Writing Program Proposals - Certificates

Certificates

In this context, Certificates, are a collection of courses, proposed by a department here at KU, at the graduate or undergraduate level.  In the proposal,  do not refer to a certificate as a certification.  Certifications are official licenses issued by third-parties.  For example, teacher certifications are issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.  A proposal for a new certificate, or the revision of an existing certificate, needs a UCC cover sheet and routing number like any other program.  Likewise, the routing procedure is the standard route of:

  1. Department
  2. College Curriculum Committee
  3. University Curriculum Committee
  4. University President

Sample of Certificate Proposal to UCC

Department Submitting Proposal: 

Date Approved by Department:

Title of Certificate:

1. Full description:   Describe the program and its purpose.  Be mindful of PASSHE policy and guidelines: https://www.passhe.edu/inside/policies/BOG_Policies/Policy%201985-01-A.pdf
According to PASSHE policy (State System Policy 1985-01-A) "...certificates are not the same as certifications or licenses, which are typically awarded by a third party, standard-setting bodies (not academic institutions), based on an assessment process that recognizes competencies in a particular occupational specialty as measured against a set of standards." 

2.  Rationale:   Why this certificate? Who is the intended constituent?  The proposal for a certificate must include the intended student population, and predicted completion time. A certificate is not considered a degree-bearing program, however, the credits earned for a certificate can be applied toward a degree-bearing program.  

3.  Goal and Objectives: Please provide the goals and objectives of the program.

4.  Assessment Plan: The program specifies minimum criteria and benchmarks for success.  Criteria could include one or more of the following:  a certain grade in a course, or combination of courses, or capstone paper or project; passing some qualifying exam. 

5.  Admission criteria:   Please provide admission criteria.  Specify academic and other qualifications necessary.  The proposal for the certificate must not include any prerequisite courses for entry into the certificate curriculum.  Please indicate: admission to undergraduate certificates requires a high school diploma or GED; for admission to a graduate certificate, a baccalaureate degree is required.  Other criteria should be clearly spelled out.  

6.  Check sheet: A check sheet of required coursework and credits must accompany your proposal.  Any sequencing of coursework involved in the certificate must be clearly spelled out.

Approved by University Curriculum Committee March 27, 2018