Graduate Programs

Advanced Entrepreneurship in the Service Industry Certificate

The Department of Hospitality and Retail Management offers an advanced certificate focused on entrepreneurship designed to enhance their current skills in business development in the hospitality and/or retail business sectors. Students take four courses. HRM 6353 - Marketing Research in HRM, HRM 5355 - Advanced Entrepreneurship in the Services Industry, HRM 6311 Ethical Decision Making in HTRM, and RHIM 5375 Operations Management in the Service Industries.

Advanced Wedding & Conference Management Certificate

The Department of Hospitality and Retail Management offers an advanced certificate in wedding and conference planning designed to prepare individuals to become event planners or enhance their skills. Students take four courses. HRM 6316 - Advanced Marketing in HRM, HRM 5355 - Advanced Entrepreneurship in the Services Industry, HRM 5342 Advanced Wedding Planning and HRM 5360 Advanced Event Planning.

Fibers and Textiles Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Fibers and Biopolymers provides professionals an opportunity to understand the meaning and complexity of cotton production and processing and its impact on cotton apparel, home furnishings, and industrial cotton products.

Contact: Dr. Noureddine Abidi, 806.834.1221,noureddine.abidi@ttu.edu

Vector-Borne Diseases (VBD) Graduate Certificate Program

Upon completion of this 12-credit graduate certificate program, individuals will acquire a robust knowledge base in entomology, vector biology, and the effective management of vector-borne diseases. This comprehensive preparation positions graduates as formidable candidates in diverse professional arenas, including public health, vector control, and entomology. Prospective students are encouraged to possess a background in biology or a related field. The duration of the program will vary based on course availability and individual interests, with the expectation that students will successfully complete the certificate requirements within two semesters.

Interdisciplinary Arts Graduate Certificate

The 15-hour graduate certificate in Interdisciplinary Arts is open to any doctoral-level student and consists of the five-course core curriculum from the Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts’ existing Fine Arts Doctoral Program. Four required courses include a colloquium that explores disciplinary formation and types of interdisciplinary engagement; arts histories; arts in a contemporary context; and philosophical aesthetics. One additional approved topics or aesthetics course completes the certificate. This certificate is appropriate for students interested in the relationship between art forms and their associated modes of scholarship, and/or the intersection of the arts and disciplines outside of the TCVPA.
 

Students seeking admission into the Interdisciplinary Arts Graduate Certificate must be currently enrolled at Texas Tech in a major area of study.

Aaron Chavarria
Interdisciplinary Arts Studies Advisor
806.834.2565

Human-Centered Design Certificate

This 12-hour graduate certificate offers specialty courses in interior and environmental design to graduate students and design professionals. Courses provide fundamental, sustainable, and environmental concepts related to human interactions within the built interior environment including healthcare design and design for special populations (i.e., aging populations, diverse populations, physically and mentally challenged populations, etc.). ENVD 5378 Research Methods I will enable students to synthesize, interpret, and apply critical analysis as applied to human-centered design.

• ENVD 5378 - Research Methods I 3 Semester Credit Hours
• ENVD 5383 - Sustainable Communities and Design 3 Semester Credit Hours
• ENVD 5386 - Acute Care Design Research 3 Semester Credit Hours
• ENVD 5388 - Design of Interior Environments for Physically and Mentally Challenged Populations 3 Semester Credit Hours

Arts Entrepreneurism Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Arts Entrepreneurism is designed for those who wish to expand their practical skills in the sought-after and competitive field of arts production, allowing creative artists, as well as engineers or others with interest in creative industries, to focus on advanced training and performance experience in contemporary arts production with appropriate emphasis in each student’s area of interest. Courses completed as requirements for another program can be applied toward the certificate.

Security Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Security is intended for those who do not need or wish to have a full graduate degree in security or computer science. In particular, the certificate is directed towards working professionals and graduate students who are interested in security. In addition to any leveling requirements, coursework for the certificate requires 12 hours.

Sports Communication Certificate

The 12-hour certificate in Strategic Sports Communication will provide students with expanded, coordinated courses that provide applied, experiential opportunities to learn about sports communication and the tools that are used to produce sports media to prepare them for positions as strategic communicators in sport organizations. Students are required to complete four courses (12 hours). This includes three required courses and one elective chosen from among a list of seven courses. Enrollment is open year-round so students may start in the semester most convenient to them. Students can determine how many courses they want to take per semester to best fit with personal and professional schedules.

Program Evaluation and Measurement Certificate

The Certificate in Program Evaluation is a 15-hour graduate-level certificate program offered by the Educational Psychology program in the College of Education at Texas Tech University. The program is available in online, hybrid, and face-to-face modalities. The certificate program aims to develop students’ expertise to design and implement evaluation research that examines the effectiveness of educational programs and training. The credential may benefit a wide range of professionals who are involved in grant project evaluation, educational programs for K-12 and higher education, and professional development for various organizations.

Collaborative Piano Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Piano is designed for students who wish to expand their practical skills in sought-after and competitive field of collaborative and chamber music performance. It is intended as either an add-on to another graduate degree, or an alternative to master’s and doctoral degrees for students who show the potential and motivation to achieve successful collaborative career but do not wish to engage in the complete curriculum required in standard graduate degree programs.

The resume-strengthening certificate allows students to focus on advanced training and performance experience in all aspects of collaborative education with appropriate emphasis in each student’s area of interest.

Wind Energy - Managerial Certificate

This 15-hour graduate certificate offers professionals post-baccalaureate level training options in six topic areas relevant to the industry; including pertinent case studies. Specifically designed for non-technical professionals who wish to assume managerial responsibilities in wind energy.

This program is available as either fully online or on-campus. Please visit the program website for more information.

POINT OF CONTACT: Dr. Andrew Swift

Educational Diagnostician Teaching Certificate

In conjunction with the state of Texas, the special education program provides for coursework in the certification areas of generic special education, educational diagnostician, visual impairment, and deaf education. Additional national certifications are available in orientation and mobility and applied behavior analysis. Students in the graduate special education program are prepared to work with individuals with disabilities in a variety of settings, including public schools, higher education, and the private sector. A post-baccalaureate degree to obtain generic special education certification is also available. To be certified in the state of Texas, students must pass the TExES examination for their area.

Specific areas of interest within the special education program include autism, applied behavior analysis, generic special education, orientation and mobility, visual impairment, deafblindness, and deaf education.

A minimum of 33 hours is required for the teaching certificate. This certificate program requires an earned master's degree in Education.

Special education program applicants for the post-baccalaureate, certification, master's, or doctoral program must complete an application found at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ education /graduate/ . Acceptance to the certificate program does not guarantee later acceptance to the doctoral program. For additional information, visit www.educ.ttu.edu .

Opera Certificate

The Certificate in Opera is a collaboration with the Amarillo Opera, and is designed for post-baccalaureate voice students who seek a real-world application of their performance degrees in the context of a professional opera company. The certificate can be undertaken along with a graduate degree or as a stand-alone certificate, and can be completed in 13-15 hours.

Land Arts of the American West Certificate

The 12-hour Land Arts of the American West Graduate Certificate in the College of Architecture centers on the transdisciplinary Land Arts field program that investigates the intersection of human construction and the evolving nature of the planet. The program leverages immersive field experience in the desert southwest as a primary pedagogic agent to support research that opens horizons of perception, probes depths of inquiry, and advances understanding of human actions shaping environments. Land Arts attracts architects, artists, and writers from across the university and beyond to a “semester abroad in our own backyard” that travels 6,000 miles overland while camping for two months to experience major land art monuments—Double Negative, Spiral Jetty, Sun Tunnels, The Lightning Field—while also visiting sites to expand understanding of what land art might be, such as pre-contact archeology, military and industrial facilities, and contemporary infrastructure. Throughout the travels and on campus participants make work in response to their experience, which is exhibited at the Museum of Texas Tech University to conclude the field season.

Student participants have come from North America, Australia, Chile, Spain, Belgium, and Sweden to study at Texas Tech during or after their work at the universities of Pennsylvania, Texas at Austin, Iowa, South Florida, California at Berkeley and Riverside, Carnegie Mellon, New York University, Goldsmith’s in London, Cranbrook, Rhode Island School of Design, Whitman College, Bard College, and Yale.

To help negotiate the multivalent meaning of the places visited, and to shed light on strategies to aid their comprehension, the Land Arts program invites the wisdom of field guests—writers, artists, and interpreters—to join specific portions of our journey. Past field guests have included Center for Land Use Interpretation director Matthew Coolidge, Utah Museum of Fine Arts director Gretchen Dietrich, Remote Studio director Lori Ryker, Adobe Alliance founder Simone Swan; artists Deborah Stratman, Post commodity, Joan Jonas, and Zoe Leonard; art Historians Ann Reynolds, Kevin Chua, and Monty Paret; architects Urs Peter Flueckiger, David Gregor, Jack Sanders, and Nichole Wiedemann; and writers Charles Bowden, Lucy Lippard, Barry Lopez.

The specialty courses in this certificate emphasize the merits, rigors, and risks of field work; the in-depth value of seminar-based dialog; the public exhibition of research produced products; and the synthesis, documentation and reflection of the experience as a whole in written and visual forms.

Admission into the Land Arts Graduate Certificate requires acceptance first into the Land Arts program. Then a graduate certificate application can be made with the Graduate School. Please review program admission information at https://landarts.org/category/admissions/ and reach out to info@landarts.org with any questions.

Wind Energy - Technical Certificate

This 15-hour graduate certificate offers professionals post-baccalaureate level training options in six topic areas relevant to the industry; including detailed case studies. Specifically designed for non-technical professionals who wish to assume technical responsibilities in wind energy. 

This program is available as either fully online or on-campus. Please visit the program website for more information.

POINT OF CONTACT: Dr. Manohar Chamana (m.chamana@ttu.edu)

Life Centered Financial Planning Certificate

Life Centered Financial Planning is a set of courses focused on financial life planning developed by Industry pioneer Mitch Anthony, Deena Katz, and Sarah Asebedo, Ph.D. that teaches both the personal skill-sets and the discovery methodologies necessary to succeed as a practitioner of Life-centric Financial advice. This includes three courses: Fundamentals of Life Centered Planning (Anthony), Planning with Emotional Intelligence (Anthony) and Client Communication and Counseling (developed by Katz and Asebedo).

The Life-Centered Financial Planning Certificate is no longer open for new student registrations effective Fall 2023. New students interested in this content area can apply to the Financial Health and Wellness Certificate, which consists of a set of courses focused on promoting feelings of contentment and achievement within the financial planning space. The program takes a systemic approach to financial health and wellness by incorporating elements of optimal communication under stress and best-practice approaches garnered from complementary disciplines.

Students who have completed one or more of the Life-Centered Certificate courses should reach out directly to sarah.asebedo@ttu.edu for further guidance.

Teaching Second Languages in Local & Global Contexts Graduate Certificate

This online graduate certificate will prepare candidates to integrate relevant second language teaching theories, approaches, and practices into their existing undergraduate and graduate language degree programs. This online program will consist of 12 credit hours in language teaching/Applied Linguistics.

Faculty from Texas Tech University will modify and update contents and units from existing MA courses offered at TTU and prepare the online versions to be included in this online graduate certificate program.

The graduate certificate will also address the pedagogical knowledge and skills that teachers and teacher candidates need to develop instructional materials and implement courses and modules into their academic programs.

Program Questions - Contact: Dr. Yesim Dollar at Yesim.Dollar@ttu.edu

Application Questions - Contact: Carla Burrus at carla.burrus@ttu.edu

Tax Certificate for Personal Financial Planning Majors

The graduate tax certificate for Personal Financial Planning Majors has the following requirements:

1. The student must be currently matriculated in the TTU MPFP or MBA program.
2. The student must have earned a B or better in ACCT 5307. This course is required for MPFP students usually very early in their program. MBA students can take ACCT 5307 as an elective.
3. The student must have an overall graduate GPA of 3.25 or better.

Please submit a copy of your TTU transcript to your application, which you can find in your Raiderlink.

For application questions, please contact rawlsgrad@ttu.edu or call 806.742.3184

Advanced Digital and Social Media Certificate

Our 12-hour graduate certificate program in digital and social media is designed to introduce seasoned communication professionals to technology that is changing the face of communications in an ever-growing, global society.

Our program is offered exclusively online to meet the needs of our students, most of whom are communication professionals. Our students have busy work and personal lives – they demand access to a quality graduate program with the most flexible, convenient delivery method available.

For more information, please contact Dr. Mary Norman (mary.s.norman@ttu.edu)

Psychological Methods & Analysis Certificate

This graduate certificate program will supplement master's and doctoral students' methodological and statistical training €” an objective that is increasingly essential for psychologists and those in related disciplines, not only for the purposes of acquiring knowledge that allows them to be informed scientific consumers but also for understanding and interpreting empirical findings. Additional training in psychological methods may also serve to increase the job prospects and marketability of graduates from the program.

Agricultural Communications Leadership Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Communications Leadership enables individuals working in agricultural communications professions to increase their understanding of the more complex and dynamic communication strategies such as crisis communications, knowledge management, and effective online media utilization. It increases students’ understanding of leadership and the people with whom they interact on a daily basis, enabling them to perform their professional duties more effectively and efficiently.

Agricultural Leadership Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Leadership will enable individuals working in any sector of the agricultural industry to develop an understanding of theoretical leadership principles as well as the basics of applying leadership techniques to groups in a variety of situations.Contact: Dr. Scott Burris

Women's and Gender Studies Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies offers a specialist interdisciplinary sub-field in women's, gender, and identity studies for doctoral and master's degree candidates. It also functions as a stand-alone credential useful for professionals in nursing, social work, law, healthcare management, and the military, as well as in faith-based organizations and the field of education. The curriculum includes courses in women's studies as well as a wide range of related courses from other departments and programs.

Contact: Dr. Aretha Marbley. aretha.marbley@ttu.edu. (806) 742-2179

Art History, Criticism, & Theory Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Art History, Criticism, and Theory comprises a minimum of 15 semester hours of graduate work that includes 6 semester hours of required courses and 9 semester hours of related courses in art history and criticism chosen in consultation with the graduate advisor for art history. Six semester hours in art history at the undergraduate or graduate level are a prerequisite (recommended) or corequisite for this certificate. Students who have met the minimum entrance requirements of the Graduate School should apply there and to the Graduate Certificate Coordinator, School of Art, for entry into the certificate program. The Graduate School will issue the certificate upon completion of the required 15 semester hours of coursework. Courses completed as requirements for another program (e.g., a minor field of study) can be applied toward the certificate.

For more information, please consult: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/art/Programs/graduate/graduate_certificate/index.php

Contact: Dr. Kevin Chua,

kevin.chua@ttu.edu

School Psychology Certificate

The School Psychology Certificate, combined with a graduate-level degree with Psychology in the title (such as the Educational Psychology M.Ed. at Texas Tech University), prepares students for evidence-based practice and to become license-eligible as LSSPs in Texas.

The combined School Psychology course sequence is comprised of 57 hours of coursework. Students must also complete 3 semester credit hours of internship, which supports a 1200-hour internship placement, prior to graduation for a total of 60 hours. All requirements must be completed to be eligible for licensure and/or certification as a licensed specialist in school psychology (LSSP). Portions of the course sequence may be waived for students applying with an eligible Master's degree conferred.

Students are strongly encouraged to follow the course sequence as School Psychology-specific courses will only be taught in designated semesters. Due to this, prospective students are encouraged to apply for Fall admission, but Spring and Summer will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For more details on this program, please visit http://www.depts.ttu.edu/education/graduate/certificates/school_psychology.php.

Personalized Learning Methods Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Personalized Learning Methods is designed to give practitioners hands-on knowledge around the following topics: blended learning/personalized learning (BL/PL) foundations; data literacy and data-drive instruction; fostering student agency; creating community connections and collaborations; creating multiple pathways to mastery; and promoting competency-based learning. Graduates of this competency-based program will have significant experience in teaching in BL/PL contexts, using BL/PL pedagogical strategies, peer-coaching, and critically using technology to enable better BL/PL learning and teaching.

Contact: Heather Greenhalgh-Spencer, 806.834.5132,heather.greenhalgh-spencer@ttu.edu

Crop Protection Certificate

The 13-hour Graduate Certificate in Crop Protection provides supplementary training and updated credentialing in the development of crop protection chemicals.

Contact: Dr. Peter Dotray, 806.834.3685,peter.dotray@ttu.edu

Global Food Security Certificate

The 12-hour, graduate certificate in Global Food Security (GFS) is an interdisciplinary program offered by the International Center for Food Industry Excellence that enables individuals to increase their understanding of the interdisciplinary issues related to the approaching global crisis of food insecurity as the world surges toward more than 9 billion people by the year 2050. The program follows recommendations from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for increased education within the four pillars of food security: Availability, Access, Stability and Utilization. This program will help increase students' understanding of various aspects of GFS while allowing the flexibility to focus instruction in one of the four defined pillars. Courses are offered in a face-to-face or distance format by several departments within the university including Agricultural Education and Communications, Agricultural and Applied Economics, Animal and Food Sciences, Nutritional Sciences and Plant and Soil Sciences. For more information, contact the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, the administrative department for the program

Early Music Performance Practice Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Early Music Performance Practice provides graduate music majors with the option of tailoring their coursework and medium ensemble participation to focus on the research and performance of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music. This resume-enhancing certificate is especially recommended for musicology, theory, choral, or vocal/instrumental students who wish to obtain the in-demand skills required of specialists in the dynamic area of early music scholarship and performance.

All-Level Orientation & Mobility Teaching Certificate

The College of Education is transforming the way educators will impact our future by implementing intensive clinical experiences, incorporating video technology and focusing on student learning. The College of Education is the sole teacher certification office for Texas Tech University. Students interested in teaching Elementary School, Middle School or High School Science are housed in the College of Education.

Horticultural Landscape Management Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Horticultural Landscape Management addresses a need in the green industry, which is one of the largest agricultural industries in Texas, to help professionals update their credentials. Industry changes in recent years have left many professionals seeking the kind of supplementary training this certificate provides.

Soil Management Certificate

The 13-hour Graduate Certificate in Crop Protection provides supplementary training and updated credentialing in the development of crop protection chemicals.

Contact: Dr. Sanjit Deb - sanjit.deb@ttu.edu, 806.834.1373

Piano Pedagogy Certificate

This graduate certificate is designed for the professional piano teacher. The 13- to 17-hour curriculum, with flexible scheduling, provides enrichment and skill development both musically and pedagogically. It can also assist participants in qualifying as Nationally Certified Teachers of Music through Music Teachers National Association.

Design, Computation, and Fabrication Certificate

The 12-14 hour Graduate Certificate in Design, Computation, and Fabrication teaches advanced design knowledge and innovation in architecture, architecture interiors, and product design. The program is positioned at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and computation with a sustainable design and interdisciplinary direction. Students develop skills geared towards a €œdigital-craft€� based design professional orientation with emphasis on computer-aided design and material processes by leveraging state-of-the-art fabrication technologies (software, CAD-CAM, rapid prototyping, laser cutting, CNC routing, casting etc.).

Contact: Associate Professor Kuhn Park, kuhn.park@ttu.edu, 806.834.1242

Historic Preservation Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation prepares graduate students to play leadership roles in the historic preservation of architecture. This certificate provides students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to be thoughtful stewards of the world's architectural heritage and provides a comprehensive understanding of historic preservation that includes the built, cultural, and natural environments. To satisfy these objectives, this graduate certificate presents a balanced curriculum of history, theory, documentation, and preservation technology courses.

The program is an international leader in historic architectural documentation and provides opportunities for regional, national, and international research. Students and faculty participate in documentation and preservation research through collaborative efforts with public, private, and non-profit organizations.

An interdisciplinary program that focuses on the documentation and preservation of historic architecture. The certificate has three major areas of interest: architecture history and theory, preservation policy and law, and building analysis technology.

Contact: Professor John White, john.white@ttu.edu

Fundamentals of Teaching & Learning Graduate Certificate

The 15-hour Certificate in the Fundamentals of Teaching & Learning is a graduate-level certificate offered by the Educational Psychology program in the College of Education at Texas Tech University.

The certificate is for working professionals and graduate students who wish to learn more about the psychology of teaching and learning, and how research-based psychological principles can enhance teaching and learning in formal and informal educational settings.

Additionally, this certificate program may be of interest to current Texas Tech University graduate students who aspire to teach in higher education but may not have the opportunity to participate in professional development activities for future faculty.

Mixed Methods Research Graduate Certificate

The 15-hour Certificate in Mixed Methods Research (MMR) is a graduate-level certificate offered by the Educational Psychology program in the College of Education at Texas Tech University.

The certificate program allows current Texas Tech University graduate students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills related to the process of developing a mixed-methods research, grant, or program evaluation proposal and producing publishable mixed-methods studies.

The certificate is also for working professionals who wish to learn about mixed-methods research and its application in the social and behavioral sciences. The MMR certificate will consist of coursework in research design, measurement, and statistics.

Business Analytics Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics is designed to train professional analysts to help organizations with the collection, filtering, storage, and analysis of very large amounts of data to support decision-making. Business Analytics is one of the fastest-growing and most important areas in today's business world and is in very high demand in organizations and consulting companies.

Please list your full post-secondary academic history in the Education History section of the application. You will at minimum need to upload your unofficial or scanned copies of your original transcripts from degree-awarded programs. If you are a current TTU student and/or have access to your Raiderlink profile, please upload your unofficial TTU transcript from Raiderlink as a pdf file (print as a pdf to save).

The Business Analytics program is only offered online.

Contact

For application questions, please contact rawlsgrad@ttu.edu or call 806.742.3184

Essentials of Business Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Essentials of Business provides tools for a wide variety of business areas, including accounting, finance, information systems and quantitative sciences, management, and marketing. Courses in this certificate may be utilized toward the M.B.A. degree at acceptance. 

The Essentials of Business Certificate is only offered online.

Contact

For application questions, please contact rawlsgrad@ttu.edu or call 806.742.3184

Health Care Facilities Design Certificate

Rawls College participates with the College of Architecture, and the School of Nursing in a 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Health Care Facilities Design.

This is an interdisciplinary certificate that offers specialty courses to graduate students and design professionals in healthcare, emphasizing evidence-based design as a way to enhance efficiency and safety. Successful completion of the certificate will position graduates to be employed in the healthcare facilities design sector and play a leading role in evidence-based design.

Contact:Dr. Saif Haq, 806.834.6317

Health and Wellness Design Certificate

The College of Architecture partners with the Department of Public Health at TTUHSC in this 15-hour graduate certificate. It offers advanced knowledge of environmental design that enhances the physical, intellectual, emotional, mental, and spiritual health of groups and individuals. This program is flexible enough to include students with or without design backgrounds.

Knowledge areas covered include, but are not limited to, understanding salutogenic design principles and the ways design impacts health, public health principles, evidence-based design principles, research methods, and the role of research in design.

Urban & Community Design Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Urban & Community Design provides an area of specialization in urban and community design studies for graduate students and professionals in related fields of architecture. Students develop a more focused understanding of the relationship between architecture and the urban environment as it relates to research-based academic endeavors and professional practice. The certificate is further supported by opportunities to participate in the Urban Tech Downtown Studio in Lubbock and/or the international urban studio.

Contact: Associate Professor David A. Driskill, david.driskill@ttu.edu, 806.543.7165

English Language for Academic and Professional Communication Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in English Language for Academic and Professional Communication provides non-native speakers of English the opportunity to develop their spoken and written English communication. This graduate certificate demonstrates to companies and educational institutions in the United States and overseas that non-native English speaking M.A. and doctoral degree graduates who earn the certificate speak and write English at a level expected for academic and professional purposes. 

Contact: Linley Melhem, certificate advisor,linley.jones@ttu.edu

Visual Impairment Teaching Certificate

The College of Education is transforming the way educators will impact our future by implementing intensive clinical experiences, incorporating video technology and focusing on student learning. The College of Education is the sole teacher certification office for Texas Tech University. Students interested in teaching Elementary School, Middle School or High School Science are housed in the College of Education.

Texas Tech University's College of Education offers the required curriculum for the Texas State Board for Educator Certification Visual Impairment Supplemental Certificate EC-12 online. Certification also requires the successful completion of two TExES examinations. The Visual Impairment Certification Preparation Program is available both as a stand-alone certificate or an area of emphasis with the Masters of Education in Special Education.

Please choose this delivery option if you live outside of the state of Texas. You should choose the delivery option "Online (inside Texas)" if you live in the state of Texas.

Cross-Cultural Studies Certificate

The Online Graduate Certificate in Cross-Cultural Studies (12 cr) is designed to provide fundamental competences on multicultural and international/transnational issues affecting diverse populations as well as core principles of human development and socio-political change from a global perspective. This graduate certificate aims to enhance cross-cultural knowledge, skills, leadership, and competencies for professionals and students in traditional and non-traditional career paths seeking to enhance their professional expertise to serve diverse populations.

• CCS 5301 - Foundations of Cross-Cultural Studies; 3 Semester Credit Hours
• CCS 5302- Cross-Cultural Research Methods; 3 Semester Credit Hours
• CCS 5303 - Issues in Cross-Cultural Studies; 3 Semester Credit Hours
• Elective (any TTU course that contains content on cross-cultural matters; should be approved by the program director)

Contact: Dr. Elizabeth Trejos, Associate Professor / Graduate Program Director, elizabeth.trejos@ttu.edu

Autism Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Autism allows students to specialize in the area of autism while developing additional skills in working with children with autism spectrum disorders. The certificate can be undertaken during a master's or post-baccalaureate certification program or as a stand-alone certificate.

Contact:

Dr. Devender Banda, devender.banda@ttu.edu, 806-834-4827

Dr. L.J. Gould, lj.gould@ttu.edu, 806-834-4224

Deafblindness Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Deafblindness provides graduate students with specialized knowledge and strategies to use with the growing population of students with deafblindness. This certificate can be undertaken during a master's or post-bacalaureate certification program or as a stand-alone certificate.

Contact:Dr. Phoebe Okungu, 806-834-0286, phoebe.okungu@ttu.edu

STEM Leadership Communication Certificate

This online graduate certificate in STEM Leadership Communications is designed for scientists, technicians, engineers, and health care professionals who seek to acquire the crucial communication mindsets and skill sets that will enable them to achieve leadership positions in their industries and organizations. There are three (3) required courses and students select one additional course from an approved list of electives. 

Certificate Requirements (12 hours total)

• Three required core courses (3 credits each):
  • COMS 5314: Professional Communication in Health, Science, and Technology
  • MCOM 5324: Audience/Data Analysis and Reporting
  • MCOM 5350: STEM Leadership Communication Capstone Course
  • 
    
• One elective course (3 credits):
  • COMS 5302: Intercultural Communication
  • MCOM 5316: Communication in Organizations
  • COMS 5313: Theories of Persuasion
  • MCOM 5364: Research Methods
  • MCOM 5318: Advanced Social Media Practice
  • MCOM 5326: Risk Communication/Management
  • MCOM 5332: Special Topics in Strategic Communication
  • MCOM 5334: Interpersonal Communication
  • MCOM 6310: Contemporary Issues in Communications Technology

Charitable Financial Planning Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Charitable Financial Planning is intended for those who wish to develop a specialty in the area of planned giving, including complex techniques involving private foundations, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, donor-advised funds, life insurance, and remainder interests. Students also will review and discuss the latest academic research on charitable giving motivations and fundraising strategies.

Biotechnology Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certification in Biotechnology is suitable for individuals who need short-term education and training to join the biotechnology workforce or enhance their career prospects with specialized training. The applicant should have an undergraduate degree in any subjects in natural science.

Required Course: (9 Credits)

• BTEC 6301: Introduction to Biotechnology
• BTEC 5338: Methods in Biotechnology
• BTEC 5322: Bioinformatics Methods and Applications

Elective Course: (3 Credits)

• BTEC 5333: Advanced Bioinformatics
• BTEC 5311: Protein Engineering
• BTEC 5312: Gene Expression Analysis
• BTEC 5313: Experimental Mass Spectrometry in Biotechnology

Contact: Dr. Jatindra Nath Tripathy, Jatindra.n.tripathy@ttu.edu Phone: (806) 834 1837

Mental Health Counseling Certificate

The Mental Health Counseling Certificate is available to licensed professionals in the mental health field (counseling, social work, marriage & family, psychology). The Certificate meets the supplemental education needs of licensed and/or post-masters level professionals by offering in-depth knowledge in mental health counseling. Please note: the Mental Health Counseling Certificate is not a replacement for a degree in counseling, nor does it replace licensure in any mental health field.

Contact: Dr. L.J. Gould, lj.gould@ttu.edu, 806-834-4224

College Student Counseling Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in College Student Counseling does not represent licensure or certification in mental health, but it will enhance professionals who work in student counseling, mentoring, advising, personnel, and student affairs perform their duties more effectively.

Contact: Dr. L.J. Gould, 806. 834.4224
lj.gould@ttu.edu

Developmental Literacy Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Developmental Literacy fills a need in the community for qualified teachers in developmental literacy programs, adult basic education, adult literacy programs, alternative high schools, reading intervention programs in traditional high school settings, and GED programs. Contact:Dr. Mellinee Lesley, 806.834.1186, mellinee.lesley@ttu.edu

E-Learning & Online Teaching Certificate

This certificate will provide students and professionals with the opportunity to receive high quality training on how to design, develop, and teach online courses and e-learning applications. The fully (100%) online delivered courses will provide conceptual knowledge as well as advanced practical skills in the areas of online pedagogy, curriculum development, instructional strategies, assessment, and management.

Higher Education Administration & Leadership Certificate

The 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Administration provides the opportunity for higher education professionals and those who seek administrative positions to develop and reinforce their knowledge base in current trends, leadership, methodologies, administration, and strategic management.

Hearing Impairment Teaching Certificate

The College of Education is transforming the way educators will impact our future by implementing intensive clinical experiences, incorporating video technology and focusing on student learning. The College of Education is the sole teacher certification office for Texas Tech University. Students interested in teaching Elementary School, Middle School or High School Science are housed in the College of Education.

The coursework for an online Deaf and Hard of Hearing Graduate Certification Preparation Program is available both as a stand-alone certificate or an area of emphasis with the Masters of Education in Special Education . The degree plan includes all curriculum required for the Texas State Board of Education Certification Deaf and Hard of Hearing EC-12 Teaching Certificate. Certification also requires a passing score on the TExES examination and a Masters Degree.

Please choose this delivery option if you live outside of the state of Texas.You should choose the delivery option "Online (inside Texas)" if you live in the state of Texas.

Professional Reading Specialist Teaching Certificate

The College of Education is transforming the way educators will impact our future by implementing intensive clinical experiences, incorporating video technology and focusing on student learning. The College of Education is the sole teacher certification office for Texas Tech University.Students interested in teaching Elementary School, Middle School or High School Science are housed in the College of Education.

Individuals seeking Professional Reading Specialist Certification will complete a State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) approved program and pass the #151 TExES exam. The Individual is required to:

1. Have a master's degree
2. Have a valid teaching license in the state of Texas
3. Have completed two years of teaching experience in a TEA accredited school

To enroll in the Professional Reading Specialist program, please speak with an advisor in the Language & Literacy Education program and contact the certification office upon completion of requirements.

Grants and Proposals Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Grants and Proposals (CG&P) helps students build their credentials in technical communication with a focus on professional grant and proposal writing. Students in this program will augment their writing and editing skills, learn strategies for composing professional grant proposals, and earn professional credentials from Texas Tech's world-class Technical Communication and Rhetoric program. Students completing G&P certification will gain real-world writing and editing experience through 15 hours (minimum) of online/onsite courses, two in grant-writing, one in editing, one in research methods, and an elective.

Mathematics Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Mathematics is an online 18-hour certificate designed for anyone with a master's or doctoral degree (in any field) and coursework including calculus II and linear algebra who wants to increase mastery of mathematics. The program is currently designed for in-service teachers who desire to teach dual credit in high school or teach at a junior college. Students may choose six courses from amongMATH 5364 throughMATH 5378.

Contact:David Cannon,david.cannon@ttu.edu

Please choose this delivery option if you live outside of the state of Texas.  You should choose the delivery option "Online (inside Texas)€� if you live in the state of Texas. 

Medieval and Renaissance Studies Certificate

The 18-hour Graduate Certificate in Medieval and Renaissance Studies enables students whose study and research related to Medieval and Renaissance materials to obtain an interdisciplinary certificate that will give them an advantage for positions in the field. The certificate will be of particular interest to students working toward a master's or doctoral degree in art history, classics, English, Romance languages, German, history, music, or architecture.

Contact: Dr. Angela Mariani (angelamariani.smith@ttu.edu) & Dr. Janis Elliott (janis.elliott@ttu.edu)

Teaching Technical Communication Certificate

This program requires a minimum of 15 hours of either online or onsite courses and is designed for international institutions needing to provide faculty and students with instruction in how to teach technical communication and for individuals seeking to retool their English degrees to develop teaching expertise in technical communication.

Software Engineering Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Software Engineering is intended for those who do not need or wish to have a full graduate degree in software engineering or computer science. In particular, the certificate is directed towards working professionals and graduate students who are interested in systematic software development. In addition to any leveling requirements, coursework for the certificate requires 12 hours.

PLEASE NOTE: Any applications submitted after the deadline may NOT be reviewed in time before the semester begins and classes start.

For more information, see www.depts.ttu.edu/cs/grad/certificate

Applied Forensic Engineering Certificate

The purpose of the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Engineering (CFE) is to allow students with graduate level degrees to enter the Forensic Engineering fields of discipline. The certificate is designed for those students who would like to develop skilled expertise to become expert witnesses in litigation and experts in the realm of failure analysis. The program aims to teach both the scientific and legal principles needed to excel in this discipline. The certificate requires a total of 6 of courses (15 credit hours), chosen from a pre-approved list. The certification program takes approximately one to one and a half years to complete.

For more information, please contact Dr. Jahan Rasty (jahan.rasty@ttu.edu).

Youth Program Management & Evaluation Certificate

The 13-hour Graduate Certificate in Youth Program Management and Evaluation is designed to prepare professionals who are either working directly with adolescents and young adults or are involved in education and research related to youth. Few graduate programs exist that focus solely on the second decade of life. The certificate is designed to assist youth professionals to develop and apply resources for successful implementation and management of youth-serving organizations. The program addresses the need for advanced education based on research and policy for optimal youth outcomes through a strengths-based curriculum. This certificate is available only through enrollment in Great Plains IDEA. The program requires one foundations course and four electives from the following topics:

• Administration and Program
• Adolescents and Their Families
• Community Youth Development
• Contemporary Youth Issues
• Grant Development and Management
• Program Design, Evaluation and Implementation
• Youth in Cultural Contexts
• Youth Development
• Youth Policy
• Youth Professionals as Consumers of Research

Contact: Dr. Monica Martin, Graduate Program Director - Monica.J.Martin@ttu.edu

Gerontology Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Gerontology is a 15-hour inter-institutional program offered through the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA), a consortium of six universities. The program is designed to prepare professionals who are either working directly with older people or are involved in education or research related to aging adults. All the courses are web-based and are comprised of 6 hours of core courses (Perspectives in Gerontology and Adult Development) and 9 hours of electives offered by universities participating in Great Plains IDEA. Course prefix and number will vary according to the institution. Visit www.gpidea.org for more information.

Contact: Dr. Monica Martin, Graduate Program Director - Monica.J.Martin@ttu.edu

Book History & Digital Humanities Certificate

This program requires a minimum of 15 hours of courses in English, technical communication, and related fields. These courses typically include study in topics such as history of the book, teaching history of the book, digital humanities, scholarly editing, document design, and historic letterpress printing. They can also include work in art history, museum studies, and technical communication and rhetoric, among other related fields.

Students prepare for a career in publishing, civil service, industry, digital humanities, library science, or the academy; develop new workplace skills or supplement existing skills; learn best practices for converting cultural artifacts into digital form; understand the relationship between print culture, book history, and textual criticism; and develop or improve pedagogical or technological skills.

Contact: Dr. Marta Kvande

Ethics Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Ethics is a useful credential for people in a wide variety of academic, professional, and commercial roles, including students planning on entering the medical and legal professions, teachers (primary, secondary, and college-level) who offer (or are planning to offer) ethics modules in their classes, members of hospital ethics committees, IRB's, social action committees of churches, ethics watchdog committees within corporations, and professionals who are required to confront ethical questions on a regular basis.

Contact:Dr. Daniel Nathan, 806.834-7522,daniel.nathan@ttu.edu

Linguistics Certificate

This program comprises a minimum of 12 hours in linguistics courses. It usually includes study in phonology, syntax, and semantics, but flexibility is essential in meeting the diverse backgrounds, motivations, and goals of the students.

Provides a meaningful and internally coherent course of study of language and linguistics to match the background, interests, and needs of the individual student.

Contact: Dr. Aaron Braver, aaron.braver@ttu.edu

Strategic Studies Certificate

The Department of Political Science offers a 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Strategic Studies. Prepares students to fill the need for officials who can deal with strategic responsibilities in all branches of federal government, in the armed forces of the United States as well as state and local governments.

Contact:Dave Lewis 806.834.4972dave.lewis@ttu.edu

Geographic Information Science & Technology Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology is designed to provide a flexible solution to professionals and recent graduates who would like to further their education in geospatial technology. The Certificate requires 4 classes beyond an introductory GIS class (e.g., GIST 5300), with GIST 5302 Spatial Analysis and Modeling and GIST 5304 Advanced GIS (both are required).

Youth Development Specialist Certificate

The 13-hour Graduate Certificate in Youth Development is designed to assist youth professionals to train individuals in the second decade of life with the skills necessary for a successful transition into adulthood. The target audience is professionals who are either working directly with adolescents and young adults or are involved in education and research related to youth. This certificate is available only through enrollment in Great Plains IDEA. The program addresses the need for advanced education in youth issues and does so through a strengths-based curriculum and requires one foundations course and four electives from among the following topics:

• Adolescents and Their Families
• Community Youth Development
• Contemporary Youth Issues
• Youth in Cultural Contexts
• Youth Development
• Youth Policy

Contact: Dr. Ali Luempert - Ali.J.Luempert@ttu.edu

Construction Engineering & Management Certificate

The department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering offers a 12-hour graduate certificate in Construction Engineering and Management. The certificate is designed for professionals who have a bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, or another related field, or have any other bachelor's degree along with 3-5 years of extensive practical experience in the construction industry and are seeking a senior management position in the construction industry. It is ideal for students interested in pursuing graduate study without committing to a full master's program. Course selection will be reviewed and approved by the graduate advisor.

Contact:

Dr. Ali Nejat

806.834.4065

ali.nejat@ttu.edu

Teacher Mentoring and Instructional Coaching Graduate Certificate

The 12-hour Teacher Mentoring and Instructional Coaching graduate certificate program offers evidence-based professional preparation and development for mentors and coaches who support beginning teachers and their colleagues in learning to teach effectively and sustain their teaching careers. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

This program is designed for teachers with two or more years of teaching experience who would like to develop mentoring and coaching capacity for beginning teachers and their colleagues. It is also developed for those who want to become official mentor teachers in Texas by fulfilling the required mentor training – TEC §21.458. In addition, it prepares those teachers who would like to take leadership responsibilities in their school district in improving curriculum, teaching, and student learning through developing teachers' instruction capacity. Finally, it welcomes teams of teachers from school districts to participate since such teams will enable participants to continue supporting each other's mentoring and coaching practices after the initial training.

Admission Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree
• 3 years of K-12 teaching experiences

Contact: Dr. Jian Wang - jian.wang@ttu.edu - 806-834-5165

Music Technology Certificate

The graduate certificate in music technology seeks to educate students in various musical topics and issues. Students will understand music informatics and other associated technologies within two required courses and choose a single elective within several available topics.

Financial Health & Wellness Certificate

The Financial Health and Wellness graduate certificate program focuses on creating feelings of contentment and achievement with one's current and future financial status. Courses teach both the personal skill sets and the discovery methodologies necessary to succeed as a practitioner of holistic financial planning. The curriculum consists of three courses.

RAIDER Teach Certificate

RAIDER Teach is Texas Tech's high-quality, university-based teacher certification option.

RAIDER is an acronym that stands for Rapid Access Instructional Degree for Educator Readiness and is modeled after our award-winning, nationally-recognized Tech Teach educator preparation program. RAIDER Teach provides a path to teacher certification along with the option of completing a graduate certificate, with some credits being able to be applied to a future masters program in education.

Program Core

This Certificate requires all courses to be completed.

EDUC 5310 Teaching Basics & Behavior

Management

EDUC 5311 Methods and Content Literacy

EDUC 5312 Assessment & Technology in the

Classroom

EDUC 5313 Pedagogy and Professional

Responsibilities

EDUC 5314 Teaching Internship

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/education/raider/documents/RAIDER-Teach-FAQ-2025-11-20.pdf

Early Childhood Education & Family Policy Certificate

The Early Childhood and Family Policy (ECFP) graduate certificate program builds essential skills in policy development, analysis, and communication. Students will develop an interdisciplinary lens to understand the impact of early childhood and family policies across systems that address issues relevant to young children and family including health care, education, child care, family leave, mental health, child abuse and neglect, incarceration of parents, and minimum wage. The importance of the early years and the need for quality services that are distributed equitably and sustainably are integral to a just society. This proposed graduate certificate places individuals at the helm of a new era of policies that have an impact on children and families.

Human Sciences In Education and Training Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate Program for Human Sciences Education and Training is designed for current and future graduate students in Human Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences Education who want to enhance their knowledge, skillsets, and employment possibilities by adding expertise in education and training. The Human Sciences Education and Training Certificate incorporates a comprehensive understanding of the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Body of Knowledge, a framework that serves as the foundation for the FCS profession and addresses basic human needs, as well as critical perennial/emerging societal issues relevant to the well-being of individuals, families, consumers, and communities. The Human Sciences Education and Training Graduate Certificate program offers 15 hours (minimum) of online courses with the intent to expose students to FCS-related theories and how to apply theoretical frameworks to education and training programs. Graduate students may substitute one or more courses if they have taken similar courses in another program. Through focused coursework, it will empower graduate students to become “change agents” as future instructors or corporate industry trainers in Human Sciences.

Dr. Cindy Miller is the faculty advisor for this certificate. If you have any questions, you may contact her at cynthia.l.miller@ttu.edu.

Student Development & Academic Advisement - Certificate

The 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising and Student Development provides the opportunity for higher education and other professionals to develop skills that can enhance advising and student support practice. The courses will focus on best practices and understanding how to best support college students as they engage with faculty, staff, and other students.

Social Entrepreneurship Certificate

The five-course graduate certificate envisioned will be comprised of two core and three elective courses. The graduate certificate will support the efforts of the newly formed Danielle Alexandra & Richard L. Clemmer Institute for Social Entrepreneurship and Enterprise at Texas Tech University. This graduate certificate program will be important to anyone who wants to become an agent of change in the social sector, to learn how to help individuals design and launch social entrepreneurial organizations (for profit, non-profit and hybrid), to become involved in social investing and philanthropy, and to participate in social change projects in their local community, nation, or world. 

Music Theory Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy prepares graduate music students for teaching music theory at the collegiate level. The reports that 80% of the music theory courses in the US are being taught by people who did not major in music theory. This means that faculty in other areas of music are frequently asked to teach music theory courses. Students who complete this certification will have a tangible record of accomplishment and preparation for these duties. Students in this certificate program will take Pedagogy of Music Theory as well as their choice of other music theory courses so that they are engaged with current trends in research and curriculum. This certificate is open to all students enrolled in a graduate music degree.

Fine Arts - Arts Administration - Certificate

This graduate certificate is open to all master’s or doctoral students, and non-degree seeking post-baccalaureate professionals who wish to further their knowledge in the area of arts administration. This 15-hour certificate’s curriculum is flexible within required competency areas, allowing enrolled students to pursue individualized professional goals, while drawing on courses from numerous departments outside the Talkington College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Fine Arts - Arts and Health - Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Arts and Health will provide students with an overall understanding of the relationship between the creative arts and healthcare, while gaining an overview of healthcare settings and the rapidly increasing presence of arts practices (including therapies, interventions, and programming) in those settings. Through the elective portion of the certificate, students will have the option to focus on administration and funding, research, or arts delivery. This certificate is open to all master’s and doctoral students as well as non-degree seeking post-baccalaureate professionals.

K-12 Advanced STEM Master Leadership Certificate

This graduate certificate will focus on the structures and policies that dictate K-12 STEM education and how to lead in fostering change to systemically improve K-12 STEM education. Graduates of this certificate will learn more about K-12 STEM education policy, develop and implement interventions, and research the efficacy of the implemented interventions to impact STEM education at scale. Prospective students are required to have a Master's degree before applying to this certificate program.

K-12 Basic STEM Master Leadership Certificate

This graduate certificate will focus on the development of K-12 STEM teacher leaders through experiences in exploring standards, curriculum reform, emergent pedagogies and assessment tools and communities of practice (e.g., professional learning communities, instructional coaching, community-based advocacy, and mentoring). Graduates of this certificate will be able to advocate for stronger (more equitable) learning spaces in K-12 STEM education.

Indigenous & Native American Studies Certificate

Students will examine the concepts and impacts of sovereignty, decolonization, colonization, and indigenizing on the lives, culture, and communities of Indigenous Peoples and Native Americans through a variety of instructional methods and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Music Cognition Graduate Certificate

The graduate certificate in Music Cognition introduces students to interdisciplinary research in music and the cognitive sciences. Students will examine the sensory and cognitive processes involved in perceiving, composing, and performing music, and conduct laboratory research using both behavioral and computational methods. The certificate benefits students who are 1) preparing for commercial jobs in the music technology sector and/or subsequent post-doctoral studies in fields like psychology, cognitive neuroscience, psychoacoustics, and music information retrieval; or 2) wishing to broaden their academic/research experience and credentials while pursuing careers in traditional academic disciplines like music theory, music education, music composition, musicology, or performance.

The certificate is open to students from the Schools of Music and Psychology, as well as from other degree programs at Texas Tech University. No formal training in music is required, but an ability to read Western notation is strongly encouraged. Students seeking the certificate in Music Cognition must complete 15 hours selected from the following lists.

Contact: David Sears - david.sears@ttu.edu, (806) 834-4330