COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Learn more about the graduate certificate in Data-Driven Decision Making.

About the Certificate

Data-driven decision-making refers to the practice of using systematically collected and analyzed information to guide key decisions about policy or practice in business, education, government or other contexts. A growing need exists among organizations of all sorts for employees with knowledge about data-driven decision-making, an important trend in the field and one that complements the expertise of our educational psychology faculty. The graduate certificate program is designed for data users and decision makers from many different kinds of organizations, including schools, colleges, social service groups, nonprofits, government and business.

The success of data-driven decision-making depends on knowing what information to collect, how to collect it, how to analyze it, how to interpret the findings, and how to translate these understandings into subsequent action. Flexible sequencing of courses, potentially flexible modes of course delivery (e.g., face-to-face, hybrid, online), and a culminating paper on a flexible topic allow students in the graduate certificate program to customize training to fit their personal interests.

Time Limit for Certificate Completion: 2 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The graduate certificate can be completed on a part-time basis. NOTE: International students may not be eligible to apply for a student visa based on admission to the certificate program. Please contact the Office of Enrollment Management for more information.

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: In 500-1,000 words, write a statement of purpose outlining 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:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
EDUC 5101	Critical Understanding of Social Science Research	3
EDUC 5325	Introduction to Statistics and Research	3
EPSY 5523	Introduction to Educational Psychology	3
EPSY 5551	Introduction to Program Evaluation	3
Total Credit Hours		12

GPA Required to be Awarded the Certificate: 3.0 minimum

Contacts

Department Contacts: