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Home » Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies » 7. Certificates of Graduate Studies Programs

7. Certificates of Graduate Studies Programs

A Rackham certificate of graduate studies is a non-degree credential for study and participation in a scholarly community around a focused topic of special academic interest. A certificate requires a specified set of courses and activities that supplement and enrich a student’s primary program of study.

A student in a Rackham or non-Rackham degree program may apply to the graduate school for a certificate program after having completed at least one term. Some certificate programs, however, are open to admission of persons who are not university graduate students but who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Such applicants apply directly to the certificate program through Rackham Admissions.

Certificates require a minimum of 9 credits of coursework plus an additional requirement equivalent to 3 credits, for a total of 12 credits. The additional 3 credit equivalent requirement is defined and approved by the certificate faculty. This may take the form of an internship, practicum, research project, professional development activity, or similar experience. Alternatively, the certificate may require additional coursework of at least three credits of coursework. Certificates may require no more than 19 credits.

The following general rules apply:

  • Only graduate level courses eligible for Rackham credit may be used to meet certificate requirements; no transfer credit may be applied. All credits must be completed on the home campus on which the degree program is administered.
  • The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of B (3.0 on a 4.0 point scale) in courses counted for the certificate program.
  • Not more than one-sixth of the credits required for a master’s degree may be double-counted with a certificate.
  • If a certificate requires 9 credits of coursework, only 3 credits may be double-counted. Double-counted credits may not be used for a third master’s or certificate program.
  • A non-Rackham student who has been admitted to a free-standing certificate program must complete all requirements within four years from the date of first enrollment in the program.

Information is available from the programs about specific certificate requirements.