Format Guidelines: Proposal to Establish an Option 1 Graduate Academic University of California Certificate Program

I. Description of Graduate Academic University of California Certificate Program—”Certificate of Completion of Graduate Curriculum” (Option 1-Senate Regulation (SR) 735)

  1. Certificate program name: Certificate of a Graduate Curriculum in (field)
  2. Provide a description of the certificate’s purpose and distinctive features, including target audience. Is it related to an existing academic program? How does this certificate differ from others offered by the Berkeley campus? What is the student demand for this program? What are the employment prospects upon completion?
  3. Calendar: when is program offered and what is its duration (it must be a minimum of two semesters in full-time resident study)?
  4. How many students are expected to participate in this program initially? How many students do you expect to be enrolled per year after the program is established?
  5. Certificate curriculum: list all certificate requirements, taking into account the following.
    • The student’s studies are not covered by a diploma or other certificate (i.e., units for completion of this certificate may not be applied for fulfillment of any other degree or certificate requirement).
    • The certificate’s program of study must consist of a minimum of two semesters of upper level (100) and graduate-level (200) courses under regularly appointed faculty.
    • Description of the required course that synthesizes aspects of the program’s subject matter.
  6. Has this certificate program been reviewed by a professional accrediting body? Which one? When? Any conditions?
  7. Document review and approval of the certificate proposal following the normal review process of the administering instructional unit(s), by administrative heads of all instructional units participating in the certificate program, and by professional accrediting body [if any].

II. Admission Criteria for the Program

  1. SR 735 criteria
    • The student has completed a minimum of two semesters in full-time resident study at the University of California with a grade-point average of at least 3.0.
    • The applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, or a higher degree.
    • The student is acceptable for admission to the Graduate Division.
  2. Additional program criteria (higher than 3.0 GPA, writing sample, etc.)?

III. Program Resources

  1. Faculty:
    • Who teaches in the certificate program?
    • For all Berkeley faculty teaching in the program, is this assignment part of his/her regular workload for the academic year?
    • How are Berkeley faculty who teach in the program compensated? Release time? 19900 funds? Other? Is compensation in addition to regular annual salary? If participating faculty are paid from self-supporting funds, how will the campus be reimbursed?
  2. Space: where will classes for this program be held?
  3. Administrative Staff1. What is the percentage of FTE provided by the unit (or if by more than one unit, how allocated)?
  4. Are additional resources needed for this certificate program?

IV. Certificate Award and Student Transcript

  1. A statement that the administering unit (specify if multiple units are proposing the program) will forward the names of individuals who have successfully completed all certificate requirements to the Graduate Division for its review and placement on the degree list for certificate conferral.
  2. A statement that the certificate document awarded will conform to the format specified in SR 735 and will be processed by the Office of the Registrar.
  3. A statement that conferral of the certificate will be posted to the student’s transcript by the Office of the Registrar.

Format Guidelines: Proposal to Establish an Option 2 UC Berkeley Graduate Academic Unit Certificate Program

I. Description of UC Berkeley Graduate Academic Unit Certificate Program (Option 2)

  1. Certificate program name
  2. Provide a description of the certificate’s purpose and distinctive features, including target audience. Is it related to an existing academic program? How does this certificate differ from others offered by the Berkeley campus? What is the student demand for this program? How does this program relate to a participant’s employment prospects?
  3. Calendar: when is program offered and what is its duration?
  4. How many students are expected to participate in this program initially? How many students do you expect to be enrolled per year after the program is established?
  5. Certificate curriculum: list all certificate requirements. A program of study must consist of a minimum of three graduate-level courses and/or ninety hours of instruction (equivalent to 6 units), the content of which is reviewed and favorably supported following the administering unit’s normal review process of new course and program proposals.
    • Description of the required course that synthesizes aspects of the program’s subject matter, including the last time each course was offered.
  6. Has this certificate program been reviewed by a professional accrediting body? Which one? When? Any conditions?
  7. Document review and approval of the certificate proposal by the administering instructional unit(s) through its normal review process, by administrative heads of all instructional units participating in the certificate program, and by the professional accrediting body (if any).

II. Admission Criteria for the Program

  1. Basic required criteria
    • Applicants must be registered and enrolled in a graduate degree program at UC Berkeley.
    • Applicants must be in good academic standing (e.g., GPA of 3.0 or better) and cannot have more than 2 Incomplete grades on their graduate student record.
  2. Additional program criteria (higher than a 3.0 GPA, writing sample, etc.)?

III. Program Resources

  1. Faculty:
    • Who teaches in the certificate program?
    • For all Berkeley faculty teaching in the program, is this assignment part of his/her regular workload for the academic year?
    • How are Berkeley faculty who teach in the program compensated? Release time? 19900 funds? Other? Is compensation in addition to regular annual salary? If participating faculty are paid from self-supporting funds, how will the campus be reimbursed?
  2. Space: where will classes for this program be held?
  3. Administrative Staff
    • What is the percentage of FTE provided by the unit (or if by more than one unit, how allocated)?
  4. Are additional resources needed for this certificate program?

IV. Certificate Award and Student Transcript

  1. Include a statement that the academic unit(s) is responsible for verifying fulfillment of certificate requirements and that the certificate will be issued by the academic unit(s).
    • Provide a sample of the proposed hard copy certificate to be awarded with the proposal. The sample should reflect the following certificate nomenclature: “College (School, or other academic unit) of X, University of California, Berkeley, Graduate Certificate in Z” issued by the academic unit(s). The seal(s) or letterhead of the particular College(s) or School(s) can be used, but not the seal of the University of California, Berkeley. The certificate will be signed by the dean(s) of the school or college or program chair(s); it will not bear the signatures of the Dean of the Graduate Division, the Chancellor, or the President. For a joint certificate program, the designation will comport with the following example: “College of X and School of Y, University of California, Berkeley, Graduate Certificate in Z.” Note: the University of California seal cannot appear on an Option 2 certificate.
  2. For transcript posting, stipulate which administrative authority is designated to provide to the Registrar (Academic Records) the names of the students who have completed all requirements for the certificate program.