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Certificate Programs

Columbia Southern University (CSU) recognizes that there is a growing desire of many within the workforce for focused training in a professional specialization. To meet this need, CSU offers undergraduate and graduate certificate programs. These certificate programs use courses from the CSU degree concentrations.

Application for Degree Level Certificate Programs

Students taking courses within the Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs will work with faculty in the same university environment as degree seeking students, and will be afforded the same quality of attention and services provided all CSU students. Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Program recipients will have the ability to compile and communicate specialized information contained within the certificate programs for the purpose of planning, analysis, and other activities directed to the management of business and industry, including specialized service relationships within the global workplace. In addition, students will develop an ability to reach effective business and industry decisions by recognizing and defining problems, examining alternatives, and effectively communicating successful solutions.

Undergraduate Certificate Programs
Students select and complete four courses (12 semester hours) within a concentration to earn a Certificate at the bachelor level. For example, a student enrolled in the Certificate in Management program would complete four courses from the BSBA-Management concentration.

Graduate Certificate Programs
Students select four courses (12 semester hours) from a graduate concentration to earn a graduate level certificate in the concentration area.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate Certificate
An accredited official high school transcript (showing completion) or GED. In lieu of a high school transcript or GED, veterans/military service members may submit form DD-214 or if you have previously completed a degree, you may provide CSU with the official accredited institutional transcript showing the conferred degree.

Graduate Certificate
Bachelor degree earned from institutions accredited by agencies that are recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or, for non-U.S. institutions, an accepted foreign equivalent that is listed in the International Handbook of Universities (1)
1 = The International Handbook of Universities. 17th ed. ISBN:0-333-92265-4 1, Paris: International Association of Universities; New York: Stockton Press, September 2003. Palgrave Macmillan Ltd, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 6XS, England, http://www.palgrave.com.

Transfer Credit
No transfer credit is accepted into Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs. All courses must be completed as required by the certificate.

Enrollment/Tuition

Academic Calendar
Students enrolling in a Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Program using the Per-Course Enrollment agreement may enroll at any time during the year.

Students wishing to receive tuition reimbursement from the Veterans Administration must enroll using CSU Term Enrollment. For more information regarding the Term Enrollment Academic Calendar and policies, please refer to the Academic Calendar

Enrollment
Enrollment in all Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs requires submission of the Application for Degree Level Certificate Programs (PDF) and a Per-Course Enrollment Agreement. Per-Course Enrollment allows students to take one course at a time or two courses simultaneously. The student will submit a Per-Course Enrollment each time he/she wishes to begin a course(s) required of the certificate program.

Per-Course
With the Per-Course Enrollment option, enrollment and registration are combined into a one-step process. The Per-Course Enrollment system qualifies students for the CSU Book Grant. Through this grant, textbooks are provided at no additional charge. A maximum of 10 weeks is allowed for each course. (Per-Course and Term Enrollment are the only enrollment systems allowed for Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs).

Tuition
The published Per-Course/Term Tuition Rate applies to Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs.

Completion
Students are responsible for enrolling in the appropriate courses as required of the named Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs. Upon completion of all course requirements, students must submit a Petition for Graduation. A graduation audit will be completed by the Registrar and if all tuition and academic requirements have been met, a diploma will be ordered for the student. A Graduation Fee of $40 must be submitted with the petition.

Students enrolled in Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs must maintain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA for undergraduate, and a 3.0 or higher for graduate.

Academic Credit

All Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Programs are comprised of courses that are assigned three semester hours at the undergraduate or graduate level. Students completing a Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Program and maintaining the required grade point average will be awarded the corresponding academic credit. Students may choose to receive Continuing Education Credit (CEU's) in lieu of Academic Credit. Each course is assigned 4.5 CEU credits.

Degree Transfer Information

Students may complete an Undergraduate/Graduate Certificate Program and transfer the program into a degree program with the corresponding concentration. This requires the student to enroll in the certificate program prior to enrolling in the degree program. Students may transfer a certificate program into a degree program concentration.

Curriculum

Undergraduate Certificate Programs

Require completion of four courses within one undergraduate concentration area.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Require completion of four courses within one graduate concentration area.