Certificates

In 1916, St. Joseph's University, New York began as a college devoted to providing higher education to women, many of whom were immigrants. In our century-long record of success, we have not simply adhered to that mission, but expanded and refined it — creating our institution anew to meet new demands and emerging community needs.

We are poised to fulfill your educational needs in multiple ways, even if you do not need to pursue a degree. Our continuing education opportunities feature a diverse portfolio of customized pathways, to ensure that your educational journey leads to your desired destination.

Does completing a certificate (or multiple certificates) make sense for you, whether for academic credit or not? Does your corporation or nonprofit organization support your bid to enhance your existing skills sets, or to develop new areas of expertise? Do competing commitments make it difficult to arrange your schedule to fit scheduled courses, but an online offering (at your own pace) would work beautifully? Are you still in high school, but would like to undertake a college course as a bridge to college studies?  

If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then your next step is to contact St. Joseph's University.

Why earn a certificate?

Here are some reasons to look into a non-degree certificate (or badge/competency):

• These programs are interdisciplinary. They include courses from all over the university, which allows for a more diverse educational background and more ways to connect experiences and skills.
• They are typically defined by a specific theme or domain. It is generally quite easy to put your finger on the purpose of taking a defined certificate.  
• It’s easy to complement your existing expertise and to develop and documents your new interests and expertise. For example: Maybe you were an accounting major, but what you really want to do is work in management. How do you make that move? A certificate in Management would be perfect. Make sure employers know your reasoning and your interest behind the certificate — it shows your dedication and your passion for a particular subject, and for the needs of the organization.
• They cover things that may have been left out of your major, or that move beyond the discipline you majored in. My sociology classes talked a lot about race, socio-economic status, gender, etc., but none of them talked about these things in relation to individuals and how to teach and train them. That’s where a certificate in leadership and supervision could come in handy.
• It allows you to stay ahead of the curve.