Sources of Information and Disclaimers

GraduateCertificates.com features informational resources about graduate certificate programs across a wide range of specializations, including Business, Data Analytics, Communication, Psychology and Counseling, Public Administration, Nursing, Healthcare/Healthcare Administration, Education, and more. All writing and research for this site have been conducted in-house to ensure its accuracy, quality, and relevance, and all programs included in our resources are offered by accredited educational institutions in the United States.

Disclaimers:

• Comprehensiveness – At this time, GraduateCertificates.com does not contain a comprehensive directory of certificate programs. Programs listed on the site are used for example purposes or to demonstrate program options or important factors to consider while researching programs.
• Online vs. Hybrid vs. Campus Programs – GraduateCertificates.com includes campus-based, hybrid, and online programs as examples in our resources, but does not independently classify programs as online or hybrid using a set criteria. Therefore, students interested in a particular online program listed on the site should contact a program administrator to determine if the program requires any on-campus visits or if it can be completed entirely online.
• Tuition – Any tuition information provided on this site is meant to be an estimate, calculated by multiplying the number of credits in a graduate certificate program with the cost per credit hour. Every effort has been made to ensure that tuition amounts listed on the site are accurate and up-to-date; however, due to tuition changes year-to-year, at a given point in time the site may not have the most updated information on tuition costs for a given program. Additionally, prospective students should keep in mind that graduate certificate programs may have additional fees that are not included in our estimated tuition costs.
• Tuition Costs for Online Programs – Some online graduate certificate programs may charge different tuition rates for in-state vs. out-of-state online students. Prospective students should contact an admissions representative to obtain the most updated and comprehensive information regarding tuition and fees before applying.
• Financial Aid – Graduate certificate programs are generally not eligible for financial aid. While there may be some exceptions, such as independent scholarships to which students can apply, prospective students should account for the fact that they will typically be responsible for the full cost of the graduate certificate program they select.
• Admissions Requirements – Graduate certificate programs generally have different admissions requirements than do master’s and doctoral programs; however, graduate certificate admissions requirements may still be rigorous and entail the submission of a personal statement, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and/or proof of professional experience in graduate certificate program’s area of specialization. Programs may also have a minimum GPA requirement, but typically do not require standardized test scores (e.g. GRE or GMAT).
• Licensure – For programs that lead to professional licensure or certification, such as psychology, counseling, nursing, and some fields in education, licensing requirements vary by state and are generally governed by an official state board that regulates the provision of professional licenses in a specific field (for example, a State Board of Nursing or State Board of Psychology). Students should always consult their state’s board of licensure in their field of current/desired practice in order to fully understand licensing requirements in their specific state of residence.
• State Restrictions for Online Certificate Programs – Online programs may have state restrictions, especially in subject areas that lead to professional licensure or certification, such as nursing, psychology, and counseling. This means that an online graduate certificate program may only accept applicants from certain states, therefore, students considering an out-of-state online program should contact an admissions advisor to ensure the program accepts students from their state of residence.

Transfer Credits for Graduate Certificate Programs

For many graduate certificate programs (especially those that include courses that are also part of a master’s degree), students may be able to transfer credits earned from a graduate certificate program to a master’s or doctoral degree, either at the same institution in which they earned their certificate, or at a different institution (depending on institutional and program requirements, as well as the courses that students took in their certificate program). The ability to transfer course credits from a graduate certificate to a full graduate degree at the master’s or doctoral level is not guaranteed.

Prospective students of graduate certificate programs who may be interested in earning their master’s or doctoral degree in the same field should consult a school representative about whether the credits they earn will transfer to a full program in the future. The final number of course credits that are transferable from a graduate certificate program to a master’s or doctoral program depends on the course content completed in the certificate program, and the specific requirements of the master’s or doctoral program in question.