A graduate certificate or diploma (the terms are used interchangeably in North America) in agriculture and agriculture sciences denotes specialization in a sub-field or discipline of agriculture and agriculture sciences gained through intensive graduate-level study. As such, it supplements an already established area of expertise (in agriculture or not related to the field) and adds value to a previously earned Bachelor's or graduate degree. Delivered in various formats from residential to online, graduate certificates in agriculture comprise 4 - 6 courses (typically 12 - 18 credit hours) taken in a prescribed sequence at the graduate level.
The concurrent graduate certificate or diploma in agriculture allows students currently enrolled in a Master's or Doctoral degree program in the field to pursue an in-depth exploration of one aspect of their field. For example, a student working towards a Master's in Agriculture with a specialization in Crop and Soil Science may take the Graduate Certificate in Environmental Science to augment their expertise.
The stand-alone, direct-entry graduate certificate/diploma program in agriculture provides an opportunity for graduate-level study of theory and research to students who are not interested in pursuing a full graduate degree. This could include professionals with a Bachelor's degree working in the field or anyone who does not have the time or interest in a traditional graduate program in agriculture. Then too, some students who take the stand-alone certificate already have a graduate degree and use their certificate to augment a particular area of interest.
A selection, but not inclusive list, of graduate certificates/diplomas in agriculture includes
Graduate Certificate in Agriculture (Generalist)
Graduate Certificate in Agriculture Policy
Graduate Certificate in Agriculture and Resource Economics
Graduate Certificate in Crop Production
Graduate Certificate in Farm Management
Graduate Certificate in Plant Sciences
Graduate Certificate in Natural Resources
Graduate Certificate in Soil and Water
