Graduate Certificates and Microcertificates
Graduate Certificates (Non-degree)
As defined by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, graduate certificate programs consist of 12 to 21 hours of required course work in a focused area of study. The awarding of the certificate will be shown on the student’s transcript. Students must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the certificate program. Students who enter a graduate certificate program may use up to six hours of course work taken at another accredited university to meet certificate requirements, with approval of the program faculty and the Graduate School. The Graduate School does not impose a limit on the number of hours that may be shared between graduate certificate programs, but a limit may be set by the program. Students who enter a graduate certificate program must complete all certificate requirements within six years of admission to the program. For students who have been admitted to both a graduate degree program and a graduate certificate program, courses taken to meet the requirements of one may also be used to meet the requirements of the other, at the discretion of the Graduate Certificate program and the student’s Advisory Committee for their degree program. Graduate Certificate students must meet, at a minimum, the grade point average requirements of the Graduate School (2.85) although programs may have higher standards.
Graduate students fully admitted to a graduate certificate program are allowed to use 6 hours of credit to count for both an undergraduate degree and a graduate certificate. All requirements of the retroactive graduate credit policy will apply and a transcript notation will note that the courses may not be used to fulfill requirements for a graduate degree. See the list of Graduate Certificates offered.
Graduate Microcertificates (Non-degree)
As defined by the University of Arkansas, graduate-level microcertificate programs consist of six to nine hours of required course work in a specialized area. The awarding of the microcertificate will be shown on the student's transcript. Students must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the microcertificate program. The Graduate School does not impose a limit on the number of hours that may be shared between microcertificate programs and graduate certificate or degree programs, but a limit may be set by the program. Students who enter a microcertificate program must complete all requirements within six years of admission to the program. For students who have been admitted to both a graduate degree program and a microcertificate program, courses taken to meet the requirements of one may also be used to meet the requirements of the other, at the discretion of the program and the student's Advisory Committee. Course work may not be transferred from another university to meet the requirements of a microcertificate and retroactive graduate credit is not allowed for a microcertificate. Microcertificates must meet, at a minimum, the grade point average requirements of the Graduate School (2.85) although programs may have higher standards.