Dartmouth Institutional Policy for Certificate Programs

Policy Statement

Types of Certificates

Dartmouth authorizes the issuance of two types of certificates that are credit-bearing and two types of certificates that are non-credit-bearing: 

Credit-bearing certificates

• Embedded certificate: An embedded certificate is an academic program that is pursued in conjunction with a degree. A student may apply credits earned in an embedded certificate toward a future degree. 
• Standalone certificate: A standalone certificate is an academic program that may be awarded to a student without the requirement that the student is working toward earning a degree.

Non-credit-bearing certificates

• Certificate of Completion: A certificate of completion (also referred to as a certificate of participation) denotes that a participant has completed a non-credit-bearing program.
• Certificate of Demonstrated Competence: A certificate of demonstrated competence is a curricular program that is (1) structured around specified competencies, (2) characterized by regular and substantive faculty interaction, and (3) requires satisfactory academic progress as expressed in the attainment or mastery of the identified competencies. Credit-hour equivalencies may be developed for each curriculum.

Approval of Certificate Programs

Credit-bearing certificates

All new certificates that are credit-bearing must be authorized by degree-granting academic units and adhere to the approval processes required by those units. Once unit approval is obtained, the following steps must be undertaken:

For embedded certificates

• The unit-approved academic proposal, along with any relevant budgetary recommendations or concerns – including but not limited to those that have a budgetary impact outside of the originating academic unit – will be reviewed by the Provost and Academic Deans. 
• The Provost will inform the Academic Planning Committee (APC) of unit-approved embedded certificate programs. 

For standalone certificates

• The unit-approved academic proposal, along with any relevant budgetary recommendations or concerns – including but not limited to those that have a budgetary impact outside of the originating academic unit – will be reviewed by the Provost and Academic Deans.  
• The unit-approved academic proposal, along with any additional recommendations or concerns from the Provost or Academic Deans, will be forwarded to the APC.
• The APC will review the proposal, focusing in particular on the overall impact of the program. After confirming the viability of the resources available to the new program, the APC will vote to recommend to the Provost approval, denial, or revision of the proposal.
• The Provost will review the final proposal for approval.  
• The Provost will inform the Trustee's Academic Excellence Committee of approved standalone certificate programs.   

Non-credit-bearing certificates

All new certificates that are non-credit-bearing must be authorized by academic units and adhere to the approval processes required by those units. Once unit approval is obtained, the following steps must be undertaken:

For Certificates of Completion

• The unit-approved academic proposal, along with any relevant budgetary recommendations or concerns – including but not limited to those that have a budgetary impact outside of the originating academic unit – will be reviewed by the Provost and Academic Deans.

For Certificates of Demonstrated Competence

• The unit-approved academic proposal, along with any relevant budgetary recommendations or concerns – including but not limited to those that have a budgetary impact outside of the originating academic unit – will be reviewed by the Provost and Academic Deans.
• The unit-approved academic proposal, along with any additional recommendations or concerns from the Provost or Academic Deans, will be forwarded to the APC.
• The APC will review the proposal, focusing in particular on the overall impact of the program. After confirming the viability of the resources available to the new program, the APC will vote to recommend to the Provost approval, denial, or revision of the proposal.
• The Provost will review the final proposal for approval.  
• The Provost will inform the Trustee's Academic Excellence Committee of approved standalone certificate programs.   

Substantive Changes to Certificate Programs

Substantive changes to all credit-bearing certificate programs and Certificates of Demonstrated Competence (non-credit bearing) must follow the process delineated by the offering academic units and then be presented to the Provost and Academic Deans. The Provost will inform the APC of any substantial changes to the certificate program.

Discontinuing Certificate Programs

Standalone credit-bearing certificate programs and Certificates of Demonstrated Competence (non-credit bearing) may be discontinued at any time by the offering academic units with approval from the Provost. Academic units offering embedded certificates (credit-bearing) and Certificates of Completion (non-credit bearing) must inform the Provost of a discontinuation. 

Provost will inform the Academic Planning Committee (APC) of the discontinuation of all credit-bearing certificate programs and Certificates of Demonstrated Competence (non-credit bearing). Participants currently enrolled should be accommodated until completion of their certificate program.

Academic Program Review

Credit-bearing certificates must be included in the offering unit's academic program review process.

Documentation and Transcripts

The Provost office shall maintain a list of active certificate programs, identifying for each program (1) the type of certificate, (2) unit offering the program, (3) date of approval (or last approved revision), and (4) contact information for the person or office administering the program.

The completion of credit-bearing certificates should be placed on the student's transcript by the offering academic unit's Registrar.

Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students who desire to complete an embedded certificate as a part of their degree program may be eligible for federal Title IV aid provided they meet the eligibility requirements for financial aid in their degree program. Certificate students who are not seeking a degree are not eligible for Title IV financial aid.