College of Education and Human Services
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
www.kent.edu/ehs/tlcs

About This Program

The Career and Academic Advising graduate certificate meets the needs of students interested in learning more about academic and career advising and/or aspiring to work in academic advising or career services or to become a credentialed career development facilitator. Furthermore, this certificate program is appropriate for professionals currently employed in career services settings, including counseling supervisors, counselors, career advisors, career specialists, school counselors, workforce development specialists and academic advisors.

Contact Information

• Michael Daniels | mdanie10@kent.edu

• Connect with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Applications to the Career and Academic Advising graduate certificate are not being accepted starting with the spring 2026 admission term.

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

Applications to the Career and Academic Advising graduate certificate are not being accepted starting with the spring 2026 admission term.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale¹
• Official transcript(s)
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Goal statement
• Interview
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:²
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

¹

Post-baccalaureate work may be taken into consideration when interpreting the GPA for admission.

²

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Spring Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Summer Term
  • Rolling admissions

Applications to the Career and Academic Advising graduate certificate are not being accepted starting with the spring 2026 admission term.

Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

¹

Students must have completed at least 6 credit hours in the certificate program before applying for an internship. Internships must be in settings suitable for academic and career advising services.

Graduation Requirements

• Students declared in a doctoral degree should enroll in the doctoral level version of these courses, if offered.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Synthesize and critique various student development theories and frameworks.
2. Apply relevant career development and academic advising frameworks in practice with students from a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences.
3. Adhere to ethical standards relevant to advising practice.
4. Articulate issues, problems and trends associated with career and academic advising practice.

Graduate Certificate Policy

• Students seeking a graduate certificate must maintain a minimum 3.000 grade point average. A graduate certificate student who receives a combination of more than 8 credit hours of B- or lower grades, or more than 4 credit hours of grades lower than C is subject to dismissal. Students who are unable to maintain academic standards of the College are subject to dismissal for academic reasons. Grades of C- or below are not counted toward completion of the certificate.
• Certificates must be completed within six years after the first graduate enrollment.
• No more than 2 credit hours of workshop may be used toward a certificate.
• Before being eligible to be awarded a Certificate, students must be admitted to the Certificate program.
• Students currently in a graduate degree program may also apply to a certificate program. Their degree seeking coursework may be applied to the certificate coursework with advisor approval. The courses must be completed within six years and satisfy certificate course requirements.
• Students who have a previous graduate degree and are not currently seeking another graduate degree may transfer a maximum 6 credit hours with advisor approval. These credits may include hours from another KSU program, or from another accredited institution, if the following conditions are met:
  • courses were at the graduate level;
  • a grade of "A" or "B" was earned;
  • credit will be less than six years old at the time the certificate is conferred at Kent;
  • and student was admitted as a graduate student at the time the course was taken.
• Some program areas may be more restrictive. Students are advised to consult their program.