Higher Education Graduate Certificate

The Higher Education certificate is a comprehensive program tailored to prepare future leaders and educators for excellence in teaching and leadership roles within higher education, training and development, and interdisciplinary industries. The certificate is meticulously crafted to provide the fundamental knowledge and competencies essential for working with adult learners in various settings, including in-person, online, and hybrid learning environments.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Promote effective instructional leadership through the strategic enhancement of professional development, capacity building, implementing a rigorous curriculum, high-quality instruction, and establishing robust assessment and accountability measures.
• Foster a climate and culture of inclusive excellence by nurturing a community of care and support, promoting equity, cultural responsiveness, and holistic development.
• Equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge required to thrive in face-to-face, hybrid, and online environments.
• Design learning experiences based on the unique characteristics and motivations of adult learners aligning with the theory of andragogy.

Admission Criteria:

To be eligible to apply to graduate certificate programs, you must:

• have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (waivers can be granted based on professional work experience and other factors).

How to apply:

• Complete the application via the online portal
• Submit a $25 nonrefundable application fee. (Waived for Elizabethtown College graduates).
• Upload your current resume.
• Request official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended.
• Upload a 1-2 page essay addressing your:
  • motivation for pursuing the graduate certificate
  • statement of professional goals
  • goals for the application of the graduate certificate to your professional life

Those students who successfully complete a graduate certificate and wish to pursue a full master’s degree program will benefit from an abbreviated admission process (see below). Degree-seeking students must meet all of the established criteria for admission into their desired master’s degree program.

Advance to Stacked Graduate Certificate/Degree

After successfully completing their primary graduate certificate, students may complete the Advance in Graduate Certificate or Degree form in the JayWeb student portal to apply to a future graduate certificate or graduate degree. Additional materials may be required, depending on the program of interest.