Graduate Certificates

Graduate and post-baccalaureate certificates are linked series of graduate courses focused on addressing skills and competency to respond to an emerging need or specific area of interest within the professional community. Students apply as a "certificate seeking” student, with the understanding that their enrollment period is for the duration of the certificate. Specific certificates may have additional admissions requirements. (Please see specific certificate requirements.)  Students may opt to add a certificate to their current degree program or may apply as “degree and certificate seeking” at the time of application.

(Course descriptions for certificate courses are listed in the Graduate Catalog)

Appalachian Studies Certificate

The Appalachian Studies Graduate Certificate serves community college and K-12 teachers, community organizers, healthcare professionals, nonprofit organizational leaders, policy analysts, government officials, and business professionals seeking to understand the Appalachian region and its residents.

Offering/location: In-person, Radford

Autism Studies Certificate

The Certificate of Autism Studies is designed to prepare personnel to educate and support individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The program consists of four courses (12 semester hours) covering the Skill Competencies for Professionals and Paraprofessionals as outlined by Virginia’s Autism Council and is based on empirical research and best practices. There is no Virginia licensure in the area of ASD. Those who complete the program will receive Radford University’s Post Baccalaureate Certificate of Autism Studies. 

Offering/location: Online

Business Analytics Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics provides the opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to enter the high demand analytics field. Jointly offered with SAS, a worldwide leader in data analytics software and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market, this certificate program allows students to differentiate themselves in the job market enabling them to bridge the gap between discipline specific knowledge and the ability to analyze relevant data for better-informed decision-making.

Offering/location: Online, 7-week class format

Crime Analysis Certificate

Crime analysis is a criminal justice occupational field that engages in the systematic analysis of data from a wide variety of sources in order to provide information about the patterns and trends of crimes in a locality, state, or nation. A post-baccalaureate certificate (PBC) is an educational certificate that attests to certain advanced graduate study in an area of concentration beyond the baccalaureate level.  The PBC in crime analysis is a 15-credit hour program designed to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities for an entry level position as a crime analyst or to enhance the skills of a working analyst. It includes coursework in environmental criminology, research methods, statistics, crime analysis, and crime mapping. Upon completion of the required curriculum, the student is awarded the PBC in Crime Analysis.

Offering/location: In-person, Radford or Online

Deaf and Hard of Hearing, preK-12 Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, is designed to provide specific background, education, and tools to students to address the education needs of preK-12 learners who are deaf and hard of hearing. The program will educate students about the etiology of hearing loss and the learning needs of preK-12 learners who are deaf and hard of hearing. Students will develop knowledge and skills in supporting deaf and hard of hearing learners who may be using various communication modalities/languages. Graduates will be prepared to teach and support preK-12 learners who are deaf and hard of hearing. This certificate program is for individuals who already have a special education license or are working under a provisional license.  

Offering/location: Online

Design Thinking Certificate

The online Design Thinking Certificate requires students to complete 15-credit hours of graduate level coursework that empowers them to strategize, plan, and solve complex problems across a multitude of venues. The curriculum is structured to facilitate mastery in Design Thinking methods, management, teaming, and environment and behavior.

Offering/location: Online

Early Childhood Special Education Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education, Early Childhood, is designed to provide specific background, education, and tools to students to address the needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. The program will educate students about the characteristics and needs of young children with both typical development and those who are at-risk or have disabling conditions such as autism or cerebral palsy. Students will develop knowledge and skills in assessment of children with learning disabilities. Graduates will be prepared to teach and support young children with disabilities who are enrolled in preschool settings. This certificate program is for individuals who already have a special education license or are working under a provisional license.   

Offering/location: Online

Mathematics Education Certificate

The Mathematics Education Certificate is desgned to enhance secondary mathematics teachers’ knowledge for teaching, while providing the mathematical content preparation required to teach dual enrollment math in high school or undergraduate college mathematics courses.  

Offering/location: Online

Professional Writing Certificate

The Professional Writing Graduate Certificate is an online program that can be completed in one calendar year when the courses are taken consecutively. It's designed to help working professionals and graduate students strengthen their professional, technical, business, and digital writing skills and stay competitive in the workforce.

Offering/location: Online

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate

The PMHNP graduate certificate will prepare the advanced practice nurse (APN) with the expertise and skills to diagnose and treat individuals suffering with psychiatric and mental health disorders. The graduate certificate courses will provide the APN with the skills to prescribe psychotropic medication and provide psychotherapy to individuals across the lifespan. Upon completion of the approved courses, the certificate seeking student will be eligible to take the PMHNP American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam.

Offering/location: Online

Reading Specialist Certificate

The Reading Specialist post-professional certificate provides a route to reading specialist endorsement for practicing educators who already hold a graduate degree in the field of education. The Virginia Department of Education requires that reading specialists have specific competencies in the areas of literacy assessment, instruction, intervention and coaching. The post-professional certificate provides graduates with the necessary competencies to obtain an endorsement to become a reading specialist in Virginia. 

Offering/location: Online

Special Education, Adapted Curriculum, K-12 Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education, Adapted Curriculum is designed to provide specific background, education, and tools to students to address the needs of K-12 special education learners with significant disabilities including intellectual disabilities, autism, and multiple disabilities. The program will educate students about the defining characteristics and extensive needs of these learners. Students will learn how to design and implement specially designed adapted instruction to enable the participation and success of these learners in academic and functional activities. Graduates will be prepared to teach and support K-12 learners with significant disabilities in the adapted curriculum. This certificate program is for individuals who already have a special education license or are working under a provisional license. 

Offering/location: Online

Special Education, General Curriculum, K-12 Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education, General Curriculum is designed to provide specific background, education, and tools to students to address the needs of learners with disabilities in general education classrooms, including learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, emotional and behavioral disabilities, and autism. The program will educate students about defining characteristics and needs of these learners. Students will learn how to design and implement specially designed instruction and collaborate with content area teachers to ensure the academic success of these students. Graduates will be prepared to teach and support K-12 learners with disabilities in the general curriculum. This certificate program is for individuals who already have a special education license or are working under a provisional license. 

Offering/location: Online

Special Education, Visual Impairment, preK-12 Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education, Visual Impairment is designed to provide specific background, education, and tools to students to address the needs of preK-12 learners with blindness and visual impairments. The program will educate students about the etiology, characteristics and assessment of visual impairment and blindness. Students will develop knowledge and skills to adapt classroom materials. Students will learn to identify, and implement instructional strategies and accommodations for visually impaired learners. Graduates will be prepared to teach and support preK-12 learners who are blind and visually impaired. This certificate program is for individuals who already have a special education license or are working under a provisional license.   

Offering/location: Online

Teaching Language Arts in the Digital Age Certificate

Post-Baccalaureate Teaching Language Arts in the Digital Age certificate in is intended for language arts teachers at all levels, especially middle and high school English teachers, and any teachers or prospective teachers who want to explore language arts in digital realms. 

Offering/location: Online