Academic Certificates
A certificate is an organized set of courses or short program of study, with specific learning outcomes, not culminating in a degree. Slippery Rock University offers certificates at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Certificates are not the same as certifications or licenses, which a third party outside the University typically award.
Undergraduate certificates can be added or changed through the Change/Add Certificate form, available on the Academic Records and Registration Forms page. Information about Graduate certificates is available through Graduate Admissions. Certificates may be completed as part of a full degree program or may be completed as a non-degree student. Students completing certificates as non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid.
Departments establish which courses count toward a certificate. Certificates are subject to the following limitations:
Undergrad
Department's establish which courses count toward an academic certificate subject to the following limitations.
- The certificate will have a minimum of 12 undergraduate credits.
- At least six credits must be completed through SRU.
- To earn a certificate, students need a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA in their certificate courses.
- All certificate credits may share with a major and/or minor.
- Courses counted in a certificate can satisfy Liberal Studies/Rock Studies/Rock Studies 2 requirements.
- No course needed for the certificate may be taken Pass/Fail.
- Students may earn more than one certificate.
Graduate
Department's establish which courses count toward an academic certificate subject to the following limitations.
- The certificate will have a minimum of 9 graduate credits.
- At least six credits must be completed through SRU.
- To earn a certificate, students need a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA in their certificate courses.
- All graduate certificate credits may share with the graduate major.
- No course needed for the certificate may be taken Pass/Fail.
- Students may earn more than one certificate.
- Individual certificates at the graduate level may have additional requirements regarding application of transfer credit and age of credit.
Certificates may be completed as part of a full degree program, or may be completed as a non-degree student. Students completing certificates as non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid.
Dean’s Council: Approved December 3, 2025
Academic Council: Approved January 14, 2026
Meet and Discuss: Approved March 9, 2026
Effective: Fall 2026