Most certificates at Rutgers are available only to those already admitted to and enrolled in a related degree program, with the certificate’s credits earned toward the degree program, and awarded only to those in the degree program. Certificates of this restricted type within degree programs may be established at the unit and Campus level.
Another category is the stand-alone certificate program which is earned outside of a degree program (or may be able to function both ways for different groups of students, either within a degree program or independent from a degree program). These stand-alone certificates require University-level approval and reporting to the State of New Jersey. Existing stand-alone certificates at the Graduate School–Camden are the Certificate in Science and Technology Management, and the Post-Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership.
For an on-campus stand-alone certificate, following all unit and Campus-level process the proposal is subject to approval by the Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, and then goes to our Board of Governors. After that it goes to the statewide review committee for inclusion on the State of New Jersey inventory of academic programs. This is a much simpler process than for a new degree program, with no external consultant required. Please send Jim Burkley of Institutional Research a brief narrative that describes: title and purpose of the certificate program; need/demand and how program will serve New Jersey; curriculum, credits, and learning outcomes; and resource issues. He will then coordinate the University-level and external steps.
If a certificate program is to be offered off-campus, you may use an existing Additional Location already approved for Rutgers by Middle States, such as Atlantic Cape Community College–Mays Landing or Western Monmouth Higher Education Center at Freehold. But if proposing a new off-campus location then there will be another, separate Middle States process in order to establish that location.