Graduate Certification Program

Advocacy for Children and Families
Florida State University Graduate Certificate Program

Description: This graduate certificate program, Advocacy for Children and Families, is designed for undergraduate and graduate students in human sciences and other social and behavioral sciences who wish to develop competence in advocacy as it relates to children and families. The culminating activity of the certificate is 3 credit hour internship or supervised research experience in children and families. The certificate program is designed to be completed concurrently with the bachelor’s degree and allows students to double-count graduate courses for both the B.S. degree and the Graduate Certificate.

Prerequisites: Students must have completed at least 90 hours of credit in their undergraduate program and earned a minimum 3.3 GPA. with a grade of B or better in CHD 4615. A total of 15 credit hours are required for the certificate, including CHD 4615.

Requirements: A completed application package includes a completed application form, proposed program of study, two letters of faculty support, statement of career goals and a copy of official transcript for all Family and Child Sciences courses completed. Acceptance will be on a competitive basis. Interested students should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department for specific information.
Courses included in the certificate: 12 additional credit hours required.

Required Courses (9 credits): Nine (9) semester hours of graduate level course work are required for this graduate certificate program. These credits will be double counted for both the bachelor’s program and the certificate program.

Following are the required courses and credit hours:

CHD 5266: Advanced Child Development (3 credits) OR
FAD 5263: Advanced Family Science (3 credits)
CHD 5618: Policy Development and Analysis (3 credits)
FAD 5944: Internship (prior approval required) (3 credits)

Electives (3 credits): The remaining 3 credits are elective hours that must be taken from the following list of approved electives.

FAD 5256: Parent-Child Relationships (3 credits)
CHD 5266: Advanced Child Development (3 credits) OR
FAD 5263: Advanced Family Science (3 credits)
CHD 5915: Research Methods in FCS (3 credits)
CHD 5934: Seminar (topics vary) (3 credits)

Standardized Test Requirements: No standardized test is required. However, students are encouraged to take the GRE during the senior year to assist in possible future graduate school applications.

Time Limit for Completion of Certificate: Two years. +

Fee Per Course/Credit Hour: Fees parallel that of standard graduate-level courses. If not exhausted, Bright Futures and the Florida Prepaid College Program may be used to pay the undergraduate portion of tuition for graduate courses taken as an undergraduate and the student will pay the remaining difference. Undergraduate students, who want to continue at the graduate level at FSU, will have saved tuition on the graduate hours taken as an undergraduate because the cost of graduate hours is partially paid by the undergraduate financial aid.

Course Locations: The certificate is offered in the Department of Family and Child Sciences on the Florida State University Tallahassee campus.

For Information, Contact: Professor Ronald L. Mullis, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Family and Child Sciences, rmullis@fsu.edu, (850) 644-6021