Graduate Certificates
The Graduate School (TGS) at Northwestern University offers Graduate Certificates that enable students to gain competencies in or across fields. Some Graduate Certificates may be pursued in conjunction with a degree program while others may be pursued independent of another degree. Graduate Certificates are typically available to students currently enrolled in TGS in a PhD or Master’s program. Certain Graduate Certificates are available to students who are not pursuing a PhD or Master’s degree and require admission to TGS.
Students currently enrolled in a PhD or Master’s program in TGS and who wish to pursue a Graduate Certificate may only do so when the Graduate Certificate goes beyond the degree program requirements and is an extension of the student’s expertise into a different field.
Certificate opportunities
- African American and Diaspora Studies
- African Studies
- Asian Studies
- Biotechnology
- Classics (Ancient Greek, Classical Latin, Classical Studies)
- Clinical and Translational Research
- Cognitive Science
- Comparative and Historical Social Science
- Critical Theory
- Education Sciences
- Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Global and Ecological Health Engineering
- Global Politics and Religion
- Integrated Data Science
- Latin American and Caribbean Studies
- Medical Humanities and Bioethics
- Medieval Studies
- Middle East and North African Studies (MENA)
- Predictive Science and Engineering Design
- Rhetoric and Public Culture
- Society, Biology, and Health
- Synthetic Biology
- Transdisciplinary Developmental Sciences
The following certificate programs are administered through the Feinberg School of Medicine and are open to current as well as prospective students. These certificates also require five courses. For specific admissions procedures, please visit the certificate pages listed below.
- Contemporary Issues in Health Services Outcomes Research
- Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology
- Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
Requirements
The minimum requirements for Graduate Certificates are below; however, each Graduate Certificate may have specific requirements in addition to the following:
Coursework
- Students must complete at least five letter-graded (A, B, C) courses authorized for TGS credit. Individual Graduate Certificates may require additional courses or specific course requirements. See the Graduate Certificate descriptions below for additional information. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for the courses counting toward the Graduate Certificate.
- TGS allows students to count courses towards both the Graduate Certificate and degree. Graduate Certificate programs may have stricter requirements. PhD and Master’s students are encouraged to inquire with the Graduate Certificate Program Director about which courses may count towards both the Graduate Certificate and degree requirements.
- Students who wish to pursue multiple Graduate Certificates may not count the same coursework for more than one certificate.
Certificate awarding
- In order to petition to have a Graduate Certificate awarded and appear on the transcript, students must submit the Application for a Graduate Certificate once all Graduate Certificate requirements have been completed, but no later than the time that the student files for graduation (in the final quarter of study). Each course counting toward the Graduate Certificate must be listed. The Application for Graduate Certificate requires approval by the Certificate Program Director and The Graduate School.
- In the event that a student pursuing a PhD or master’s degree wishes to depart the University prior to completing the degree, but after having completed the requirements for the Graduate Certificate, the Graduate Certificate may still be awarded.
- Graduate Certificates will noted on the student’s transcript.
- Questions should be directed to gradservices@northwestern.edu.