Graduate Certificates and Minors in Agricultural and Human Sciences
Graduate Certificates
The Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences offers five graduate certificate programs: Agricultural Education and Human Sciences, Family Life Education and Coaching, Leadership in Agricultural and Human Sciences, Leadership and Volunteer Management, and Youth Development and Leadership. The graduate certificates range from 12-15 credit hour programs and can be completed entirely online. To apply for any certificate, just complete the graduate school application.
Agricultural and Extension Education
The AEHS certificate program is appropriate for individuals who:
- Have a master’s degree in another discipline but would like to gain expertise in agricultural and extension education
- Are earning a teacher certification in agriculture and desire additional credentials
- Work as an extension agent or in another community setting, and need to take courses for required professional development credits
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3.0 undergraduate GPA, in-line with the Graduate School’s minimum requirement
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Personal statement
- Application fee
Courses
The AEE graduate certificate requires 15 credit hours. The specific courses required will depend on the student’s professional goals and academic background. All certificate students are assigned an advisor who will work with them to select courses. Note: AG*IDEA courses cannot be covered by tuition waivers. Students are required to prepare a professional portfolio of artifacts and evidence of their set objectives.
Contact for more information:
Family Life Education and Coaching
The Family Life Education and Coaching graduate certificate prepares students to work with parents, professionals, and families as both family life educators and family life coaches. Family Life Educators (FLE) are strengths-based professionals who provide preventative education to families in organized efforts designed to impart information, skills, experiences, or resources to strengthen, improve, or enrich their family experience. Family Life Coaches (FLC) help clients through a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their potential, reach goals, and achieve happiness. Required courses are designed to strengthen the student’s understanding and application of the critical aspects of family life coaching, including a strengthened understanding of the fields of coaching psychology and family life education. The 12-credit graduate program can be completed entirely online.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3.0 undergraduate GPA, in-line with the Graduate School’s minimum requirement
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Personal statement
- Application fee
Courses
The graduate certificate requires 12 credit hours, with 9 credit hours of required courses. All certificate students are assigned an advisor who will work with them to select courses.
- AEHS 543 – Applied Concepts in Parenting and Family Life Education
- AEHS 545 – Family Communication and Coaching
- AEHS 547 – Family Life Coaching
- AEHS Elective
Note: This program is approved by the Center for Credentialing & Education to use the Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential. It is not an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) at this time.
Contact for more information:
Leadership in Agricultural and Human Sciences
As we look at the grand challenges our world faces, the need to train and prepare leaders in every sector of society is urgent. For those interested in developing and strengthening their leadership skills, the graduate certificate in Leadership in Agricultural and Human Sciences will consist of five 3-credit courses that focus on theory, organizational leadership, community leadership, critical and creative thinking, and change management. This certificate is designed for the individual who is either currently in a leadership role or who aspires to serve in a leadership capacity in education, industry, non-profit or government. The curriculum allows for a strong base in theory and practice, under the direction of leadership scholars who will work with students to take the knowledge gained in the classroom and apply that knowledge to their respective contexts. In fact, this is the essential nature of leadership development, for students to be able to contextualize the work to their own specific context. Courses are offered online to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3.0 undergraduate GPA, in-line with the Graduate School’s minimum requirement
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Personal statement
- Application fee
Courses
- AEHS 545: Family Communication and Coaching (3 hrs)
- AEHS 550: Leadership Theory (3 hrs)
- AEHS 555: Critical and Creative Thinking (3 hrs)
- AEHS 560: Organizational Behavior and Administrative Leadership in Agricultural and Human Sciences (3 hrs)
- AEHS 565: Community Leadership (3 hrs)
Contact for more information:
Leadership and Volunteer Management
A graduate certificate in Leadership and Volunteer Management prepares students to work as leaders in community-based organizations. It prepares and strengthens future and current professionals to assume administrative positions and leadership roles within community-based youth or family development. Students gain a more comprehensive understanding of organizational leadership, as well as an applied understanding of effective management skills. The certificate is intended to enhance a student’s work in organizational administration and/or volunteer management including volunteer recruitment, retention, risk management, and recognition. The 12-credit graduate program can be completed entirely online.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3.0 undergraduate GPA, in-line with the Graduate School’s minimum requirement
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Personal statement
- Application fee
Courses
The graduate certificate requires 12 credit hours, with 6 credit hours of required courses. All certificate students are assigned an advisor who will work with them to select courses.
- AEHS 551 – Family and Youth Professionals as Leaders
- AEHS 557 – Volunteerism in Youth and Family Settings or AEHS 558 – Contemporary Issues in Volunteer Resource Management
- AEHS Elective
- AEHS Elective
Contact for more information:
Youth Development and Leadership
The Youth Development and Leadership graduate certificate prepares future and strengthens current professionals working with community-based youth development programs such as (but not limited to) faith-based youth programs/ministries, after-school programs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, Boys and Girls Clubs, Communities in Schools, etc. The required courses are designed to strengthen the student’s understanding and application of critical aspects of community youth programs, including resource development and management, volunteer development, advisory committees and boards, organizational structure, human resource management, and current/emerging issues. The 12-credit graduate program can be completed entirely online.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3.0 undergraduate GPA, in-line with the Graduate School’s minimum requirement
- Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Personal statement
- Application fee
Courses
The graduate certificate requires 12 credit hours, with 6 credit hours of required courses. All certificate students are assigned an advisor who will work with them to select courses.
- AEHS 551 – Family and Youth Professionals as Leaders
- AEHS 553 – Applied Concepts in Child and Youth Development
- AEHS Elective
- AEHS Elective
Contact for more information:
How to Apply
Students not enrolled at NC State
Complete the graduate school application. On the application, choose “Graduate Certificate” and “Agricultural Education and Human Sciences.” Note: The GRE is not required for the graduate certificate.
Some students enroll in the graduate certificate program as a trial run toward a master’s degree. Only 12 hours can be counted toward a master’s degree. If this is the path you’re planning, we recommend applying to a master’s program prior to completing the graduate certificate program to avoid losing hours. You will need to complete a new graduate school application.
Students Enrolled at NC State
Current graduate students will need to contact and meet with the AEHS director of graduate programs to complete the Graduate Certificate Plan Form.
Graduate Minor
Graduate students from programs other than agricultural education and human sciences may add a minor in agricultural education and human sciences.
How to Enroll in a Minor
First, select a faculty member from the Agricultural and Human Sciences Department to join your graduate committee. Meet with them to discuss your goals for the minor. Once the AHS faculty member agrees to serve on the committee, they will recommend courses.
Designate the minor on the online Program of Work form and identify a minimum of nine hours of minor courses. A master’s student typically completes nine hours in the minor; 12 hours for a doctoral student.
During the master’s or doctoral exam, the committee member will participate in the exam and will ask questions related to the minor coursework.