graduate certificate and
admission to the graduate certificate program. The Graduate Certificate Completion
form can be downloaded from the UCF Graduate Studies website (www.graduate.ucf.edu)
and must be filed with the program office by the time that the student is registering for
the final course in the certificate program. The students complete their name,
address, and certificate name information and submit the form to the graduate
certificate program office so that the required courses can be listed and final
grades can be verified. The program director approval signature signifies
that requirements have been met according to the program of study and university
policies. College review and approval signature is required before the completion
form is submitted to UCF Graduate Studies for final verification,
processing, and release of the certificate completion.
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Graduate Students
