North Central College - Naperville, IL
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Graduate Certificates

North Central College graduate certificates in business, computer science, leadership, and liberal studies support students who:

  • Desire an introduction to an area of study,
  • Want to try out a new area before committing to an entire degree program,
  • Need to advance their expertise but cannot commit to an entire degree program, or
  • Already hold a business master’s degree and want to brush up on their skills.

Certificates range from those that are clearly introductory in nature and require minimal to no background in the area of study, to those that are intended for students with extensive background preparation for advanced study in an area. Individual certificate descriptions describe the intended audience and any prerequisites.

As a graduate certificate student, you’ll experience the same challenging curriculum, individualized faculty attention and a close-knit student community that degree-seeking students do. Each course is three credit hours and most certificates require nine credit hours for completion.  In addition, courses taken as part of a graduate certificate can be applied to a North Central master’s degree, provided a grade of B- or better is earned, the course is appropriate to the graduate degree applied to and the certificate course is taken within three years of beginning the degree program.  Visit the certificate pages to learn about any prerequisites.

How to Apply

Complete the graduate online application for admission.  Submit the following application materials, and you can upload application materials here.

1. A statement outlining your career goals and motivation in pursuing a graduate certificate.

2. Official transcripts from every undergraduate, graduate, or professional school attended. Transcripts must be signed and sealed by the Registrar of each institution.

3. A copy of your professional resume.

4.  Leadership and Liberal Studies Certificate applicants must also submit an original writing sample.  Samples should reflect the ability to research and to write critically.  Please be sure to include a reference page.