Adult Learning, Certificate of Advanced Study

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The Post-Master’s Certificate of Advanced Study in Adult Learning is designed for the experienced educator-teacher, counselor, administrator, program planner, or policy maker-who works with adults in any educational setting, or seeks to explore the use of adult learning strategies as an alternative educational approach for working with younger learners. The 30-credit program emphasizes personal learning as a central theme, both as an approach to educator development and as a set of concepts and tools for working with adults in schools, businesses, social service agencies, hospitals, and other community organizations where adult education programs are planned and delivered. This is an individualized, flexible program which permits students to apply their learning to field-based projects.

Program Requirements

Total Required Credits: 30

Required Courses (9 credits)

HRD 600 and HRD 631 will be waived for students who have a master’s degree in adult education or who have taken these courses previously. These students will take six credits of advisor-approved coursework instead.

There are four options available for the CAS in Adult Learning Completion Project:

Planning and conducting a field-based action research study in collaboration with a local adult education program or some other agency/organization.
Researching and writing a public policy initiative.
Researching and writing a publishable article for a specific professional journal.
Designing a course of study or some other curriculum for an audience of adult learners;

Electives (21 credits)

Transfer Credit

Candidates may transfer up to fifteen credit hours of graduate-level study earned within 5 years at other universities into the CAS in adult learning if these credits were not used as part of another degree or graduate certificate, relating to the subject of adult education/learning, were earned no more than five years prior to admission, and that students received grades of B or better in the classes. In rare situations and when compelling evidence is provided, the program faculty reserves the right to expand the number and age of credits transferred into the CAS in adult learning program beyond the fifteen-credit, five-year rule.