Certificates of Graduate Study

Graduate certificates offer a focused, efficient way to build expertise in a specific area without the time commitment of a full degree program. At NIU, graduate certificates consist of 12 to 18 semester hours of specified coursework and can typically be completed in one to two years. Admission requirements are streamlined, making them accessible for working professionals looking to advance, pivot or specialize.

With graduate certificate options spanning business, education, health sciences, engineering and more, NIU has options for nearly every professional goal.

Explore Our Stand-Alone Certificates of Graduate Study

• Business Analytics
• Elementary Education
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
• Latin American Studies
• Leadership in Senior Living and Aging Services
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies

• Public Budgeting and Financial Management
• Public Management
• Teaching English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education
• Trauma-Informed Counseling
• User Experience (UX) and Learning Analytics
• World Languages and Cultures

Important note: In addition to these stand-alone graduate certificate options, NIU also offers a variety of graduate certificates that can be added on to a graduate degree program.