UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS & ALQUDS OPEN UNIVERSITY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ACADEMICS AND PRACTITIONERS: GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS PFDP ACADEMIC COLLOQUIUM JULY 31 – AUGUST 1ST , 2010 Mohammad Awad, PhD Kimberly A. Aaron, PhD

Introduction Local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations need talented, well-educated managers and staff to lead their organizations. Many employees find it challenging to pursue graduate degrees These certificates allow practitioners to gain valuable exposure to concepts that will help their organizations and will facilitate their own professional advancement  

Academic Certificate Programs in the United States The challenge of training students to be prepared in their jobs is determining how to provide relevant and practical concepts and approaches to their work (Cohen, Eimicke and Ukeles 1995) Academic certificate programs provide institutions of higher education with an alternative approach to meeting the demand for specific programs, while providing potential students with choices in pursuing graduate-level education.

The Range of Academic Certificates in U.S. Universities University of Southern Maine Literacy The certificate of graduate studies in literacy is offered to teachers and special education teachers, educational technicians, and other holders of baccalaureate degrees. Holders of the certificate have the competencies and proficiency levels needed to plan effective literacy instruction for their students

Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician (MHRT)/Community The MHRT/community certificate program is especially suited for Practitioners who work in the mental health system Persons with prior graduate training Persons with a bachelor degree and one year of direct experience in the mental health field

Middle Level Education The middle level education certificate program is designed to: - Meet the professional knowledge certificate requirements for the middle level teacher endorsement - Provide a foundation for graduate work in middle level education

Performance Management Certificate The certificate in performance management is designed to equip managers with the knowledge and skills needed to monitor and report on organizational performance Present results-oriented information Students select four courses (12 credit hours), including one required course and three courses from a listing of approved courses.

Community Planning and Development The certificate in community planning and development: - Provides students with a grounding in land use and environmental planning, economic development, law and policy analysis, infrastructure programming, and growth management - develops an understanding of economic, social, legal, ethical, and political contexts The certificate requires the completion of 12 credit hours of coursework.

Seton Hall University Graduate Communication Professional Certificate Program The Department of Communications offers six professional certificates either as part of the Masters degree or on a standalone basis Each certificate is comprised of four courses or 12 credits The six professional certificates offered include: 1) Strategic Communication and Leadership, 2) Intercultural Communication, 3) Organizational Communication, 4) International Communication, 5) Strategic Communication Planning, and 6) Public Relations.

The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) Graduate Certificate in Evaluation Research To gain competencies in the design and implementation of program evaluations The certificate may be incorporated into graduate degree programs, or may be taken on its own by non-degree seeking students Students must successfully complete three required courses and a two-semester long evaluation research project that culminates in a final report

Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management Is designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of non-profit organizations, and to develop the competencies needed by non-profit managers The certificate is intended for: - Professionals already working in the non-profit sector - Those working in private for-profit or governmental settings - Students without professional experience Completion of fifteen (15) semester credit hours are required

Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management  Offered for: Local governments where citizens have the most direct contact with elected and appointed officials on numerous issues. Completion of 15 semester credit hours is required to attain the graduate certificate in local government management

Graduate Certificate in City Planning Is a 15 credit hour master’s level certificate intended for: - professionals already working in city planning in the public sector those employed in private for-profit or governmental settings students without professional experience

Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM) University of North Texas Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM) Is designed to provide knowledge and skills related to a career in the field of human resource management Consists of 12 credit hours, chosen from the following courses: (1)Managing Organizational Design and Change, (2) Organizational Behavior and Analysis, (3) Human Resource Management Seminar, (4) Employment, Placement and Personnel Planning, (5)Seminar in Labor Relations, (6) Management Strategies for Public Issues, and (7) Seminar in Compensation and Motivation Theory.

California State University, East Bay Graduate Certificate in Project Management Offers project managers a Project Management Institute (PMI) Gives graduates a way to complete the educational requirement necessary to qualify for the PMP® exam

Drexel University Graduate Certificate in Engineering Management Is an optional professional credential awarded to students who successfully complete four graduate-level courses from the M.S. in Engineering Management curriculum Provides a solid introduction into Engineering Management through graduate courses in management, finance and economics.

Southern Methodist University Graduate Marketing Certificate Program - helps expand the marketing experience of students - increases marketing skills - exposes students to new marketing perspectives and ideas Network with executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs from a diverse group of industries and backgrounds

Opportunities for Certificate Programs in Palestine Why This Topic Now? First, there are a limited number of graduate programs at Palestinian universities, and some universities do not yet have graduate programs Second, the opportunity exists to leverage successful experiences in the U.S. with graduate certificate programs at Palestinian universities Third, the graduate certificate program provides the opportunity to both academics and practitioners to exchange information for mutual benefit

Opportunities for Certificate Programs in Palestine- Cont. Fourth, the expansion in the size of both public and nonprofit sectors in Palestine makes it necessary to prepare professionals with skills to run both sectors effectively Finally, the opportunity exists to explore possible areas of cooperation between Palestinian universities and U.S. universities.

Certificates of Particular Importance to Palestinian Universities Because resources are limited, the areas to which serious consideration is given should include those disciplines that provide the greatest benefit in the near term to Palestinian universities. Graduate certificates in local government, city planning, and nonprofit management could be of particular interest for two critical reasons. First, Palestinians are in the process of building their state, and developing talented public servants will be essential to the successful development of local governments Second, the size of the nonprofit sector is increasing as it steps in to meet the needs of Palestinian society as it grows and changes

Arab countries spend less than 1% from their general budget on research or 0.3% of their GDP) Weaknesses exist in scientific research in Palestine. The amount of research that is published internationally in 2007 is 1,148,612, where the total of research papers in the Arab world is 15,000 The number of papers published in Palestine in 2007 was 212, compared to 89,013 papers published in Israel, and 1,345 in Jordan

Graduate Certificate in Evaluation Research In order to receive the certificate, students must successfully complete three required courses and a two-semester long evaluation research project that culminates in a final report The courses leading to the certificate in evaluation research are: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for the Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences Evaluation Research Methods in the Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences An elective course approved by the certificate coordinator Evaluation Research, which is six credit hours.

Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management The certificate in non-profit management is designed to provide an overview of the nature and context of non-profit organizations combined with skill-based courses to develop the competencies needed by non-profit managers Core Courses – Nine hours Leadership in Public and Non-profit Organizations Non-profit Organization Non-profit Management

Graduate Certificate in Non-profit Management – Cont. Guided Electives – Six hours from the following: Public Management Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations Marketing and Communications for Non-profit Organizations Human Resource Management Organizational Theory Domestic Social Policy Policy Research Workshop

Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management They are responsible for the provision of varied services directly to citizens How the professional staff delivers services to the public within the political environment in which it works is the topic of many of the courses in this program

Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management – Cont. Completion of 15 semester credit hours is required to attain the graduate certificate in local government management program -Human Resource Management - Government Financial Management and - Budgeting - Local Government Management

Graduate Certificate in City Planning The Graduate Certificate in City Planning is a 15 credit hour Master’s level certificate    The following courses are required for obtaining the certificate: - Community Planning - Basics of Development - Land Use Law and Development Regulation

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