The University of Oregon offers a number of graduate certificates in specific academic and professional subjects. Students pursuing graduate certificates must be admitted to the university, but are not required to be degree-seeking.
Facuty and staff should read administering a graduate certificate program for more information for academic departments.
Admission Process
In order to pursue a graduate certificate, a student must be admitted to the University of Oregon as a graduate level student, either in a master’s or doctoral program or, in the case of a stand-alone certificate program, as an "Admitted Graduate Non-Degree" student.
The admission process is specific to each certificate program. To get started, the student should contact the department/program offering the graduate certificate.
All students pursuing both a graduate degree and a graduate certificate concurrently (College of Education licensure endorsements are not graduate certificates) must complete and submit the graduate certificate declaration form within one term after being admitted to the certificate program.
This form must be filed in the Division of Graduate Studies no later than week 5 of any term in which you want to make the change effective. Forms submitted after Week 5 of the term will automatically be considered for the next academic term.
Students pursuing only a graduate certificate do not need to complete the declaration form.
Financial Aid and Graduate Certificates
Students pursuing a standalone graduate certificate (that is, without also being concurrently enrolled in a graduate degree program) may not access federal financial aid unless the graduate certificate program has been individually approved as Title IV aid-eligible.
Contact the department/program offering the graduate certificate to find out if it is offered as a standalone certificate and is Title IV-aid eligible.
Important Information about Pursuing and Completing a Graduate Certificate
Graduate certificates consist of a minimum of 24 credits of graduate level coursework taken at the UO. Specific course requirements are established by the department.
UO graduate coursework taken prior to acceptance into the certificate program may count toward certificate requirements, with approval from the department offering the certificate.
However, to be considered, such coursework must have been completed as an admitted graduate student in one of the following classifications:
- Admitted Graduate Non-Degree
- Conditional Master’s
- Master’s
- Conditional Doctoral
- Doctoral
- Pre-master’s
- Post-master’s
- Postbaccalaureate Graduate
Graduate certificate students are subject to the following general policies governing satisfactory progress:
- Continuous enrollment
- Minimum three-credit registration each term
- Maintenance of a 3.0+ cumulative GPA
- Completion of the program within seven years.
- Note: The seven-year time period begins with the first course being used to meet certificate requirements.
- Maintaining satisfactory progress/good standing
Graduating with the Certificate
No later than Friday of Week 2 in the term of graduation (for the graduate certificate, the graduate degree, or both the degree and the certificate), the student must apply for graduation.
No later than the term deadline in the term of graduation for the certificate, the department/program must submit a statement of completion for graduate certificate in GradWeb, as well as a hard copy of the departmental program plan indicating the courses (titles, term taken, number of credits, and grade for each) being used to fulfill the requirements of the certificate.