A graduate certificate is not a graduate degree. Rather, it’s a credential verifying the successful completion of a specified group of graduate courses. Certificates are intended to help students acquire (or enhance) discipline-related or interdisciplinary knowledge and skills. To accommodate a variety of learners’ needs, Mizzou offers two types of graduate certificate programs:
Stand-Alone Graduate Certificates
Stand-alone graduate certificates allow students 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 certificate-only students. A degree-seeking student may also pursue this type of certificate as a complement to (or independent of) a graduate degree program. Interested students should contact the certificate program for additional information about application requirements. If the GRE or TOEFL exam is required, Mizzou’s Institutional Code is 6875. Search certificate programs »
Search Certificate ProgramsAll students enrolled in a stand-alone graduate certificate program will be classified as Graduate Certificate-Seeking graduate students. To qualify for admission, you must have successfully completed the baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited college or university. Specific graduate certificate programs may have admission standards exceeding those for post-baccalaureate graduate students.
New graduate applicants wishing to pursue a stand-alone certificate should complete the application for admission. Students enrolled in stand-alone certificates and are not seeking a degree are eligible for federal financial aid and should complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); however, they do not qualify for a graduate assistantship.
Click this link for information on application fees.
Current MU graduate students should contact the certificate program for application requirements. A Change of Program form or a new application for admission may be required to add a graduate certificate.
Complete the Application for AdmissionDegree-Dependent Graduate Certificates
Degree-dependent graduate certificates are designed for degree-seeking students only. To pursue the certificate, a student must be enrolled in the particular degree program offering the certificate.
This type of certificate is intended for degree-seeking students who wish to pursue specialized courses or related, complementary study. When the designated set of courses and other requirements has been completed, the name of the graduate certificate will appear on the student’s official University of Missouri transcript.
Once enrolled at MU, complete the Change of Program form to add a graduate certificate.
Download the Change of Program Form (pdf)