The University of Kentucky’s undergraduate certificate programs offer our students a convenient and flexible way to earn credentials for career advancement. All are cross-disciplinary clusters of courses integrated in a way that identifies a set of skills or knowledge that carry college credit and is applied to a student’s undergraduate degree program. Students may declare their intent to complete a certificate program at any time. To do so they should contact the Student Services or Advising Office where their primary major is housed, but they are not required to see an advisor before adding the certificate. This is the same process a student would follow to add a minor or second program of study to their record.
Certificates at UK are only awarded to students who successfully complete (or have completed) a baccalaureate degree. Ideally, a certificate can show a potential employer or graduate program’s faculty a specific expertise that a UK graduate brings with them to their new career.
A certificate program at UK must be at least 12 hours but rarely exceeds 24 credit hours. It is typically constructed to be flexible and respond quickly to emerging and cutting edge fields. Unlike the usual minor attached to a baccalaureate program, certificate programs must include at least two different academic disciplines and students are expected to have experiences that do not fit “traditional” academic models. All UK certificate programs must require students to:
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be in good academic standing upon admission to the certificate program;
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take at least 12 credit hours taken for a letter grade; at least 12 credits at 200-level or above and a minimum of 6 credit hours at 300-level or above;
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take no more than 9 credits in the certificate program that are used to satisfy requirements for the student’s bachelor’s degree, minor, or another certificate (exclusive of free or unrestricted electives);
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earn a C or better in each required certificate course;
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take courses in at least two disciplines, with a minimum of three credits to be completed in a second discipline;
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work with the designated Faculty Director to assure that the individual certificate curriculum is appropriate.
All certificate programs are assessed upon the fifth year of its duration. If a certificate is suspended or terminated, students currently enrolled shall have a reasonable period of time, not to exceed three years, to complete the requirements for the certificate. |
CURRENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
UK Undergraduate Certificate Programs Listed by Academic Home
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Global Scholars
This certificate gives students who have successfully completed the Global Scholars Program the recognition of this accomplishment on their transcripts. This program is designed to prepare those students accepted into the College for careers in international business.
Faculty Director: Dr. Scott Kelley, Department of Marketing and Supply Chain
ENGINEERING
Power and Energy
This certificate gives students the recognition of competency in the power and energy field. Successful completers of this certificate will have an understanding of global energy issues, knowledge of electric power in an area that best fits their particular discipline (focusing particularly in power generation, transmission and distribution, or economics and public policy).
Faculty Director: Dr. Joseph Sottile, Department of Mining Engineering
FINE ARTS
Musical Theatre Certificate for Voice Majors and Musical Theatre Certificate for Theatre Majors
These two interdisciplinary certificates are offered jointly by the Department of Theatre and the School of Music. They will provide an opportunity for students in both units to gain knowledge in an area of study that includes acting, dance, voice and musical theatre techniques. Successful completers of this certificate will be able to synthesize acting, singing and dancing in a musical theatre performance.
Faculty Co-Directors for the Musical Theatre Certificate for Voice Majors: Nancy Jones, Department of Theatre, and Noemi Lugo, Department of Voice in the School of Music.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES (Note: the Dean of Undergraduate Studies is the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education)
Global Studies
This certificate is designed to show collaboration across all the undergraduate colleges in creating a focus for students’ scholarly work in international settings. Successful completers of this interdisciplinary certificate have demonstrated their preparedness to live and work in a global community. There are four components: globally focused coursework, second language coursework, credit-bearing education abroad experience, and co-curricular programming.
Faculty Director: Doug Slaymaker, Department of Modern & Classical Languages, Literatures & Cultures in the College of Arts & Sciences
RESOURCES FOR FACULTY
Resources for Faculty Interested in Proposing New Certificate Programs
University Faculty Senate Guidelines for creating a New Undergraduate Certificate [PDF]
Senate Program Proposal Forms
Quick Reference for How University Senate Academic Approvals Are Processed [PDF] |
