The graduate certificate program in Higher Education Administration targets full-time college administrators who may not have studied higher education through any formal degree program but wish to develop a deeper understanding of the environment in which they work. Doctoral students engaged in other disciplines who plan to enter the academy as tenure-track faculty members may also benefit from this experience.
What You'll Study
The certificate requires successful completion of a total of 12 credit hours, of which 6 credits are required courses and 6 credits are elective. Students need to receive a grade of B or better in each course to receive the certificate. Students receiving a grade below a B would have to re-take the course before credit would be given. All courses are 3 credit hours and are generally offered once each year depending upon the availability of the faculty.
All students must complete:
EDHE 6064 – Higher Education in the United States (Fall)
EDHE 6274 – Higher Education Law (Fall)
September 2025
Virginia Tech
925 Prices Fork Road,
BLACKSBURG,
Virginia,
24061, United States
Admission to the Graduate School is contingent upon receipt of a four year (or 3 year degree recognized by the Bologna process) bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and the presentation of evidence of potential to pursue graduate work.
The Graduate School requires a GPA of 3.0 for admission to Certificate Status.
English language Scores:
A minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test (PBT) or 90 on the internet-based test (iBT) is required for consideration of the application. On the iBT, sub-scores of at least 20 on each subtest (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) are required for admission. A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 is required for admission.
Deadlines for non-degree students - International Application Deadline: Fall: April 15.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.