Certificates

Undergraduate Certificates

An undergraduate certificate provides a way to give formal recognition of focused study in a specialized area that is less comprehensive than required for an undergraduate major.

An undergraduate certificate has the following requirements and understandings:

1. A minimum of 20 credits, with at least 12 credits taken at ISU which are applicable towards the undergraduate certificate requirements
2. At least 9 of the credits taken at Iowa State University must be in courses numbered 300 or above
3. At least 9 credits used for a certificate may not be used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement for the baccalaureate degree except to satisfy the total credit requirement for graduation and to meet credit requirements in courses numbered 300 or above
4. A student may not receive both an undergraduate major and a certificate of the same name
5. For students earning an ISU baccalaureate degree, a certificate is awarded concurrent with or after the ISU baccalaureate degree
6. A certificate is not awarded if the baccalaureate requirements are not finished
7. After receiving a baccalaureate degree from any accredited institution, a student may enroll at ISU to earn a certificate
8. Courses taken for a certificate may not be taken on a pass-not pass basis
9. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 is required in all courses taken at ISU towards the certificate
10. A notation of a completed certificate will be made on a student's transcript and a printed certificate will be awarded.

Iowa State University also offers certificates from the Graduate College and certificates via distance education .