Prospective Students who wish to pursue a graduate certificate:
Washington State University offers graduate certificate programs in several areas. Formal graduate certificates convey that students have developed mastery of course material. Requirements for the Graduate Certificate vary with department or program. Once admitted as a part-time graduate certificate student, the student can take graduate certificate courses and/or graduate courses but must maintain a 3.0 GPA.To qualify as a part-time certificate student, a prospective student must:
- Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited post-secondary institution.
- Meet all prerequisite course requirements or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding for courses prior to enrollment.
- Be a part-time student.
- Enroll in eligible courses on a space-available basis.
- Be admitted, upon recommendation from the academic unit, to the Graduate School as a certificate student.
- Pay existing graduate tuition and fees.
- Students on academic probation and students suspended from the university for any reason are not eligible to enroll in certificate courses.
NOTE: Because the certificate programs are designed for part-time study without formal admission to a degree program, international students in the US on student visas are not eligible to enroll solely in certificate courses.
How to Apply
- Complete the on-line Graduate School application form prior to enrollment in their first course, indicating their interest in a certificate program.
- Pay $50 fee during the application process.
Current Graduate Students who wish to pursue a graduate certificate:
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Must be an active graduate student at Washington State University pursuing an advanced degree.
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Must submit an Application for Graduation for Graduate Certificate [PDF] with the appropriate departmental signatures by the application for degree deadlines. [PDF]
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Must submit the US $25 processing fee with the application.
Pursuing Formal Admission to Graduate School:
A part-time graduate certificate student may elect to apply for formal admission to the Graduate School and pursue an advanced degree. Certificate students who decide to pursue a graduate degree from Washington State University should contact the Graduate School at 509-335-1446 or gradsch@wsu.edu. No WSU transcript or application fee is required.
- A determination of the applicability of any of the courses and credits earned while a certificate student will be made at the time of admission at the discretion of the academic department or graduate program where the degree is sought by the student filing a Program of Study as part of the admission material. Department-approved courses will be stipulated as such on the student’s Program of Study when it is submitted and will be reviewed by the Graduate School at that time. It is expected that a core disciplinary curriculum will be present on this Program of Study.
- Course work taken as a certificate student may be reviewed as part of the admission-review process, but does not afford any preferential consideration for admittance to a graduate program. The faculty in the graduate program will continue to have the authority to deny admission to any student.