Graduate Certificate Programs

2011-2012

Recognizing that for today’s student flexibility is the key, Hartford Seminary offers an alternative in graduate learning: the Graduate Certificate. This program provides students opportunities for study without committing to a full degree program. The Graduate Certificate program allows students to expand their knowledge in specialized, focused fields, ranging from biblical studies to spirituality to Islamic studies.

Students at Hartford Seminary may pursue a Masters-level graduate certificate, which will be awarded upon successful completion of 18 or 24 credits of coursework in one of the nine areas outlined below.

Application and Admission

Students wishing to be admitted prior to the start of a given semester must make sure their files are complete by the following deadlines:

• April 15 for Summer Session
• July 15 for the Fall Semester
• December 1 for January Intersession and the Winter/Spring Semester

An applicant's file is complete when the following items have been received by the Admissions Office:

1. The application form and application fee of $50.
2. A statement of three to four paragraphs (not to exceed one page double spaced) indicating the applicant's educational objectives in pursuing the chosen graduate certificate area of study.
        a. Please note: Those applying to the Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership program need to submit a personal statement of four to five pages identifying the applicant's personal goals for the program, his/her perceived strengths, and his/her potential areas for development.
3. Complete official transcripts sent directly from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions.
4. One letter of recommendation from a professor or instructor who can speak to the applicant's academic abilities and potential (preferred) or a professional colleague who can speak to the applicant's ability or potential to manage graduate-level study.
        a. Please note: Those applying to the Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership program need to provide two letters of recommendation: one from a professor or instructor who can speak to the applicant’s academic abilities and potential, and another from the representative of a local mosque or Muslim religious or community organization who can speak to the applicant’s exercise of religious leadership and involvement in religious and community activities.

To apply online, click here. Detailed instructions for completing the application are provided at this link. You may also request a paper application by calling our Admissions Office at 860-509-9512.

A Bachelor's degree (or its educational equivalent at a satisfactory) level of achievement from an accredited institution is a prerequisite for admission.

Coursework that was taken for credit as a special student at Hartford Seminary prior to admission may be applied toward the 18 credits required for the Graduate Certificate; however, at least 6 credits must be taken after official notification of admission to the Graduate Certificate program.

Please note: The Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy requires completion of 24 credits – please see The Islamic Chaplaincy Program section of the Catalogue.

No transfer credit from other institutions or Advanced Standing credit will be allowed to count toward the Graduate Certificate.

Admission to a Graduate Certificate program of study does not constitute or guarantee admission to the Master of Arts degree program. Admission is granted only on the basis of the terms stated in this Catalogue and in the admission letter.

Readmission: Please see Academic Policies for Graduate Programs section.

Program of Study

Planning the Graduate Certificate program of study: At the time of admission, students are assigned a faculty advisor. Together, the student and the faculty advisor will plan the graduate certificate program of study in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Hartford Seminary Catalogue for the graduate certificate. The advisor will be responsible for informing the Dean that all graduate certificate requirements have been met. Students, in consultation with their faculty advisor, complete a graduate certificate program of study worksheet outlining six or eight courses (18 or 24 credits depending on program) that will constitute their graduate certificate.

Graduate certificates are available in the following areas:

Biblical Studies
Imam and Muslim Community Leadership
Interfaith Dialogue
Islamic Chaplaincy
Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations
Ministry in Daily Life
Religious Studies
Spirituality
Theology and Ethics

Graduate Certificate in Biblical Studies

Students completing this certificate will have basic familiarity with the content of the books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, with the historical-critical method and will have engaged in more intensive exploration of selected books, genres, or themes of the Bible.

Requirements/Credit

Graduate Certificate In Interfaith Dialogue

Students completing this certificate will have been exposed to dialogue and its importance in Christian-Muslim and Abrahamic Relations. They will have practiced and learned to explain the "dialogical imperative" of engaging persons of other religious traditions, exploring both personal and structural sources of similarities and differences.

Requirements/Credits

Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership

In this program , which offers leadership education in an American context, students will be expected to complete courses in Islamic scripture, theology, history, congregational studies and practices of ministry (18 credits). In addition, they will do six credits of practical training, including Clinical Pastoral Education and field work in a local mosque or Islamic community service agency.  Further details are available here.

Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy

Please see The Islamic Chaplaincy Program web site and the Hartford Seminary Catalogue for complete information on the Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy.

Graduate Certificate in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations

Students completing this certificate will have been introduced to the history, beliefs and practices of Islam and will have become acquainted with the major social and political trends in contemporary Islam. Students will also have been exposed to dialogue and its importance in Christian-Muslim Relations.

Requirements/Credits

Graduate Certificate in Ministry in Daily Life

One of the defining features of Hartford Seminary is its emphasis on “ministry in daily life.” Students completing this graduate certificate will have reflected upon the application of faith and spirituality to life and will be able to articulate an understanding of ministry that informs their daily lives.

Recommended Course: AM-520 Ministry in a Multicultural World

Graduate Certificate in Religious Studies

This certificate is intended for students who desire the greatest flexibility for purposes of meeting particular educational objectives. Students completing this graduate certificate will have constructed a coherent set of courses to meet their educational objectives in collaboration with their faculty advisor. Students will be expected to articulate how the courses they select meet their stated goals.

Online Option: The Graduate Certificate in Religious Studies may be taken completely online. In general, the Seminary offers three online courses each regular semester.

Graduate Certificate

Students completing this graduate certificate will have grown in an understanding of spirituality as a way of life that intentionally integrates behavior and belief while honoring one’s personal search for meaning. Core to the program is exposure to a rapidly changing world and its multifaceted implications, diversity in understanding and relating to the Divine, a deepening of one’s awareness of the Spirit in everyday life, and an application of theoretical learning to reflective prayer and practice.

Women’s Leadership Institute
Up to 6 credits of the Women’s Leadership Institute may be applied toward the 18 credits of this graduate certificate.

Graduate Certificate in Theology and Ethics

The graduate certificate in theology and ethics introduces students to biblical sources, historical traditions, and contemporary construction in theology and ethics. By engaging texts in their historical and cultural contexts, students will be assisted in developing their own theological interpretations and ethical positions surrounding current issues.

Requirements/Credits

Tuition Costs, Fees and Financial Aid

See Master of Arts Program - Tuition Costs and Fees in the Catalogue.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial aid and scholarships are not available for the 18-credit graduate certificates at Hartford Seminary.

Graduation Fee

There is a $65 graduation fee for all Graduate Certificate recipients.

Academic Policies for Graduate Certificate Programs

The policies that are specific to the Graduate Certificate Programs are below. Please also see the Academic Policies for Graduate Programs.

Academic Probation

Graduate Certificate students who fail to maintain a cumulative 2.66 grade point average are placed on academic probation. As a condition of academic probation, students will be required to meet with the Hartford Seminary Writing Consultant for a minimum of ten hours each semester until his/her average resumes a non-probation level.

Grading System

For the Graduate Certificate programs, the Hartford Seminary Grading Guidelines approved by the faculty in April 1996 stipulate the following:

• +/- indicates strength or weakness within a letter grade. Grades range from A to C and F; A+'s and C-'s are not part of the grading system.
• A(4.00), A-(3.66), B+(3.33), B(3.00), B-(2.66), C+(2.33), C(2.00) and F(0.00).
• A grade point average of no less than B-(2.66) is required to maintain good standing in the Graduate Certificate program.
• Students who fail to maintain a cumulative 2.66 grade point average are placed on academic probation.
• A minimum grade point average of 2.75 is required for graduation.

Graduation

Graduate Certificates are awarded at Hartford Seminary’s annual graduation ceremony in late spring. (Please see Academic Calendar for exact date.)

On-Campus Classroom Requirement

Hartford Seminary requires that at least 9 credits of the 18 required credits for a graduate certificate be taken in courses taught in the classroom on the Hartford Seminary campus. This allows for up to 9 credits to be taken in a combination of the following formats: off-site courses, on-line courses, independent study, travel seminars, field education.

Please note: Students enrolled in the Religious Studies Graduate Certificate are exempted from this policy and therefore have the option of taking all 18 credits in the following formats: off-site courses, on-line courses, independent study, and travel seminars. This option is designed to provide additional flexibility for students who live at a great distance from the Seminary. (Normally, transfer and advanced standing credit are not permitted in a graduate certificate program due to the limited number of credits required.)

Termination of Program

A student who has been inactive for four consecutive academic semesters will be notified that they have been removed from the program. If a student wishes to continue in the program after such notification, they may reactivate their status by petitioning the Academic Affairs Committee and paying any unpaid tuition or fees within 30 days.

Application Process to the Master of Arts Degree Program

Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts degree program upon completion of a Graduate Certificate program of study need to provide the following:

1. Completed Master of Arts application (the $50 application fee is waived).
2. A personal statement of three to four pages identifying the applicant's personal goals for the Master of Arts program, his/ her perceived strengths, and his/ her potential areas for development.
3. Original materials submitted for the Graduate Certificate application including the letter of recommendation and original transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions (available from the Registrar's Office).
4. Two additional letters of recommendation. (One letter from your faculty advisor and one letter from another faculty member with whom you have taken a course – preferably a core faculty member, if possible.)
5. Hartford Seminary transcript.
6. Personal interview.