Admission
Students seeking graduate certificates must be admitted to the Graduate School in a degree program or nondegree status. All Graduate School policies regarding admission criteria apply.
Program Requirements
The graduate certificate in advanced professional teaching and learning skills is a 12-credit-hour program. The curriculum consists of 6 credit hours from two of four specified required courses and 6 credit hours from approved professional learning courses, which are the graduate-level courses offered by the College of Education for educators looking to learn new skills and earn continuing education credit for licensure renewal and/or salary advancement, as electives. (For more information about these courses, please visit the professional learning courses website.) Students must complete all course requirements and assessments. In addition to these requirements, students must meet the Graduate School's requirements in order to earn this certificate.
Background Check
Upon admission and prior to their first semester, all applicants admitted to this program must clear a criminal background check. This requirement serves two purposes: it is part of the university's due diligence before placing students in field settings, and it may alert applicants or students to issues that could affect their ability to work in their chosen field. If a person's criminal history raises reasonable concerns about their ability to engage in field experiences or obtain licensure/endorsement, WSU may take actions ranging from rescission of admission to dismissal from the program, depending on the nature of the concern.
Course Information
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Select two of the following courses | 6 | |
| Current Issues in Education | ||
| Change, Creativity and Innovation | ||
| Professional Learning Communities | ||
| Authentic Assessment | ||
| Elective Courses 1 | ||
| Elective courses are selected from various professional learning courses, the graduate-level courses offered by the College of Education for educators looking to learn new skills and earn continuing education credit for licensure renewal and/or salary advancement. These may include, but are not limited to: | 6 | |
| Effective Instructional Practices II | ||
| Effective Instructional Practices VII | ||
Courses on integrating technology in the classroom | ||
Workshops on diversity, equity and inclusion in education | ||
Seminars on social-emotional learning and student well-being | ||
Training in specific instructional strategies or subject areas | ||
Professional development on leadership in education | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Note: The program coordinator must approve all elective courses to ensure they meet the academic standards and learning objectives of the certificate program.
- 1
Students will work with their advisor to select appropriate elective courses that align with their professional goals and interests. The specific offerings may vary based on current educational trends and district needs.