Academic Certificates
Procedures and Guidelines for Use by Academic Departments
Academic Certificates offered by UI are listed in Part One of the Catalog, following academic minors.
The University of Idaho has adopted the following policies and procedures to be used by academic departments who wish to offer coursework leading to an academic certificate.
Definition
The Academic Certificate is a coherent body of work designed to reflect specialized expertise. Minimum criteria include:
- At least 12 credits of coursework.
- Six of the required credits may be recognized for work completed at another regionally accredited institution.
- The coursework must not be more than five years old unless it is being used in conjunction with the completion of a graduate degree.
- Courses must be completed with grades of "C" or better unless otherwise specified (some certificates will require grades of "B" or better).
- In order to enroll in 500-level courses, students must hold an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 2.80 cumulative grade point average.
Eligibility
Any student (undergraduate, graduate, non-degree) may apply for an Academic Certificate by contacting the academic department in which it is offered. The student must be in good academic standing to apply for and be awarded an Academic Certificate. Graduate students seeking an Academic Certificate will work through the academic department offering the certificate to both apply for it and to have completion of it reported to the Office of the Registrar. The Associate Dean, or the designated authority of the college in which the certificate program is offered will review exceptions and provide academic oversight for all certificates in the college.
Student Record
The academic department will verify that the student has met the minimum criteria and will notify the Office of the Registrar so that a notation can be made in the comment section of the transcript that the Academic Certificate has been awarded. Departments may choose to use the standard Verification of Certificate Completion form or may opt to create one of similar quality. The verification of certificate completion must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar along with a copy of the actual certificate provided to the student, to be recorded on the student's transcript.
Approval Process
Approval requests for a new Certificate of Completion must be submitted using the State Board of Education's Academic Notice of Intent (NOI) form. These certificates require approval by the academic department, the College, the University Curriculum Committee, Faculty Council, the general faculty, and the Provost's Office. The Provost will notify the State Board of the new certificate, and then notify the Registrar's Office that the Catalog may be updated appropriately. University-wide Certificates of Completion also require approval by UCC, Faculty Council, and the general faculty.
Recommended Template
View sample recommended certificate one or sample recommended certificate two.
The Academic Certificate must include the University of Idaho logo and should have a professional appearance.
Catalog Language
Part Four of the Catalog includes the following section:
ACADEMIC Certificates
The university offers Academic Certificates in various academic disciplines. The Academic Certificate is a coherent body of work designed to reflect specialized knowledge in a specific discipline or area. Refer to Part One for a complete list of current offerings. Requirements for each Academic Certificate, may be requested from the relevant department.
Additional Definitions, Procedures, and Policies
The department and the college must approve certificates of Attendance, Participation, or Proficiency. The Certificate itself should include the University of Idaho logo and should be of sufficiently good quality to have a professional appearance.
- The Certificate of Attendance should be used to verify that someone has attended a class, seminar, or workshop. It implies nothing beyond physical presence.
- The Certificate of Participation should be used to verify that someone has attended a class, seminar, or workshop and that some participation in the way of assignments or activity was involved. This is something more significant than a certificate of attendance.
- The Certificate of Proficiency should be used to verify that
someone has attended a class, seminar, or workshop and has achieved a level of
knowledge or skill that is tangible in some way. It should be used when the
participant has completed assignments that were graded or evaluated in some way
to determine whether the desired proficiency has been achieved.
- This category is suggested for all certificates requiring less than 12 credits from the University of Idaho. It may also include CEU's for professional organizations and In-service training programs for teachers and other professional groups. Certificates of Attendance, Participation, and Proficiency are not listed in the Catalog and do not appear on the student's record.
Increasingly, Cooperative Education, Engineering Outreach, and the Enrichment Program are partnering or collaborating with other institutions, agencies, groups or organizations to deliver training programs for which students can earn a certificate. In such instances, the following policy will apply:
Where programs are offered jointly with other agencies, organizations and institutions, the University of Idaho shall be presented equally in importance with other partners in the program on certificates. Joint certification should be negotiated in accordance with the general guidelines adopted for all certificate programs at the University of Idaho.