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Community College Leadership Graduate Certificate

Community colleges, including their career and technical education (CTE) programs, play a critical role in preparing young adults for the workforce or for further education. Learn to lead faculty and staff as they guide students to success with a Community College Leadership graduate certificate from the University of Central Missouri. This certificate highlights the issues most relevant to community colleges to prepare you for the vital work ahead. Get the specific training you need on a schedule that provides the flexibility you require.

Get a specialized credential in community college leadership

Learn the business of community colleges — their major characteristics, their assessment and the theory and practice of enrollment management — all from the perspective of an administrator. Do you have specific goals for your administrative career in community colleges? We’ll tailor our program curriculum to ensure you get the exact training you need. Better yet, you can get it on your timeline — in two semesters or several — and from the convenience of any location, since this graduate certificate is entirely online.

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Contact

Dr. Michelle Conrad
Associate Professor
Lovinger 4200B
Warrensburg, MO
Tel: 660-543-4332
mconrad@ucmo.edu

College of Education

Department of Career and Technical Education


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Take all courses online for convenience

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Earn the certificate on your timeline

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Training and credential unique to UCM

What you will study

A recent redesign of UCM’s curriculum for the Community College Leadership graduate certificate, under the direction of our advisory council, put the program’s focus on how to lead a community college. You’ll gain a firm understanding of the administrative practices in community colleges through these topics and more:

  • The history and development of community colleges and the issues they face
  • Assessment and accreditation in higher education
  • Enrollment management and retention

Customize the curriculum to meet your career goals

Your classes will be taught by UCM faculty and instructors who have a deep understanding of — and real-world experience in — the field. They’ll work with you to customize your coursework so you get the education that supports your career goals. This includes narrowing down options for your elective course and sharing other ways to effectively build your knowledge and enhance your resume.

 

Excellence in Education

  • Learn at the state's most comprehensive Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for resources and support you won't find elsewhere.

 

Unique learning opportunities in community college leadership

At the University of Central Missouri, you’ll have opportunities to apply your learning and make professional connections. Get the most from your Community College Leadership graduate certificate when you:

  • Take part in an internship: Get an inside view of an administrator’s role in a community college when you choose an internship for your elective course.
  • Complete hands-on assignments: See your learning come to life when you develop plans and practices for leading within community colleges as part of your coursework. For example, you’ll create an assessment plan for a program of your choice — which you could potentially put to use in your future career.
  • Join industry associations: Meet UCM alumni and other community college professionals when you join state associations for higher education — such as the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) and the Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education (MoACTE).

 

What can you do with a graduate certificate in Community College Leadership from UCM?

With your expanded knowledge and skills in higher education administration — and your new credential — you’ll be qualified to lead a community college in roles such as:

  • Faculty
  • Student affairs director
  • Dean of instruction
  • Enrollment management director or assistant director

You may also choose to continue your education at UCM with a master’s degree in Career and Technology Education or an EdS in Professional Leadership: Adult, Career and Technical Education. With additional training, such as knowledge of the Carl D. Perkins Act and CTE finances, for example, you’ll open other career doors for greater opportunity.

How to plan your next steps as a community college leader or CTE administrator

UCM’s Career and Technical Education faculty want to help you find your path with a Community College Leadership graduate certificate. You can count on their support and advice as you plan your academic and professional journeys. For insights today on a career with this credential, use the interactive tool below.

 

 
 


 

Financial assistance options for your Community College Leadership graduate certificate

Advance your career and earning potential with the pinpoint education of UCM’s Community College Leadership graduate certificate. At the University of Central Missouri, we help ensure your ability to get this training by offering some of the nation’s most affordable tuition rates. We’ve also been recognized by LendEDU as a top-ranked university for low student debt and make available resources to degree-seeking students to help finance your education, from loans to scholarships.

CTE-specific and other available scholarships

When you also choose to complete UCM’s MS in CTE or EdS in Professional Leadership, or another graduate degree, alongside the Community College Leadership graduate certificate, you may qualify for graduate student scholarships. Search for program-specific opportunities by using the UCM Scholarship Finder.

 

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Take your degree further.

Take your education a step further when you complete one of these UCM degrees — you may even use your electives to also earn a graduate certificate:

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Make yourself more marketable.

Complete one or more UCM graduate certificates for the exact training you need for the post-secondary education career you desire:

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Explore programs related to community college administration.

Whether your goal is to be promoted to faculty or an administrative position, UCM offers other graduate certificates to boost your capabilities and resume:

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this certificate you will understand the major characteristics of American community colleges, including missions, students and constituencies; methods of governance, organization and finance; student services functions, historical development, current status; and future prospects.

  • Have a broad familiarity with professional organizations, research centers, publications, and other resources concerned with community colleges.
  • Possess a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the major research, commentary and other literature on community colleges.
  • Be familiar with the types of community colleges in the United States, including knowledge of specific institutions and state systems.

CSPA Graduate Assistantships

Get Ready for a Great Experience!

Working with committed staff, you will find that diversity and creativity are not only welcomed, but encouraged. The close working relationships between and among students, student services faculty, professional staff, and administrators promote an environment in which students are mentored, challenged, and offered a broad spectrum of experiences to create themselves as the outstanding professionals they seek to become.

 

Admission requirements

Admission to Graduate Studies

To submit your application, go to our online graduate admissions application form. You must pay a $30 non-refundable application fee and arrange for official transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended to be sent to UCM Graduate Studies. You may also print a hard copy of the Graduate Application and mail it to:

UCM Graduate Studies
P.O. Box 800
Ward Edwards 1800
Warrensburg, MO 64093

Requirements for admission to graduate study include:

  1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (2.70 GPA is required)
  2. Application on file prior to registration
  3. Official transcripts of previous college work

After admission to the Graduate School, your application is then forwarded to the CSPA program. Additional documents required by the program include:

  1. Two current letters of recommendation
  2. Current resume
  3. Autobiographical statement of purpose in pursuing graduate work

These items must be sent electronically to mconrad@ucmo.edu

 

Standards and Practices

 

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