Graduate Certificate Programs
Campus certificates are designed to provide student with a baccalaureate degree (BA or equivalent) the opportunity to improve their skills and gain a credential to advance in their chosen career path. Certificate programs are open to both graduate students who are currently enrolled in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy or other UIC graduate programs and to graduate non-degree students admitted to a certificate program. The Department of Urban Planning and Policy offers one campus certificate program: the Geospatial Analysis and Visualization Certificate.
Admissions Requirements Heading link
Applicants to certificate programs at UIC, including the GSAV certificate, must hold a Bachelor’s degree. Students who wish to enroll only in the certificate program are admitted as graduate non-degree students.
Please note, international students not pursuing a graduate degree at UIC may not apply to this program because it is considered non-degree study. Non-degree study on a student visa is not allowed.
Application Process Heading link
Non-degree applicants to certificate programs should follow the process on this page.
Non-degree applicants for certificate programs in UPP are required to submit the following documents:
– Proof of Bachelor’s degree
– A personal statement: a concise typed statement of the student’s reason for seeking the certificate, particularly how the campus certificate relates to their career and possible educational goals.
– Current resume or curriculum vitae.
GRE or GMAT scores are not required but may be submitted.
Application Deadlines
Submit your application early in order to receive fullest consideration.
Deadline for applications for fall semester is August 1; for spring semester it is November 15. There is no admission to the summer semester.
Current UIC Students
If you are a currently enrolled graduate student in UPP who wishes to complete the GSAV certificate, please consult your program’s handbook for instructions. If you are currently enrolled as a UIC student in another department or college, please contact the UPP Graduate Academic Advisor at upp@uic.edu for information about enrolling in a UPP certificate program.
Conditions for Non-Degree Students Heading link
The core courses and core specialization courses in the MUPP and/or Ph.D programs are not available to non-degree students.
Non-degree students later admitted as degree candidates may, by petition, transfer graduate level courses taken as non-degree students in which grades of A or B were earned. The number of transferable hours taken as a non-degree student is up to 12 semester hours for MUPP degree students and 8 hours for Ph.D. degree students.
Matriculation into our graduate program as a non-degree student does not mean you will be admitted into our degree programs. You must apply for regular admission to the MUPP or Ph.D. degree programs during the regular admissions cycle.
Certificate Completion Requirements Heading link
Receipt of the Campus Certificate in Geospatial Analysis and Visualization (GSAV) or Public Transit Planning and Management (PTPM) requires a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all courses taken toward the certificate, with a minimum grade of C in all courses.
To earn a certificate, students must file their Intent to Complete Campus Certificate form online during the semester in which they are taking their final certificate course. Failure to file this online form will dealy receipt of the certificate.
Admission as a certificate student does not guarantee admission to any UIC degree program. Students seeking admission to a graduate program in UPP must meet all admission requirements for the program they wish to enroll in. Students previously or concurrently admitted to the MUPP or PhD program can apply up to 12 credits earned for the Certificate toward their degree program, as permitted by UPP’s policies laid out in the Student Handbooks, provided that all other program requirements are fulfilled.