Concurrent Credentials
Concurrent Credentials
Concurrent credentials occur when a student is enrolled in two graduate credentials of the same level at the same time, which are not arranged by the University as a dual degree program.
Admission decisions for the credentials are made independently.
Students request to earn concurrent credentials via Graduate Enrollment (at the time of application or to add a degree) or the Graduate Registrar’s Office (for current students adding a certificate).
Students completing a certificate that is fully embedded in a degree program do not automatically receive a certificate upon completion of their degree. Students who are pursuing a certificate and a degree are required to request their declaration of a certificate prior to completing their application for degree.
All requirements must be completed for each credential.
Credentials are not required to be earned in the same academic year.
Completion of the concurrent credentials results in individual citations on the academic transcript, and students are issued a credential for each one earned.
Up to nine (9) credits of one degree may be applied to meet requirements of another degree.
Credits earned in a certificate may be applied to a degree in their entirety.
Two (or more) certificates may be earned if there are at least three (3) unique credits between them.
A student’s cumulative GPA is calculated and based on all graduate credits earned at Messiah.
Dual Credentials
Dual credentials are formal programs of study created by the University where students complete two different existing graduate credentials of the same level at the same time.
Dual credentials require further study than either credential alone, but less than when the credentials are pursued separately.
Reductions may be achieved by sharing a course(s) between more than one program, course substitutions, or waivers due to complementary content of coursework. Program objectives for each credential must be maintained when establishing potential reductions. The total number of credits is reduced no more than 25% to establish requirements for the dual credentials.
Students apply specifically to the dual credential program(s), and director(s) of the dual credential program(s) make admission decisions. A student may be eligible for admission to a standard credential program if he/she is not admitted for the dual credential.
Students complete all requirements as outlined by the University for the dual credentials.
The awarding of the credentials occurs simultaneously at the time all requirements are successfully completed. Students are not eligible for one credential until all credentials are finished.
Completion of the dual credentials results in individual citations on the academic transcript, and students are issued a credential for each one earned.
A student’s cumulative GPA is calculated and based on all graduate credits earned at Messiah.
Subsequent Credential(s)
A subsequent credential is awarded when a student completes an additional graduate credential of the same level at Messiah University after completing the first graduate credential.
Students must apply to the succeeding credential and admission decisions are independent of previous admission decisions.
Students complete current requirements for subsequent credentials.
Courses completed within the last seven (7) years may be applied to meet requirements for the subsequent credential.
Students may be approved to use up to nine (9) credits from a previous Messiah graduate degree to meet the requirements of a subsequent graduate degree.
Credits earned in a previous credential may be applied to a subsequent certificate if at least three (3) credits are unique (not shared).
Credits earned in a previous certificate may be applied to a degree in their entirety.
Completion of the subsequent credential results in individual citations on the academic transcript and students are issued a credential for each one earned.
A student’s cumulative GPA is calculated and based on all graduate credits earned at Messiah.