A certificate is an approved academic award given in conjunction with the satisfactory completion of a program of instruction, signifying a standard of knowledge in a specific subject. Certificates are posted to the official transcript and documented on a separate diploma.
Undergraduate Certificates are available as three types, each differing in terms of the minimum required admission status and in the timing of when the certificate is awarded, as described below. Individual certificates may have unique pre-requisites or program admission requirements defined by the academic departments.
In addition to meeting the specific course requirements of the undergraduate certificate, students must meet the Residency Requirement: a minimum of 16 credits or 3/4 of the credits required for the certificate, whichever is higher, must be earned at Portland State University.
Postbaccalaureate and Graduate Certificates are designed for students who have already earned a bachelor's degree. While postbaccalaureate certificates are comprised of undergraduate level courses, graduate certificates are approved graduate-level courses.
The Center for Executive and Professional Education and other departments also offer non-credit certificates that are designed to provide specific skills and knowledge relevant to a particular industry or field. These programs and certificates are recorded on a continuing education transcript, not an academic transcript.
Undergraduate Certificate - Admission Not Required
Undergraduate Certificate at Completion
Undergraduate Certificate with Baccalaureate
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Graduate Certificate
Professional Non-Credit Certificate
| How is the certification noted on the transcript? | Degree: Certificate
Major: <<subject>> |
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| When is the certification awarded? | Certification is attained upon completion of certificate requirements. |
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| Is admission required? | No |
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| Which student levels are eligible to enroll in these certificate programs? | Non-Degree, Undergraduate, Postbaccalaureate, Graduate |
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| Is this program eligible for federal financial aid? | No (Aid may be eligible while admitted into an Undergraduate, Postbaccalaureate, or Graduate admit status with a declared degree/major). |
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| Which certificates are available at this level? | Black Studies Certificate
Consumer Retail Certificate
Human Lactation Certificate
Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge |
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| Where is more information available? | Academic Programs A-Z List |
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| How is the certification noted on the transcript? | Degree: Certificate
Major: <<subject>> |
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| When is the certification awarded? | Certification is attained upon completion of certificate requirements. |
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| Is admission required? | Yes, undergraduate admission and matriculation are required. |
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| Which student levels are eligible to enroll in these certificate programs? | Undergraduate, Postbaccalaureate, Graduate |
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| Is this program eligible for federal financial aid? | Yes (student must have a declared primary major, including UNDC - Undeclared/Exploratory). |
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| Which certificates are available at this level? | Art History Certificate
Climate Adaptation and Management Certificate
Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies
Cultural Resource Management
Intercultural Competence for the Workplace Certificate
Lake and Reservoir Management Certificate
Undergraduate Certificate in World Language Pedagogy |
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| Where is more information available? | Academic Programs A-Z List |
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| How is the certification noted on the transcript? | Degree: Certificate
Major: <<subject>> |
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| When is the certification awarded? | Certification is attained only at time the of granting baccalaureate degree. |
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| Is admission required? | Yes, undergraduate admission and matriculation is required. |
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| Which student levels are eligible to enroll in these certificate programs? | Undergraduate, Postbaccalaureate, Graduate |
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| Is this program eligible for federal financial aid? | Yes |
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| Which certificates are available at this level? | Advanced Proficiency in Russian Certificate
African Studies Certificate
Athletic and Outdoor Industry Certificate
Chicanx/Latinx Studies Certificate
Comics Studies Certificate
Communication Sciences and Disorders Certificate
Criminal Behavior and Justice Undergraduate Certificate
Criminal Law and Justice
Criminal Law and Justice (CCJ Majors)
Entrepreneurship Certificate
Food, Beverage & Goods Leadership Certificate
Global Scholar Pathway Certificate
International Business Studies Certificate
International Studies: Middle Eastern Studies Certificate
Real Estate Property Management Certificate
Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Certificate
Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate
Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language Certificate
Transformative Messaging Certificate
Women's Leadership Certificate |
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| Where is more information available? | Academic Programs A-Z List |
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| How is the certification noted on the transcript? | Degree: Certificate
Major: <<subject>> |
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| When is the certification awarded? | Certification is attained upon completion of certificate requirements. |
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| Is admission required? | Yes, Postbaccalaureate admission and matriculation are required. |
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| Which student levels are eligible to enroll in these certificate programs? | Postbaccalaureate, Graduate |
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| Is this program eligible for federal financial aid? | Yes |
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| Which certificates are available at this level? | Postbaccalaureate Accounting Certificate
Women's Studies Certificate |
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| Where is more information available? | Academic Programs A-Z List |
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| How is the certification noted on the transcript? | Degree: Certificate
Major: <<subject>> |
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| When is the certification awarded? | Certification is attained upon completion of certificate requirements. |
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| Is admission required? | Yes, Graduate admission and matriculation are required |
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| Which student levels are eligible to enroll in these certificate programs? | Graduate |
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| Is this program eligible for federal financial aid? | Yes |
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| Which certificates are available at this level? | Affordable Housing Development
Analog and Microwave Circuit Design
Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied Statistics
Athletic & Outdoor Industry Graduate Certificate
Blindness and Low Vision
Business Intelligence and Analytics
Children's and Young Adult Literature
Collaborative Governance
Communication Systems
Computational Intelligence
Computer Architecture and Design
Computer Modeling and Simulation
Cybersecurity
Design Automation
Digital Design
Digital Signal Processing
Early Intervention Special Education Certificate
Earth and Space Science for K-12 Educators
Econometrics and Data Analysis
Emergency Management and Community Resilience
Engineering Geology
Enterprise Analytics
Environmental Geology
Food Marketing and Logistics
Futures Thinking and Foresight Practice
Gender, Race, and Nations
Geographic Information Systems
Global Supply Chain Management
Healthy and Efficient Buildings
Hydro-Geology
Hydrology
Image Processing
Infant/Toddler Mental Health Grad Certificate
Integrated Circuit Testing, Verification, and Validation
Lasers and Optoelectronics
Music Performance
New Product Management
Nonprofit and Public Management Certificate
Orientation and Mobility for Children, Youth and Adults
Principal License
Project Management Certificate
Public Interest Design
Real Estate Development
Real Estate Investment and Finance
School Counseling Certificate
Semiconductor Materials & Manufacturing
Service Learning and Community Based Learning
Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Certificate
Software Engineering
Special Education Added Endorsement Certificate
Strategic Management of Technology
Student Affairs in Higher Education
Sustainable Food Systems
Systems Engineering Fundamentals
Teaching Adult Learners
Technological Entrepreneurship
Technology Management
Training and Development
Transportation
Urban Design |
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| Where is more information available? | Academic Programs A-Z List |
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| How is the certificate noted on the transcript? | Appears on a PSU continuing education unit transcript, not on an academic transcript. Certificates are provided by the Center for Executive and Professional Education. |
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| When is the certification awarded? | Certificate is attained upon completion of certificate requirements. |
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| Is admission required? | No |
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| Which student levels are eligible to enroll in these certificate programs? | Anyone interested in developing professional skills. There are no prerequisites to enroll. |
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| Is this program eligible for federal financial aid? | No, although some students may qualify for funding through their employer or WorkSource. |
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| Which certificates are available at this level? | Center for Executive and Professional Education (Project Management, HR Management, Data Analytics, etc.) Center for Public Service (public sector focused programs) Environmental Professional Program (River Restoration, Wetland Delineation, etc.) |
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