Graduate Certificates

A graduate certificate is not a graduate degree. Rather, it is a document verifying the successful completion of a specified group of graduate courses. Certificates are intended to help students acquire (or enhance) discipline-related knowledge and skills. To accommodate a variety of learners’ needs, Mizzou offers two types of graduate certificate programs.

Stand-alone graduate certificates allow individuals to earn graduate credit hours without having to enroll in a specific degree program. Prospective students have an option to apply to the Graduate School as a Certificate-Seeking Student only. Degree seeking students may also pursue this type of certificate as complementary to (or independent of)  their graduate degree program. See Federal Gainful Employment Disclosures for Stand Alone certificates.

Degree-dependent graduate certificates are designed for degree-seeking students only. Further, the students must be enrolled in the particular degree program offering the certificate. In other words, this type of certificate is intended for degree seeking students who wish to pursue specialized courses or related, complementary study.

Upon completion of a designated set of courses and other requirements, the name of the Graduate Certificate will appear on the student’s official University of Missouri Transcript.

Admission Information for Graduate Certificates

Stand-Alone Certificate Applicants. All students enrolled in a stand-alone graduate certificate program will be classified as Graduate Certificate-seeking graduate students. As such, to qualify for admission, they must have successfully completed the baccalaureate degree at an accredited college/university. Specific graduate certificate programs may have admission standards that exceed those for post-baccalaureate graduate students. New graduate applicants wishing to pursue a stand-alone certificate only should complete the Graduate School's online application for admission and meet the Graduate School's minimum admission requirements for all programs.

Graduate Degree Applicants. New applicants applying for a degree program should complete the Graduate School's online application for admission for the degree program. Once enrolled at MU, the Application for Graduate Change of Division, Program, Degree Emphasis or Adviser Form (pdf)should be completed to add a graduate certificate.

Financial Aid: Check eligibility on both types of certificates

Degree-dependent graduate certificate programs are federal financial-aid-eligible. Students only enrolled in stand-alone graduate certificates are potentially eligible for federal financial aid. Read our disclosure pages to learn more about the the costs (tuition & fees); time needed to complete the certificate; and future placement (e.g., degree programs, jobs) of certificate holders. Next, check with MU Student Financial Aid Officeto determine eligibility. Students enrolled only in a stand-alone graduate certificates are not eligible for scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, tuition waivers, etc. from the Graduate School or University of Missouri.