1. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS & ALQUDS OPEN UNIVERSITY
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ACADEMICS AND PRACTITIONERS: GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
PFDP ACADEMIC COLLOQUIUM
JULY 31 – AUGUST 1ST , 2010
Mohammad Awad, PhD
Kimberly A. Aaron, PhD

2. Introduction
Local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations need talented, well-educated managers and staff to lead their organizations.
Many employees find it challenging to pursue graduate degrees
These certificates allow practitioners to gain valuable exposure to concepts that will help their organizations and will facilitate their own professional advancement

3. Academic Certificate Programs in the United States
The challenge of training students to be prepared in their jobs is determining how to provide relevant and practical concepts and approaches to their work (Cohen, Eimicke and Ukeles 1995)
Academic certificate programs provide institutions of higher education with an alternative approach to meeting the demand for specific programs, while providing potential students with choices in pursuing graduate-level education.

4. The Range of Academic Certificates in U.S. Universities
University of Southern Maine
Literacy
The certificate of graduate studies in literacy is offered to teachers and special education teachers, educational technicians, and other holders of baccalaureate degrees.
Holders of the certificate have the competencies and proficiency levels needed to plan effective literacy instruction for their students

5. Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician (MHRT)/Community
The MHRT/community certificate program is especially suited for
Practitioners who work in the mental health system
Persons with prior graduate training
Persons with a bachelor degree and one year of direct experience in the mental health field

6. Middle Level Education
The middle level education certificate program is designed to:
- Meet the professional knowledge certificate requirements for the middle level teacher endorsement
- Provide a foundation for graduate work in middle level education

7. Performance Management Certificate
The certificate in performance management is designed to equip managers with the knowledge and skills needed to monitor and report on organizational performance
Present results-oriented information
Students select four courses (12 credit hours), including one required course and three courses from a listing of approved courses.

8. Community Planning and Development
The certificate in community planning and development:
- Provides students with a grounding in land use and environmental planning, economic development, law and policy analysis, infrastructure programming, and growth management
- develops an understanding of economic, social, legal, ethical, and political contexts
The certificate requires the completion of 12 credit hours of coursework.

9. Seton Hall University
Graduate Communication Professional Certificate Program
The Department of Communications offers six professional certificates either as part of the Masters degree or on a standalone basis
Each certificate is comprised of four courses or 12 credits
The six professional certificates offered include: 1) Strategic Communication and Leadership, 2) Intercultural Communication, 3) Organizational Communication, 4) International Communication, 5) Strategic Communication Planning, and 6) Public Relations.

10. The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)
Graduate Certificate in Evaluation Research
To gain competencies in the design and implementation of program evaluations
The certificate may be incorporated into graduate degree programs, or may be taken on its own by non-degree seeking students
Students must successfully complete three required courses and a two-semester long evaluation research project that culminates in a final report

11. Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management
Is designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of non-profit organizations, and to develop the competencies needed by non-profit managers
The certificate is intended for:
- Professionals already working in the non-profit sector - Those working in private for-profit or governmental settings
- Students without professional experience
Completion of fifteen (15) semester credit hours are required

12. Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management
 Offered for:
Local governments where citizens have the most direct contact with elected and appointed officials on numerous issues.
Completion of 15 semester credit hours is required to attain the graduate certificate in local government management

13. Graduate Certificate in City Planning
Is a 15 credit hour master’s level certificate intended for:
- professionals already working in city planning in the public sector
those employed in private for-profit or governmental settings
students without professional experience

14. Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM)
University of North Texas
Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM)
Is designed to provide knowledge and skills related to a career in the field of human resource management
Consists of 12 credit hours, chosen from the following courses:
(1)Managing Organizational Design and Change, (2) Organizational Behavior and Analysis, (3) Human Resource Management Seminar, (4) Employment, Placement and Personnel Planning, (5)Seminar in Labor Relations, (6) Management Strategies for Public Issues, and (7) Seminar in Compensation and Motivation Theory.

15. California State University, East Bay
Graduate Certificate in Project Management
Offers project managers a Project Management Institute (PMI)
Gives graduates a way to complete the educational requirement necessary to qualify for the PMP® exam

16. Drexel University
Graduate Certificate in Engineering Management
Is an optional professional credential awarded to students who successfully complete four graduate-level courses from the M.S. in Engineering Management curriculum
Provides a solid introduction into Engineering Management through graduate courses in management, finance and economics.

17. Southern Methodist University Graduate Marketing Certificate Program
- helps expand the marketing experience of students
- increases marketing skills
- exposes students to new marketing perspectives and
ideas
Network with executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs from a diverse group of industries and backgrounds

18. Opportunities for Certificate Programs in Palestine
Why This Topic Now?
First, there are a limited number of graduate programs at Palestinian universities, and some universities do not yet have graduate programs
Second, the opportunity exists to leverage successful experiences in the U.S. with graduate certificate programs at Palestinian universities
Third, the graduate certificate program provides the opportunity to both academics and practitioners to exchange information for mutual benefit

19. Opportunities for Certificate Programs in Palestine- Cont.
Fourth, the expansion in the size of both public and nonprofit sectors in Palestine makes it necessary to prepare professionals with skills to run both sectors effectively
Finally, the opportunity exists to explore possible areas of cooperation between Palestinian universities and U.S. universities.

20. Certificates of Particular Importance to Palestinian Universities
Because resources are limited, the areas to which serious consideration is given should include those disciplines that provide the greatest benefit in the near term to Palestinian universities.
Graduate certificates in local government, city planning, and nonprofit management could be of particular interest for two critical reasons.
First, Palestinians are in the process of building their state, and developing talented public servants will be essential to the successful development of local governments
Second, the size of the nonprofit sector is increasing as it steps in to meet the needs of Palestinian society as it grows and changes

21. Arab countries spend less than 1% from their general budget on research or 0.3% of their GDP)
Weaknesses exist in scientific research in Palestine.
The amount of research that is published internationally in 2007 is 1,148,612, where the total of research papers in the Arab world is 15,000
The number of papers published in Palestine in 2007 was 212, compared to 89,013 papers published in Israel, and 1,345 in Jordan

22. Graduate Certificate in Evaluation Research
In order to receive the certificate, students must successfully complete three required courses and a two-semester long evaluation research project that culminates in a final report
The courses leading to the certificate in evaluation research are:
Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences
Evaluation Research Methods in the Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences
An elective course approved by the certificate coordinator
Evaluation Research, which is six credit hours.

23. Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management
The certificate in non-profit management is designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of non-profit organizations combined with skill-based courses to develop the competencies needed by non-profit managers
Core Courses – Nine hours
Leadership in Public and Non-profit Organizations
Non-profit Organization
Non-profit Management

24. Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management – Cont.
Guided Electives – Six hours from the following:
Public Management
Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations
Marketing and Communications for Non-profit Organizations
Human Resource Management
Organizational Theory
Domestic Social Policy
Policy Research Workshop

25. Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management
They are responsible for the provision of varied services directly to citizens
How the professional staff delivers services to the public within the political environment in which it works is the topic of many of the courses in this program

26. Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management – Cont.
Completion of 15 semester credit hours is required to attain the graduate certificate in local government management program
-Human Resource Management
- Government Financial Management and
- Budgeting
- Local Government Management

27. Graduate Certificate in City Planning
The Graduate Certificate in City Planning is a 15 credit hour Master’s level certificate   
The following courses are required for obtaining the certificate:
- Community Planning
- Basics of Development
- Land Use Law and Development Regulation

28. DISCUSSION