The Advanced Communication(s) and Research Methods certificate program will allow postgraduate students to pursue interests in interdisciplinary study and earn an advanced certificate by enrolling in graduate or upper-division courses in writing, oral communication and data analysis across a wide array of academic discipline choices. Development of these skills are important in strengthening personal and professional relationships, enhance teamwork, and assist in job performance and advancement. Additionally, this program will allow the student to carefully consider pursuing a MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies degree by allowing time to meet with potential advisors and develop a research project or thesis during their first academic semester and explore various academic avenues through a customized course of study.

This certificate should be completed through the course of a single semester. Students who wish to continue towards completion of either the Interdisciplinary Studies master’s degree or other graduate degree should transfer into the program before their second semester. Students who require a second semester to complete the certificate should contact the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies  for more information. 

The College of Graduate Studies Associate Dean (CGS AD) serves as advisor for the certificate program and will review all student programs of study to ensure the following:
1. That students take at least one 3-unit course to fulfill each program requirement (i.e. writing, oral communication, and a methodology course).
2. Approved courses for enrollment are chosen based on student interest, potential double-counting into a graduate program, fulfillment of course prerequisites (if listed below), and evaluating a student’s potential success in a proposed course (based on undergraduate record and previous course history).
3. As graduate-level courses are lower capped and may be restricted to students in a specific program, enrollment in a graduate course is permitted only after approval from either the course instructor or graduate coordinator.

Student Admissions

Students who wish to apply for this program do so through Cal State Apply for this regular session, advanced certificate program. Additionally:
1. Students will be admitted under the current Interdisciplinary Studies Master’s admission standards for fall and spring semester.
2. Students will only be admitted to the program if they have met with the faculty program coordinator and drafted an approved course of study through the College of Graduate Studies application process currently used for the master’s program. The approved courses will require either that the student has successfully completed prerequisites or have been given instructor approval.
3. Students will earn a certificate once the minimum 9 units have been completed. If a student wishes to move to the master’s program, the student will do a Program Transfer via Office of Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations and move into the master’s if they are currently matriculated. If a student falls out of status, then they would have to reapply into the program.

University Advanced Certificate Requirements

Advanced certificate programs offer post-baccalaureate students coursework leading to a specific, applied, focused goal. In order to be eligible for admission to an advanced certificate, students complete an intake form or apply through CalState Apply and submit an official transcript(s) (noting the completion of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited and/or recognized institution from a foreign country). To be admitted, students must have a minimum of 2.5 undergraduate GPA.

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all advanced certificate coursework, and no course with a grade less than “C” may be counted toward the certificate. A maximum of 4 units of coursework with a grade of “C” can count toward an advanced certificate. A maximum of 4 units of coursework may be repeated. Undergraduate lower division courses are not applicable to advanced certificates.

Generally, a maximum of 33% of advanced certificate units (e.g., 3 units for a 9-unit certificate) can be completed in non-matriculated status at SJSU with approval from the department or school. In some cases, an advanced certificate may be completed entirely in non-matriculated status if the student has received approval from the department or school and the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs in the College of Graduate Studies.

A maximum of 30% of any graduate degree program units (e.g., 9 units for a 30-unit Master’s degree) can be completed from another institution and/or units from Open University (including advanced certificate courses) at SJSU with approval from the department or school.

The choice of grading requirements may have implications for transferability to degree programs (University Policy S16-17). 

The advisor/director of the program is responsible for verifying a student’s satisfactory completion of the academic requirements established for the program and for forwarding a copy of the certificate audit completion form to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations. The Office of the Registrar records the completion of the program on the student’s transcript.