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Online Graduate Certificates

Frequently Asked Questions

Graduate certificates require between 9-13 credit hours depending on the certificate.

Graduate certificates provide you with a specific high-level skill set and knowledge, boosting your return on investment from the academic experience. They can also be completed concurrently with our online master's degrees through strategic mapping of free electives.

The application deadlines are:

  • Fall Semester: August 1
  • Spring Semester: December 1
  • Summer Semester: April 1

Current Purdue online graduate students should submit graduate certificate applications after they have completed their first semester but before their last semester at Purdue University.

All applicants of our online graduate certificates must pay the application processing fee. There are no waivers.

Existing online degree-seeking students are not eligible to apply for the online graduate certificate until they have completed at least one semester of coursework.

Yes, the courses in the Online Graduate Certificates can be taken as electives with program approval. Completion may require additional credits beyond the graduate program’s normal degree requirements.

Yes, current online MBA and master’s students are eligible to complete the online graduate certificate. Students are required to complete the graduate certificate application in order to be admitted.

Yes, current graduate students can take additional courses needed for the online graduate certificate after graduation.

Purdue alumni who have earned some or all credits required to complete the online graduate certificate can apply to earn or finish the certificate within 5 years of graduating.

Below are some examples of how online graduate certificates can be paired with an online master's degree:

  • MS Business Analytics students can apply for the online graduate certificate in Innovation & Technology Commercialization.
  • MS Economics students can apply for the online graduate certificate in Public Economics & Policy.
  • Note: Online graduate students are not permitted to apply to the online graduate certificate that is in the exact same field of study as the graduate degree they are pursuing. (Example: a Global Supply Chain master's student can not be admitted to the Global Supply Chain Management Graduate Certificate.)

The online graduate certificate program will be noted as a "Graduate Certificate in Subject Area, from the Mitch Daniels School of Business." This credential will be posted on the academic transcript separately from other completed Purdue University credentials once the program requirements have been completed.

Please contact the online programs team at businessonlineprograms@purdue.edu.