• Table of Contents
• The Graduate School Handbook

• Graduate Education
• The Graduate School and the Administrative Board
• Graduate School Staff Directory
• Graduate Education References
• Graduate School Calendar

• General Academic Requirements and Regulations
• Admission and Matriculation
• Eligibility
• Course Credit
• Registration
• Residence Credit
• Graduate Grading
• Assistantships and Fellowships
• Tuition and Other Charges
• Graduation
• Medical or Personal Issues
• Withdrawal from the University
• Policies and Procedures
• Students as Faculty
• Certificate Programs
• Dual Degree Programs
• Generative AI Guidelines

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs are intended for matriculated, degree-seeking students or for non-matriculated students at UNC-Chapel Hill whose objective is the development of specialization in the field of the certificate program. These programs signify accomplishment, specialization, and achievement.

Students may be interested in gaining both a graduate degree and a certificate credential. Students must be admitted to both programs. The following guidelines will apply.

To Certificate Programs

• The student's director of graduate studies and the director of the certificate program sponsoring unit have discretion in allowing course credit transfer within these guidelines.
• All students must apply and be accepted to certificate programs. Certificates will not be awarded “after the fact”.
• Students may work toward a certificate and degree consecutively or concurrently. Total credits allowed to double count may be less than 100% as determined by the certificate program.
• The courses to be double counted must be graduate level courses taken at UNC-Chapel Hill using the regular graduate grading scale: H, P, L.
• All grades earned in the relevant courses will be included in the calculation of academic eligibility in the certificate program.

To Degrees

• The student's director of graduate studies and the director of the certificate program sponsoring unit have discretion in allowing course credit transfer within these guidelines.
• All students must participate in and be accepted through a competitive application and admissions process to the degree program.
• Students may work toward a Certificate and degree consecutively or concurrently. Total credits allowed to double count may be less than 100% as determined by the degree program. Courses must be taken as part of an approved, formal certificate program.
• The courses to be double counted must be graduate level courses taken at UNC-Chapel Hill using the regular graduate grading scale: H, P, L.
• All grades earned in the relevant courses will be included in the calculation of academic eligibility in the degree program.

Students are encouraged to discuss their plans with their certificate program director(s) and their degree program director of graduate studies as early as possible to ensure all requirements for their degree and certificate(s) can be met.

For additional information on graduate certificate programs please see Graduate Certificates.