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Graduate Certificate Interviews from GraduateCertificates.com

Graduate certificate programs have gained more prominence in recent years as a flexible, affordable, and highly effective way for working professionals to gain the skills and knowledge needed to advance in their careers. Graduate certificate programs in healthcare management, nursing, business, data analytics, communication and media, education, public administration, and more feature targeted coursework that is designed to provide students with advanced training in industry-specific competencies, and an educational credential that may allow them to stand out in the workforce.

The courses that comprise graduate certificate programs are often also part of a university’s corresponding master’s degrees in the same or related subjects. As a result, the credits from an accredited university’s graduate certificate program can typically be applied to a full graduate degree, should students decide to pursue one in the future. Furthermore, the development of graduate certificate programs’ courses and curriculum structure are typically managed by the same departmental faculty and leadership who oversee the design of master’s and doctoral programs, which ensures similar levels of quality assurance and provides graduate certificate students with many of the same faculty mentorship and university resources as master’s students, without having to commit to a full graduate degree program.

To provide prospective students with the most candid and detailed information about graduate certificate programs, the advantages they provide, their admissions requirements, and other important considerations, GraduateCertificates.com interviews department faculty and leadership who are responsible for designing and overseeing graduate certificate programs offered by colleges and universities across the United States. These interviews cover key topics such as:

  • The course content of various graduate certificate programs, and the types of professionals that these programs are designed to serve.
  • The difference between and the advantage that graduate certificate programs have over other forms of professional development training, such as professional certification programs, bootcamps, and corporate trainings.
  • How graduate certificate programs fit into the overall landscape of graduate education, and how they complement more traditional graduate degrees such as master’s degrees and doctoral degrees across various disciplines.
  • The industries that are in most need of professionals with targeted training in advanced competencies, and how graduate certificate programs are meeting these industries’ needs and evolving to continue meeting these needs.
Interview with Amy Jo Coffey, Ph.D. - Online Program Manager for the Graduate Programs in Audience Analytics at the University of Florida Dr. Amy Jo Coffey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media Production, Management, and Technology at the University of Florida, where she also serves as the Online Program Manager for the Master’s and Graduate Certificate in Audience Analytics. As Program Manager, she oversees the curriculum for the Master's and Graduate Certificate programs in Audience Analytics.
Interview with Kingsley Gnanendran, Ph.D. - Director of the Online MBA Program at the Kania School of Management at The University of Scranton Dr. Gnanendran is the Director of the Online MBA and the online graduate certificate programs at the Kania School of Management at The University of Scranton, where he also teaches as a Professor of Operations Management.
Interview with Sam Hanna, Ph.D. - Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at American University's School of Professional and Extended Studies Dr. Hanna is the Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at American University, where he is also the Program Director for the M.S. in Healthcare Management and an Executive in Residence.
Interview with Matt Honeycutt, MBA - Director of Graduate Business Admission for the College of Business, Influence, and Information Analysis at Rockhurst University’s Helzberg School of Management Matt Honeycutt is the Director of Graduate Business Admission for the College of Business, Influence, and Information Analysis at Rockhurst University. He oversees student recruitment and admissions for the College’s graduate degrees and certificates.
Interview with Andrew Selepak, Ph.D. - Program Coordinator for the Graduate Programs in Social Media Offered by the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida Dr. Selepak is the Program Coordinator for the University of Florida’s Graduate Certificate in Social Media, offered through UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. He oversees program development, advises students, and teaches courses in the program.
Interview with Rhonda Trautman, Ph.D. - Director of Online Programs for the Martin School of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Kentucky Dr. Rhonda Trautman is the Director of Online Programs for the Martin School of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Kentucky, where she oversees curriculum development, recruitment and admissions, and student advising.
Interview with Frederick T. Wehrle, D.MSc - Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at UC Berkeley Extension Dr. Frederick T. Wehrle is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at UC Berkeley Extension. He oversees the development of programs and the organizational structure of this academic institution, while also teaching courses in marketing and business.
Interview with Michelle Wieser, Ph.D. - Dean of the School of Business and Technology at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Dr. Wieser is the Dean of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s School of Business and Technology, where she oversees all of the School’s undergraduate and graduate programs, graduate certificates, and strategic missions and initiatives.