New Certificate Program Forms

Academic Certificates

Academic Certificate Template (2024 Form)
Certificate Program Assessment Plan (2023 form)

As outlined in UTDPP1120, Academic Credentials Policy – Microcredentials, Certificates, Digital Badges, and Recognition of Completion, an academic certificate or academic microcredential program “must be approved according to the school’s curricular approval process; the Chief Academic Officer; the Office of Institutional Success and Decision Support; the Graduate Council or the Council for Undergraduate Education, as appropriate; the Committee on Educational Policy; and the Academic Senate.

Prior to the development of an academic certificate, the school deans must inform the provost of their proposed plans to offer the academic certificate.

An assessment plan must accompany each proposed academic certificate program. In addition, all graduate academic certificate programs that require more than 15 semester credit hours of graded, organized courses, and all undergraduate academic certificate programs that require more than 20 hours of graded, organized courses, are subject to review and prior approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

Certificate programs, regardless of semester credit hour length, may only be offered in areas and at levels authorized by an institution’s Program Inventory in adherence to Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 5, Subchapter C, Section 5.48.”

Additionally, new academic certificates may be subject to the SACSCOC’s Substantive Change Policy and Procedures. Also, according to the UTDPP1120 policy, academic microcredentials have a maximum of 6 semester credit hours (SCH).

Approval Process

Internal Review

1. The school dean will need to inform the provost of their proposed plan(s) to offer the academic certificate prior to the development of the proposal. At that time, the school dean will also discuss whether new faculty will be hired to initiate the academic certificate program and secure approval as appropriate.
2. Complete the Academic Certificate Template (2024 Form).
3. For assistance with the academic certificate, please email Dr. Serenity Rose King, associate vice president for institutional success and decision support, or call 972-883-6749.
4. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty¹
5. Endorsement from the school dean
6. Submit the complete academic certificate template and the certificate assessment plan to email Dr. Serenity Rose King; she will review and route the request through the governance approval process.
7. Council for Undergraduate Education or Graduate Council approval or both
8. Committee on Educational Policy approval
9. Academic Council/Senate approval
10. When applicable, the Office of Institutional Success and Decision Support will prepare the THECB’s New Certificate Program Certification Form to secure appropriate signatures for submission for external review and approval.

NOTE: If an academic certificate program needs to be renamed and/or modified, please email Dr. Serenity Rose King only before the request is submitted and routed through the annual catalog revision process. This will assist the Office of Institutional Success and Decision Support to maintain the authorized program matrices.

External Review

1. Will take place only if the graduate and undergraduate academic certificate programs exceed more than 15 and 20 semester credit hours of graded, organized courses, respectively.
2. Texas Higher Education Coordination Board (THECB) approval with an automatic copy to UT System Office of Academic Affairs
3. Southern Association Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) notification and/or prior approval per substantive change policy

NOTE: In adherence to Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 2, Subchapter B, Section 2.32, no later than 90 days after the institution initially offers the certificate, the institution is required to notify THECB information about the program, including:

1. The number of SCH for the program
2. Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes for the program
3. CIP codes for all courses comprising the certificate
4. The name or designation of the certificate
5. Whether the certificate is a stand-alone or embedded with other requirements leading to the award of another credential, such as a bachelor’s or a graduate degree

Digital Badges

A Digital Badge may accompany an academic microcredential or be offered as stand-alone award. This flexibility allows the school/program faculty or administrative units to recognize the completion of established academic requirements and/or co-curricular criteria with a university-approved designed digital badge.

Approval Process for Digital Badges to Accompany Academic Microcredentials

Digital Badge Template (2024 Form)

Academic Microcredential Template (2024 Form)

Internal Review

1. The school dean will need to inform the provost of their proposed plan(s) to offer the academic microcredential with the corresponding digital badge template prior to developing the proposal. At that time, the school dean will also discuss whether new faculty will be hired to initiate the academic microcredential program and secure approval as appropriate.
2. Complete both forms, the Digital Badge Template (2024 Form) and Academic Microcredential Template (2024 Form).
3. For assistance with the academic microcredential process, please email Dr. Mary Jo Venetis, senior director for institutional success.
4. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty¹
5. Endorsement from the school dean
6. For assistance with the academic microcredential process, please email Dr. Serenity Rose King, associate vice president for institutional success and decision support (AVPISDS), or her designee, Dr. Mary Jo Venetis. The proposal will be reviewed and routed through the governance approval process.
7. Council for Undergraduate Education or Graduate Council approval or both
8. Committee on Educational Policy approval
9. Academic Council/Senate approval

Approval Process for Stand-Alone Digital Badges

Digital Badge Template (2024 Form)

1. For assistance with the digital badge process, please email Yuliana Butchko, microcredentials program manager or call 972-883-6956.
2. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty¹
3. Endorsement from the school dean.
4. Submit the digital badge template by email to Yuliana Butchko; she will review the proposal and set up meetings to discuss the design of the digital badge.

Professional Certificates

Professional Certificates (non-credit) must follow the procedures outlined in the provost’s memorandum to the school deans. [Memo] (2024 version)

Approval Process

Professional Certificate Template (2023 Form)

Prior to submitting the completed certificate template, please follow the steps outlined below to secure the necessary internal approval:

Internal Review

1. If there will be new faculty hired to initiate the professional program, the school dean needs to inform the provost first before proceeding with the proposal.
2. School Dean receives the Provost’s pre-approval to proceed.
3. For assistance with the professional certificate process, please email Dr. Serenity Rose King, associate vice president for institutional success and decision support, or call 972-883-6749.
4. Please contact Dr. King for assistance with professional microcredentials because the template is now under construction and will be released in the near future.
5. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty¹
6. Endorsement from the school dean
7. Submit the completed professional certificate template by email to Dr. Serenity Rose King; she will review the proposal and then obtain the provost’s approval as applicable.

Corporate or Nonprofit Organization Offering with Certificate of Completion

Certificate of Completion Template (2023 Form)

Some units may offer non-credit corporate training for clients while other units may provide training for specific targeted audiences which are supported by non-profit organizations or their respective endowments. This form should be used instead of the professional certificate template due to a different set of criteria.

Internal Review

1. For assistance with the certificate of completion process, please email Dr. Serenity Rose King, associate vice president for institutional success and decision support or call 972-883-6749.
2. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty¹
3. Endorsement from the school dean
4. Submit the completed certificate of completion template by email to Dr. Serenity Rose King; she will review the proposal and then obtain the provost’s approval as applicable.

1. Pursuant to school’s bylaws.