Best Philosophy and Religious Studies graduate certificate programs - Updated 2020

The graduate certificate in classical philosophy provides training, special skills, and knowledge equipping students for scholarly work and teaching that involve classical philosophy. It is designed to recognize students who have gone beyond their own departmental requirements for a Ph.D. and done significant work in classical philosophy, but who are not enrolled in the Ph.D. Program in Classical Philosophy. The certificate offers students in departments other than classics and philosophy the opportunity of taking seminars in those departments as a substantial part of their regular course of study. They will thus be able to improve their knowledge of the classical languages, extend their acquaintance with classical literature, history, and culture, and do intensive work on classical philosophical texts. In addition, students enrolled in the Certificate Program are expected to attend the Classical Philosophy Reading Group (which meets once a week during term time), and will be invited to attend the Program’s workshops and colloquia.

Religious Studies and Education Certificate program is jointly sponsored by Harvard Divinity School and Harvard Extension School, this certificate provides educators a multidisciplinary foundation for approaching the study of religion in public school classrooms or in other educational settings focused on learning about religion.

The Graduate Certificate in Philosophy, Arts, and Literature is an interdisciplinary certificate that seeks to connect the study of specific works of art and specific art forms (such as literature, music, theater, painting, film, and so on) to questions concerning creativity, the nature of specific art forms, the relationship between knowledge and art, and between ethics and aesthetics. The Certificate aims to make student conversant with philosophical reflections on literature and the arts. As forms of human expression, philosophy and every art form are historical. The Certificate seeks to foster an understanding of the historical nature of different art forms, and of aesthetics and philosophy, and to encourage exploration of philosophy, arts, and literature from different historical periods. The courses must be taken in a minimum of three different departments. Each semester, courses approved for the Certificate will be announced on the Certificate website.

The study of religion, politics and public life, nationally and internationally, is a topic of growing interest among scholars at Northwestern and beyond. The graduate certificate program in Global Politics and Religion is an interdisciplinary initiative co-sponsored by the Political Science and the Religious Studies that responds to interest in this emergent field of study. It offers a coordinated program of study for graduate students interested in the interrelations between religion, politics, culture, law, and governance in different parts of the world, and in global and transnational perspective. Building on existing strengths across fields at Northwestern, this certificate brings focus and concentration to this dispersed interest. It provides students with the theoretical grounding in the necessary disciplines to support their research, develop professional networks, and prepare them for academic positions in this area of inquiry. See Global Politics and Religion Certificate Requirements for specific courses and procedures needed to complete Philosophy and Religious Studies program.

Vanderbilt University offers certificate programs in several different programs of interest. All degree-seeking students at the Graduate Religion are eligible to for certificate programs during the spring semester of their first year of study, or at any point prior to graduation, provided that the required courses have been completed. To receive a certificate, one must take 15 credit hours of courses in the designated area. The student must submit a Notification of Intent to Enroll in a Graduate Certificate Program form with the appropriate signatures to the Graduate School. Once the course requirements have been satisfied, the student will submit the Graduate Certificate Checklist to the Graduate School. Specific requirements are determined by program information is available by following the program links below. Graduate Certificate in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality Explores the complex set of issues dealing with religion, gender and sexuality.

The Department offers a University certificate in Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism (GEM).

The USC School of Religion will offer a Graduate Certificate in Religious Studies (GCRS) to graduate students in any school of USC.

The Baylor English Department has long held significant strengths in the study of literature and religion, particularly in, but not limited to, Christianity. You may list the certificate on your C.V.

The graduate certificate in religious studies emphasizes questions of method and theory. The certificate expands on academic questions in religion and enhances your skills for teaching research, and policy positions that involve the study of religion. The graduate certificate in Religious Studies serves students in several master’s and doctoral programs at Virginia Tech, including Material Culture and Public Humanities, Political Science, English, and the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought (ASPECT). Graduate courses for this certificate emphasize questions of method and theory shared by many of these programs. The certificate gives students in these programs a way to formalize their academic interest in religion; such a credential would enhance their ability to apply for teaching, research, and policy positions that involve the study of religion.

As part of the University of Alabama’s MA in Religion in Culture students will earn two required additional certificates, to document their enhanced skills in both online pedagogy and the digital humanities. Although traditional lecture and seminar courses constitute the BA in Religious Studies at UA, the Religious Studies has also developed a small number of courses specifically designed for beginning students working in the online environment — from distance learning students, working on degrees but away from campus, to Early College students getting a leg-up on their university education. In order to design or teach such courses, all instructors must complete UA’s Certificate in Online Pedagogy — a multi-part online program that ensures that they are aware of strategies for succeeding with online teaching. Because of the prominence of taking online courses in higher ed today, we aim to ensure that The University of Alabama graduates are not only experienced in teaching in this medium but also understand the wider factors that have, at least for some institutions, made online courses a preferred site. And, once they’ve earned this certificate (ideally before the end of their second semester, i.e., their first Spring semester), they will be eligible for the possibility of supervised online teaching opportunities in the Department, which could provide summer earnings or funding toward their second year as well as practical teaching experience. Throughout their degree students will also earn a certificate in the digital humanities. Note: The Alabama Digital Humanities Center (located on the first floor of Gorgas) will be a resource to students throughout the degree, both in REL 502 and in other courses (when, with the permission of the Professor, students may opt to work on a digital project). Depending on the relevance of their programming in any given year, additional events elements may be recommended or required as part of the Digital Humanities Certificate.