University Policy Manual

Certificate Programs

Policy Administrator: Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ref.:
Effective Date:7/06/00
Index Cross-References:
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  1. Authorization

    The certification programs are authorized by the President of the University on the recommendation of the Academic Senate and appropriate administrators.

  2. Certificate of Academic Achievement

    The Certificate of Academic Achievement is awarded to persons who have completed a prescribed set of instructional programs approved for a certificate program. The program must be initiated by an instructional unit or cooperatively by two or more instructional units and must ordinarily be composed of a sequence of degree credit course work. The program must have a specific objective different from that of the existing major or minor degree programs of California State University, Sacramento.

    Certificate of Academic Achievement programs are designed to provide specific kinds of degree credit course work in order that students may acquire particular competence or skills commonly required or used in a designated vocational or professional field. A program does not in itself provide broad understanding in the field as a major or minor would, but prepares the individual to perform specified tasks, or gain particular competence in one area of the broad field of study. Students need not be enrolled in a degree program to undertake study under a certificate program, but must meet the prerequisites for the course of study and be eligible for enrollment at the University under resident, extension, or concurrent enrollment.

  3. Certificate of Participation

    The Certificate of Participation is awarded to persons who have participated in an approved program of seminars, symposia, workshops, and/or course work for which degree credits are not given. Programs may be initiated by on-campus or off-campus individuals or organizations and shall be sponsored by Regional and Continuing Education and approved by a review procedure set forth in Section IV of this document. Examples of programs in which the Certificate of Participation is awarded are weekend seminars or workshops on specific academic, professional, and/or practical topics; or summer programs (e.g., English language programs offered for Japanese secondary College teachers of English) in which non-credit instructional courses are offered.

  4. Approval Process for Certificate of Academic Achievement
    1. All proposals to award a Certificate of Academic Achievement shall be directed to the College Dean of the relevant College for review and recommendation by appropriate College bodies. The review shall include the determination of relevance, extent of conflict (if any) with existing academic programs, resource needs, and any other pertinent factors.

    2. Upon approval by the College, the completed Form B and fifteen copies of the proposal shall be referred by the College Dean and Dean of Regional and Continuing Education through the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs to the Academic Senate for review by its appropriate curriculum committee.

    3. Approval by the Academic Senate constitutes the final consultative step in the review process. The Academic Senate shall transmit the proposal to the President with the recommendation for approval.

  5. Approval Process for Certificate of Participation
    1. All proposals to award a Certificate of Participation shall be directed to the College Dean of the relevant College for review and recommendation by the appropriate Department Chair. The review shall include the determination of relevance, extent of conflict (if any) with existing academic programs, resource needs, and any other pertinent factors.

    2. Upon approval by the College, the completed Form B of the proposal shall be referred to the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education for his/her review and concurrence.

  6. Administrative Responsibility

    Administrative responsibility shall be placed in the office of one of the College Deans for the Certificate of Academic Achievement, and in the Office of the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education for programs which award the Certificate of Participation. Certificate programs will be reviewed regularly through the unit's academic program review.

  7. Format of Certificates

    All certificates awarded under a specific category will follow a common University format. The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the College Deans, will determine the format for the Certificate of Academic Achievement, and the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education, in consultation with the College Deans, will determine the format for the Certificate of Participation. A certificate to be awarded shall 1) in the case of the Certificate of Academic Achievement, be prepared for the signature of the Dean of the College in which the program is offered, and 2) in the case of the Certificate of Participation, be prepared for the signature of the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education.

  8. Termination
    1. A proposal to terminate a continuing certificate program may be submitted by the initiator(s) and his/her academic unit(s) and/or by the responsible administrator to the Academic Senate through the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Academic Senate appropriate curriculum committee shall advise the Academic Senate concerning the termination of a certificate program.

    2. When certificate programs of achievement are terminated, it shall be the policy of the University where feasible to continue to offer the certificate for a limited time to allow enrolled students a reasonable opportunity to complete the program.

  9. Procedures for Submitting Proposals for Certificate Programs

    For Certificates of Academic Achievement programs, submit fifteen (15) copies of the following information to the Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

    For Certificates of Participation programs, submit one (1) copy of the following information the the appropriate Department Chair and Dean of the appropriate College for review and recommendation.

    1. Complete Form B.

    2. Purpose of the certificate program including how the proposal meets certificate guidelines.

    3. Need for the program.

    4. Indicate the programmatic or fiscal impact the certificate program will have on other academic units. Describe the consultation that has occurred with affected units.

    5. List all certificate program requirements.

    6. Names of the faculty or the academic unit that will be responsible for offering and monitoring the quality of the program.

    7. Duration of the program and whether it is a non-repeating program or offered on a continuing basis.

    8. Expected number of participants and their probable academic background.

    9. Resource needs for the Certificate of Academic Achievement program.

      1. How will the proposed program be accommodated within existing department/College fiscal resources?
      2. Will the proposed program be self supported? If so, please explain how?
      3. If the proposed program will require additional resources, describe the level and nature of additional funding the College will seek.
      4. What additional space, equipment, operating expenses, library, computer and media resources, clerical/technical support or other resources will be needed? Estimate the cost and indicate how these resource needs will be accommodated.

        *Certificate of Participation need not respond to question 9 since it is offered only through Regional and Continuing Education and is not supported by State funds. Instead, the proposal is to be accompanied by the written agreement between the sponsoring unit and Regional and Continuing Education to offer the certificate.

Originally approved by the President, upon recommendation of Senate, 3-6-78
Revised by Curriculum Policies Committee, 1/30/01
Concurred with by Faculty Senate, 3/15/01
Edited by Academic Affairs Staff, 8-12-86; June 1996; 7-6-00
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