Collegiate Certification

Students who are interested in earning certification to teach at the collegiate level through MSU will receive the required 18 credit hours of graduate coursework in English if fully admitted to our program. However, those who fall short of MSU admission standards may only earn up to the 12 hours permitted for an “unclassified” graduate student. Interested individuals should be aware of the following conditions when assessing how the program may assist them in achieving their professional goals:

MSU’s accrediting agency, SACSCOC, establishes the 18-hour requirement, not MSU. For further explanation of the accreditation standard, please consult SACSCOC Guidelines on faculty credentialing.

Potential employers place requirements on the content of the 18 credits earned, not SACSCOC or MSU. For specific qualifications required or sought by hiring institutions, students should contact their desired place of appointment for institution-specific coursework expectations or other regulations.

No “certificate” will be awarded after the completion of 18 hours of coursework. Because no degree program aligns with the completion of 18 hours, students will not receive an official certificate or diploma upon reaching this milestone. Transcripts, however, will reflect the successful completion of the 18 hours of graduate-level credit at MSU.

Students wishing to complete 18 hours of graduate credit in one discipline at MSU must be officially admitted to that discipline’s graduate program even if they have no plans to earn a graduate degree. To gain admission to the program, students must meet all requirements.

Students may complete the desired 18 hours at more than one institution. Any student unwilling or unable to gain admission to MSU may apply as an “unclassified” student and take up to 12 graduate hours in English. The remaining hours required for the 18-hour “certification” may be completed at another accredited school.