Graduate

Graduate Certificates

The Department of Humanities & Cultural Studies is home to two Graduate Certificate Programs: Film & New Media Studies and American Culture & Society.

The Film & New Media Studies Certificate aids students in developing the knowledge and critical skills needed to address film and related new media (television, digital moving images, video gaming, and the Internet) as modes of cultural expression.

The American Culture & Society Certificate offers and interdisciplinary approach to the study of American culture and society. Classes integrate interpretations of the literature, arts, and music of the United States with an understanding of the social values and historical issues they engage.

Students already holding or pursuing a graduate degree (M.A. or Ph.D.) in related fields such as Secondary Education, History, Rhetoric and Writing, Communication, or Advertising may enhance their transcripts and resumes with this certificate denoting a specialization in Film & New Media Studies or American Culture & Society. Students interested in graduate education but not ready to pursue a degree program can benefit from exposure to an interdisciplinary field relevant to many academic specializations a well as to contemporary social challenges.

Academic Requirements for the Certificate

Students must complete 12 credit hours of coursework, and it must be completed within three years. There is one required course for each concentration: HUM 6584 (Global Cinema and New Media Since 1960) for the Film & New Media Studies Certificate and AMS 6254 (Contemporary American Culture) for the American Culture & Society Certificate. The remaining 9 credit hours should come from department offerings.

Admission Requirements

Students who wish to pursue the graduate certificate must apply with the Office of Graduate Studies.

Admission requires:

  • B.A. degree
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Official transcripts
  • Resume
  • Letter of interest
  • GRE (preferred verbal score of 153, analytic writing score of 4.5)
  • Academic writing sample
  • International applicants must score at least 50 on the TSE.

For more information about Graduate Certificates and Certificate Cirriculum, contact our Graduate Director.