Land-Grant University Faculty Preparation, Graduate Certificate

Overview

The Land-Grant University Faculty Preparation Graduate Certificate is designed to prepare graduate students for tenure-track, career-track and non-tenure-track faculty positions, particularly at land-grant universities across the nation.

Modern faculty careers require expertise across multiple areas of responsibility. This certificate provides comprehensive preparation aligned with the land-grant mission, helping students build practical skills in teaching, research, and extension/outreach while gaining a deeper understanding of faculty roles, expectations and career pathways. Students also develop materials and experiences that strengthen their competitiveness in the faculty job market.

The program's objectives are to:

• Develop skills related to teaching, research and extension/outreach through graduate-level coursework.
• Explore the expectations and responsibilities of the professoriate while preparing materials for the faculty application process.
• Build the knowledge, competencies, experiences and professional understanding necessary for success as a faculty member at a land-grant institution.

Graduates of the certificate program will be better prepared to pursue faculty careers and navigate the evolving expectations of higher education institutions as they complete their master's or doctoral degrees.

Coursework

Required (3 credit hours):

• AECL 5201: Faculty Preparation in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Seminar Series
  

Electives (9):

Select one course from each of the three following areas:

Teaching (select one of the following):

• AGED 5813: College Teaching of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• AGED 5823: Advanced Methods of Teaching Agriculture
  AECL 6363: Experiential Learning Theory in Agricultural Settings
• EPSY 5983: Instructional Effectiveness in Higher Education
• HESA 6713: Effective Teaching in College and Universities
• CIED 5823: Mindfulness, Curriculum, and Teaching

Research (section one of the following):

• AGCM 5143: Writing for Scholarly Publications in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
  
• GRAD 5193: Preparing Publishable Manuscripts
• AGED 5203: Grant Seeking
• HORT 5553:  Scientific Writing in Horticulture
  

Extension/Outreach (section one of the following):

• AECL 6223: Program Evaluation in Agriculture and Extension
• AGED 5623: Volunteer Management in Agricultural and Extension Education
• AECL 5863: Methods of Technological Change
• AGLE 6203: Extension Program Development
• AGED 5123: Adult Programs in Agricultural and Extension Education
• AGIN 5723: Participatory Systems Modeling
• NREM 5313: Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
• MC 5953: Strategic Health Communications Campaigns

Admissions Requirements and Deadlines

You need to complete an application to the Graduate College, which requires an application fee and a copy of official transcripts. Please contact Dr. Quisto Settle when you apply. You must file a Plan of Study prior to graduation, and it should be done as early in the program as possible. To complete the Graduate Certificate, you need to complete the correct form after you finish your coursework.

Cost and Assistance:

Cost for on-campus enrollment