COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE
New Certificate Program Proposal
Model Format
I.
PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION
1.1 Title of Proposed Program
Certificate Program in __________________________ (include a name abbrev)
1.2 Program Administration
This is an interdisciplinary (undergraduate/graduate) certificate program administered
by the Coordinator of the Certificate Program in ____________ and overseen by the
Advisory Committee for the Certificate Program in ____________.
1.3 College(s), Schools(s), or Functional Equivalent(s)
College of Letters and Science (and partner, if any)
1.4 Timetable for Initiation
(Fall/Spring/Summer) (Year)
II. RATIONALE
An (undergraduate/graduate) certificate program in ___________, housed in the College of
Letters and Science, will provide students with academic inquiry into ____________
[Discuss reason/need for program.]
III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
3.1 Program Overview
[Describe program and list learning outcomes.]
3.2 Eligibility [select the appropriate language from the following:]
The program is open to all students seeking a bachelor’s degree from UWM, to students
who previously earned a bachelor’s degree from UWM or any other accredited college or
university, and to those who do not plan to pursue a college or university degree (nondegree students) but who have a strong interest in this subject.
3.3 Program Requirements
To obtain the certificate, the student must complete, with a minimum grade point average of
2.50, at least 18 credits in approved [name of certificate] courses as indicated below. [State
residency requirement(s) Courses for the certificate may not be taken on a credit/no credit
basis.
[List requirements]
3.4 List of Approved Courses
[List courses]
[Include any additional information related to credits that will/will not be accepted for the
certificate.]
Credits earned at other institutions equivalent to courses in the certificate program may be
accepted in partial fulfillment of the program requirements, subject to review by the
Certificate Program Advisory Committee. Students currently enrolled at UWM who have
fulfilled some of the program’s requirements prior to the program’s approval may have their
credits applied retroactively to the certificate program.
3.5 Awarding the Certificate
Students currently involved in baccalaureate studies at UWM who successfully complete
the requirements of the certificate program will be awarded the certificate at the time of
graduation. Other students will receive the certificate upon completion of the program
requirements.
3.6 Budgetary Needs
[Include information about any costs associated with the implementation of the program.]
IV. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION [Use any information from the following that is
appropriate.]
The College of Letters and Science will house the _____________ (ABBREV) Certificate.
The (ABBREV) will be administered by an advisory committee and a program coordinator.
The [program name] Advisory Committee (ABBREV) is composed of [#] UWM
faculty/staff members with a scholarly interest in the area of [program name]. (If academic
staff members may serve on the committee: At least [#] of the [#] must be faculty
members.) All faculty/staff committee members are appointed to three-year staggered terms
by the Dean of the College of Letters and Science in consultation with the program
coordinator. The [Committee abbrev] will reflect this certificate’s interdisciplinary
approach to the study of _______ No more than two committee members from any one
department may serve on the committee in any given year. The program coordinator will
identify students enrolled in the Certificate Program who may be interested in serving on
the [Committee abbrev]. If such students are identified, the Advisory Committee
membership may be expanded to [#], and a student member may be appointed annually by
the Dean of L&S in consultation with the program coordinator.
The advisory committee will be responsible for curriculum development and review, student
admission, awarding of certificates, and overseeing the work of the coordinator. The
Program Coordinator, who will serve as an ex-officio member of the advisory committee,
will be responsible for student advising and the day-to-day administration of the program.
According to L&S guidelines on the “Establishment of Undergraduate Certificate Programs
in the College of Letters and Science,” “the committee advises the program coordinator and
the Dean concerning the program requirements. The committee is responsible for
developing a list of existing courses that students may count toward the certificate. It may
recommend additions to or deletions from the list of approved courses for the certificate. In
addition, it may authorize students to count appropriate ad hoc and variable content course
topics toward the certificate. The coordinator is responsible each semester for
communicating the list of approved ad hoc/variable content courses to the College Office.”
The guidelines also state, “Students electing a certificate program must meet with the
coordinator to plan a program of study, and they must complete a ‘Declaration of Certificate
Program’ that is forwarded to the Office of the Assistant [now ‘Associate’] Dean for Student
Academic Services for approval. The Student Academic Services area of the College office
maintains records of students’ certificate programs, verifies completion of certificate
requirements, and issues certificates. Certificates are recorded on students’ transcripts.”
V.
UWM FACULTY [AND STAFF] MEMBERS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN [name
of certificate]
[List appropriate individuals as follows:]
Name
Title
Submitted by:
Ad Hoc Committee on [name of certificate]
[list members]
Department