Graduate Certificate: College Access and Success

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Learn more about the graduate certificate in College Access and Success.

About the Certificate

The graduate certificate in College Access and Success aims to provide a post-baccalaureate credential that aligns with the primary goals of the M.Ed. program in Higher Education. As the College of Education and Human Development strives to prepare existing and incoming professionals in the ever-changing landscape of higher and postsecondary education, this certificate serves as a critical bridge to helping these service providers develop marketable skills and competencies. Courses offered through this graduate certificate program challenge norms by placing significant emphasis on urban issues and themes of equity, access, and affordability in higher and postsecondary education.

Time Limit for Certificate Completion: 2 years

Campus Location: Online

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The graduate certificate can be completed on a part-time basis.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students may take up to 9 credits of coursework before applying to the graduate certificate program.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:
Applications are accepted for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms and are reviewed on a rolling basis.

APPLY ONLINE to this certificate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained to provide insight regarding the applicant's academic competence. References from college/university faculty are recommended.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A bachelor's degree is required. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is expected.

International applicants should also submit an official document that validates completion and conferral of a degree, diploma, and/or certificate. While not required, international applicants are encouraged to submit transcript(s) to the World Education Services (WES) for evaluation.

Statement of Goals: Outline your interest in seeking a graduate certificate with a specific focus on the career to which you aspire, your interests, and your academic and job-related experiences that are relevant to the program.

Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

  • TOEFL iBT: 79
  • IELTS Academic: 6.5
  • PTE Academic: 53

Resume: Current resume required.

Other Requirement: Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all accredited institutions attended and/or from which credit was earned must be submitted.

Certificate Requirements

Number of Credits Required to Complete the Certificate: 12

Required Courses:

HIED 5103Access and Equity in Higher Education3
HIED 5201Diversity Issues in Higher Education3
HIED 5202The Costs of College3
HIED 5203Getting into College: Strategic Enrollment Management3
Total Credit Hours12

GPA Required to be Awarded the Certificate: 3.0 minimum

Courses

HIED 5101. Introduction to Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this introductory seminar is to provide a foundation in the theory, research and practice of higher and post-secondary education. This course examines the history and philosophy as well as contemporary issues related to the development, missions, and functions of American colleges and universities. The course introduces graduate students to the interdisciplinary field of higher education which bridges theory, practice, policy and empirical scholarship. Course content aims to enhance and develop students' abilities to critically understand higher education as a site of opportunity and challenge and how these institutions continue to adapt to social, political, economic and demographic forces.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5102. Administration of Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to help students develop their own practices as principled and effective higher education leaders. Successful administrators have to understand the complexity of the organizations in which they work as well as the political, economic, and social ecosystems in which those organizations are situated. This course helps students understand how to situate particular higher education administrative challenges (retention and student success, equity, learning and assessment, etc.) within the complex organizational and governance structures of higher education institutions. The course also explores theories of organizational culture, learning and change through which administrators can effectively make sense of and address the most pressing challenges in higher education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5103. Access and Equity in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers theory and best practices to help professionals better prepare students underrepresented in higher education for what it takes academically and personally to enroll in and transition through college and onto careers. Focal areas will include: pre-college programs created and designed to assist these underrepresented students and connecting student access and success programs as partners with institutions of higher learning. This course will also provide strategic planning models to assist course participants in analyzing how access and success programs can be an integral part of an institution. Students gain more knowledge of access and equity concerns and the resources necessary to help students successfully navigate postsecondary opportunities.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5104. College Students and Development Theory. 3 Credit Hours.

This course covers theories, perspectives and research that inform contemporary college students' development and experiences. The study of American college students reflects the history and development of social and cultural issues that have marked the society's general development. The perspectives and experiences of contemporary students in colleges and universities inform institutional policy as well as directives for the larger society. This is an introductory course focused on students in higher education as an area of professional practice and research. Course content examines theory and college as theoretical context, student development and identity formation within and beyond higher education institutions and links theory with professional practice.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5201. Diversity Issues in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

While colleges and universities have historically struggled to attract and retain students from diverse populations, growing political, economic and ethical demands of the day have forced many to revisit their institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion. This course is designed to provide students the opportunity to critically examine the impact of diversity on all postsecondary stakeholders including students, staff, faculty members, administrators, policy makers, local community members and employers. Using various theoretical models, this course will also help students develop a shared language around diversity, assess institutional missions and responses to diversity and inclusion, and finally, to develop a knowledge base to support strategies for inclusive advising and student support practices in higher education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5202. The Costs of College. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides aspiring leaders, administrators and academics with an overview of economics and finance in higher education. The premise of this course is that in today's increasingly demanding higher education environment, with challenges such as budget cuts, rising institutional costs, tuition pressures, affordability, access and success, the most effective higher education leader must possess at least a basic understanding of postsecondary economics and finance. This course is designed to instill that knowledge, as well as to provide students with an opportunity to critically analyze the literature, issues, and recent trends, for purposes of both practical application and ongoing research.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5203. Getting into College: Strategic Enrollment Management. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on topical issues in enrollment management in higher education and is intended to serve as an introductory seminar. As such, it aims to provide a forum for thoughtful and meaningful discussion of readings and materials related to strategic activities in enrollment management. The course supports the notion that practice of admissions is not a singular independent activity, but in fact, is an integral part and linked to what we know about the development, mission, and current student profile issues that influence institutional practice. Therefore, the course uses current readings and research (e.g., journal articles, books, higher educational newspapers, reports, and internet resources) to examine issues at the core knowledge base of enrollment management theory and practice in higher education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5204. Diversity Facilitation and Leadership. 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces students to the practice of leading diverse groups in a variety of settings through Dialogue facilitation. Leading diverse groups requires, first, the group leader's self-awareness about his/her own positionality and attitudes regarding diversity; the students' ability to review their personal and professional masks, and develop an understanding of the ways our fears influence our attitudes toward authority and power and thus our ability to experience and participate in a diverse and inclusive environment. Secondly, students will learn the capacity to develop trust, shared motivations, and cooperation among diverse group members. This course deepens students' understanding of how to work with diverse groups in educational settings. The development of real cooperation in a group involves understanding the socio-psychological bases of personal and intergroup relations so as to recognize the deep obstacles to change in order to overcome them. In this course, students will begin to work with various frameworks of facilitating social justice practices, such as Transformational Social Therapy (TST), which helps people overcome the personal, social and professional issues that create mistrust among and within groups and impedes real cooperation. TST concepts to be explored include social pathology, social crises, and moving from violence to constructive conflict. Students will also be introduced to the relevant literature on intergroup relations through the Michigan Model of intergroup dialog, the emotional life in groups and the practice of leading diverse groups. Additionally, students will experience other DEI strategies that will help to build their toolkit for facilitation and creating a more socially just educational environment.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in HIED 5201.

HIED 5301. Planning and Assessment in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an overview of the accreditation, planning and assessment processes in higher education. It is a graduate-level seminar designed to introduce students to theory, uses, and outcomes of planning in higher education. Strategic planning is a long-standing practice in the business world, but planning--as a proactive and integrated activity--is an expanding practice in American colleges and universities. The course explores accreditation processes particularly how institutional self-assessment and adherence to standards for student learning outcomes assure higher education's internal and external publics that accredited institutions are fulfilling their stated purposes and addressing public and policy expectations.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5401. Student Affairs in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a survey to student affairs as an area of professional practice in higher education. Course content examines the organization and administration of student affairs in postsecondary institutions in the United States and also encourages the application of research and theory to student affairs practice. Specifically, theories, research, and methods are introduced to encourage reflective application to professional practice. Learning objectives and outcomes for the course will be achieved by exploring the following topics: administrative environment of student affairs; organizational and management issues related to student affairs; essential skills and competencies for student affairs administrators and leaders; diversity/equity issues in student affairs; assessment; professional development; and future challenges and opportunities for professional practice in the field.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5502. Digital Education Leadership. 3 Credit Hours.

This course develops prospective online higher education leaders' vision, skills, and knowledge necessary to responsibly facilitate and sustain online education programming within post-secondary institutions. The premise of this course is that in today's increasingly digitized and online higher education environment - one that has given rise to new forms of faculty development, academic support systems, interdepartmental relationships, and federal/state policies - the successful higher education leader must nurture a vision that will advance both the institution's mission and diverse learners' individual goals. This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to critically analyze the literature, emergent trends, and various professional standards for purposes of both practical application and ongoing evaluative research.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5801. Gender Issues in Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This graduate-level seminar serves as a survey of gender issues across the education pipeline. Course content is based on studies of primary, secondary and college settings with implications for administration and leadership. This course examines gender issues including identity development and constructions within diverse education spaces. Placing gender at the center of discussion about education, this course connects research to practice and policy. The perspectives and experiences of contemporary students as well as educators inform this "practice and policy" of gender. Although gender is at the heart of this course, considerable emphasis is also placed on the intersection of race, class and sexual orientation in education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5802. Leadership in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

While many higher education classes on leadership focus on the functional roles and hierarchical structures of leaders within postsecondary educational institutions, this class centers on the development and expression of individual leadership qualities. Current theories of leadership will be explored as well as the interpersonal skills necessary to be an effective leader within higher educational institutions. Topics will include: The self-reflective leader, career planning assessments, leadership theories and practices, communication skills for leaders and reflections and recommendations from current exemplary leaders in colleges.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5803. Law and Policy in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to provide an intensive theoretical and pragmatic inquiry into the ways that higher education administrative practice is regulated. The course examines regulation not just in terms of the legal institution (i.e., case law and the courts) but also as the array of social and political structures that impact the delivery and management of postsecondary education. In addition to major legal events and controversies impacting higher education, students will become familiar with key federal regulation, state and federal policy, and internal institutional regimes of authority, as well as "soft" regulatory mechanisms of markets and social norms. The course helps students understand the nature of law, policy, and regulation as social structures impacting practice in higher education, and provides a critical overview of current key areas of law, policy, and regulation influencing practice in higher education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 5804. The Community College. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides a critical analysis of the characteristics, scope, public policy issues, and impact of community and two-year colleges in the United States. Institutional types presented in this course include traditional community colleges, two-year colleges, junior colleges, proprietary schools, and branch campuses. The course introduces students to historical landmarks in the development of community colleges; describe and analyze the impact and implications of the current characteristics, status, and student demographics of community colleges including their role in increasing national college graduation rates. Community colleges' position and role in the higher education landscape are investigated with attention to their external organizational systems and financial structure including state systems, university systems, corporate structures, and other affiliations. A wide range of curricula issues are examined, including transfer articulation agreement, liberal arts, vocational/technical/career, continuing and digital education, and developmental/remedial programs.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8093. Advanced Higher Education Research Seminar. 3 Credit Hours.

The Ed.D. in higher education is a rigorous program that is built around aligned and integrated content related to the study of higher education and practice. Students in the program develop proficiency in research methods and data analysis through course work. This advanced research seminar is designed to provide students with structured preparation for writing a literature review and other competencies evaluated in the comprehensive examination. During the seminar, the development of a literature review and preparation for the doctoral comprehensive examination will be combined. Doctoral students will be enrolled in this seminar as they complete all required coursework for the program or it should be taken immediately following completion of coursework. The seminar serves as intensive groundwork for the comprehensive exam and all students will take the exam at the end of the advanced research seminar course. Given this intentional link to preparation for the comprehensive examination, the seminar will focus on developing students' ability to: Situate and define a chosen topic within the concepts and history of the field; Compare, contrast, and justify various research methods appropriate to investigate a practice-based research problem in higher education; and Critically synthesize the extant scholarly and practice-focused literature that informs topic.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8101. Advanced Seminar on Higher Education Administration. 3 Credit Hours.

HIED 8101 is an advanced seminar focused on higher education administration as an area of professional practice and research. Course content examines the organization and administration of higher educational institutions and links the application of research and theory to practice. Learning objectives and outcomes for the course will be achieved by exploring the following topics: higher education as a social good; administrative environment of higher education; organizational factors related to how universities and colleges function; assessment competencies for administrators and leaders; diversity/equity and cultural issues; and future challenges and opportunities for professional practice and research in higher education. During the course, students will explore a variety of roles higher education administrators play on university/college campuses and seek to develop an understanding of how institutional cultures (and professionals' roles within those cultures) facilitate institutional effectiveness. Specifically, this course is designed to critically engage students' thinking about higher education institutions through discussing contemporary issues, problems, trends, administrative practices, leadership and post-secondary opportunities. An initial brief review of current and lingering challenges of higher education in the United Sates will help ground the course.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8102. Higher Education Economics and Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides doctoral students with a comprehensive overview of economics and finance issues in higher education. The premise of this course is that in today's increasingly demanding higher education environment, with challenges such as budget cuts, rising institutional costs, tuition pressures, affordability, access, and so on, the successful higher education leader must possess at least a basic understanding of postsecondary education economics and finance. This course is designed to instill that knowledge, as well as to provide students with an opportunity to critically analyze the literature, issues, and recent trends, for purposes of both practical application and ongoing research. This course addresses theoretical and practical aspects of higher education administration. The theoretical components are based primarily on the readings. The practical aspects derive from the professor's experiences as a university administrator, from the experiences of members of the class and from reading about current events and cases.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8103. Equity in Higher Education Policy and Practice. 3 Credit Hours.

This doctoral course on equity in higher education covers theory and best practices related to under-represented groups in higher education. This course will engage critical issues informed by research, policy and practice relating to access and equity in higher education. Special attention will be given to the ways in which race, gender, class, and the intersection of these social identities influence equity considerations in higher education. The course will specifically examine what it takes structurally and institutionally to enroll and transition traditionally marginalized students to post-secondary education. Focal areas will include: pre-college programs and policy created and designed to assist these students and connecting access and equity programs as partners with institutions of higher learning. Course participants will gain more knowledge about research on equity issues and the practices necessary to help students successfully navigate postsecondary opportunities.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8104. Seminar on Theory in Higher Education and Leadership. 3 Credit Hours.

This seminar is designed to provide doctoral students a general understanding of (1) what theory is and how it guides scholarly research and effective administrative practice in higher education, and (2) major theoretical perspectives, frameworks, and paradigms that inform higher education research and practice. The course is not meant as an exhaustive survey of all theory relevant to higher education. Rather, the course is intended as an intensive seminar to help students develop the skill of identifying, understanding, and applying theory related to applied research and practice. The following broad questions guide the course: What are the differences between theories, paradigms, conceptual models and frameworks, and epistemologies in higher education? Why is theory important to higher education research and to practice? What are the differences between "micro" and "macro" or "meta" theory? When is each appropriate or helpful in research and practice in higher education? How do we employ theory in research and how does the role of theory differ between qualitative and quantitative methodologies? Where and how does theory appear in a dissertation proposal?

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8262. Advanced Practice-Based Qualitative Research in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

This doctoral course is intended to provide a forum for advancing qualitative research strategies in the practice of higher education. The course extends the study of foundational philosophies, standpoints and uses of qualitative inquiry. Designed to help doctoral students in higher education develop a critical understanding of the various considerations and stages of qualitative research, this course includes the development of researchable questions, understanding theoretical and conceptual frameworks, and using methodological strategies such as data collection and analysis. Course readings, assignments, discussions, and learning activities will expose students to qualitative studies in the higher education literature. In doing so, the course aims to prepare students for qualitative approaches that may be part of their dissertation research.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

HIED 8287. Research Practicum. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to provide graduate students with faculty-directed research experience. The purpose of this research practicum is to provide a bridge between students' doctoral coursework and methodological training and their independent dissertation research. Students will work with their faculty advisor and the sponsoring faculty member to identify research projects that are relevant to their interests while also developing skills and practices that will be applicable in other research contexts. Please note that this course is not intended to be a substitution for HIED 8093 Advanced Higher Education Research Seminar. Students seeking to engage in research on a focused topic would take HIED 8287 as an elective prior to or concurrent with enrollment in HIED 8093. For the research practicum: 1. Students may work with a faculty member on an ongoing study or as part of the faculty member's research team. 2. Students may be given primary responsibility for a discrete portion of a faculty member's ongoing research project. 3. Students may develop a full research proposal or do independent research on an approved topic under the direction of a faculty member.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in HIED 8101, HIED 8102, HIED 8103, and HIED 8104.

HIED 9995. Master's Capstone in Higher Education. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, students completing a master's degree in higher education will work with an advisor to construct a capstone project. Drawing on the program's core ideas students will complete a summative project in which they apply these ideas to a real-world problem in the field. The final product for the course will include a written document summarizing this work.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

Contacts

Certificate Program Web Address:

https://www.temple.edu/academics/degree-programs/college-access-and-success-certificate-graduate-ed-cas-grad

Department Information:

Department of Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies

College of Education and Human Development

1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19122-6091

educate@temple.edu

215-204-0999

Submission Address for Application Materials:

https://apply.temple.edu/COE/

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Office of Enrollment Management

educate@temple.edu

215-204-0999