How to start a Capstone Certificate program at UW-Madison

What is a Capstone Certificate?

Capstone Certificates are a focused collection of courses that, when completed, afford the student a record of coherent academic accomplishment in a given discipline or set of related disciplines. Capstone Certificate programs do not lead to the conferral of a degree. Students are awarded certificates to designate completion of a well-defined program of coursework. Capstone Certificates are recorded on the student’s UW-Madison transcript.

Capstone Certificates are intended to offer innovative programs that will serve the educational needs of specialized groups of nontraditional students and working professionals. Applicants must have completed a minimum of baccalaureate degree or its equivalent; several certificates require a minimum of a master’s or other advanced degree to be eligible for admission. Students seek a certificate to enhance their prior training, and are often professionals returning to school for specialized education and skill-building in the area of the certificate.

Link to current UW-Madison Capstone Certificates, program descriptions and requirements

FAQs for Departments and Faculty

I am interested in exploring starting a new Capstone Certificates. What is the process?

Academic approval and oversight of all capstone certificates resides with the Graduate School and its Graduate Faculty Executive Committee.  The process and standards for obtaining academic approval of a capstone certificate can be found here: www.apa.wisc.edu/UAPC/uapccertificates.html

Within these guidelines, academic departments are responsible for determining the content, criteria for admission, the required number of credits, and all other academic issues related to the Capstone Certificate program.

Because Capstone students are Special (nondegree) students, admission, enrollment, and other Dean’s office functions for capstone programs are administered by Continuing Studies' Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS) office.  Capstone Certificate students apply as Special students using an online application, and the decision to admit students to the Capstone Certificate program is made by the academic department which houses the Capstone Certificate.  Because Capstone programs are administered by Continuing Studies rather than the Graduate school, the Capstone programs have greater flexibility with admissions standards and processes, term dates, etc.  Capstone students register at the same time as Graduate students.

What is the tuition for Capstone programs?

As a general rule, Capstone Certificate students pay graduate tuition rates. Check with the individual Capstone program.

After a Capstone Certificate has been approved by the Graduate School and the University Academic Planning Council, what does my departmental Capstone Certificate program administrator need to do?

Departments must:

  • Assign a program administrator who will be the primary contact for Continuing Studies regarding the admission and enrollment process
  • Set up an appointment to meet with Continuing Studies (Jane Schimmel and/or Katy Duren) to go over administrative procedures
  • Provide Continuing Studies with a paragraph describing your Capstone program, as well as the link to your Capstone program website.  Continuing Studies maintains a central website describing all of the Capstone programs.
  • Check to see that all written promotional/informational materials and websites reflect accurate information about the Capstone program.  Where a department is also offering a Graduate Certificate, it is very important that the distinction between the admission requirements and procedures for the Capstone and Graduate certificates is clear.  Students are easily confused about the distinctions between these different types of certificates. Make sure it is clear to applicants where to go for more information.

What is the application process for Capstone Certificate students?

  • Students apply online as University Special students (UNCS).
  • Electronic applications are received by Continuing Studies, and a copy sent to the Department administrator.
  • Department administrator contacts applicants about additional application materials (letters of reference, test scores, etc), where relevant.
  • Department makes decision to admit or not, and contacts Jane Schimmel (jschimmel@dcs.wisc.edu), who enters the admission approval codes (S60) into ISIS.
  • Once approved, ISIS will automatically update the program action to:  DDEF, with an action reason of S32 – Admit Pending Residency; OR ADMT, with an action reason of S11 – Admit as University Special student.
  • All Capstone applications must have a residency decision regardless of the fee they are charged.
  • Continuing Studies' Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS) office will serve as the Admitting and Dean’s office for Capstone students.
  • Once approved, the students receive an admission letter or email from ACSSS, and directions on how to enroll in courses.  Departments may also want to send welcome letters with further information specific to their Capstone certificate program.
  • Capstone students will enroll at the same time as other Graduate students, even though most Special students enroll later.  Space may need to be reserved in the appropriate classes for your Capstone students.

What is the ISIS career for Capstone students?

Capstone students are nondegree Special students.  Following is the setup in ISIS: Career=USPC; Program=UNCS

Plans:
Capstone Certificate in Actuarial Science – UNCS009
Capstone Certificate in Bioinformatics – UNCS106
Capstone Certificate in Consumer Health Advocacy – UNCS215
Capstone Certificate in Global Health – UNCS245
Capstone Certificate in French Studies at the Graduate Level – UNCS452
Capstone Certificate in Fundamentals of Clinical Researech – UNCS453
Capstone Certificate in Geographic Information Systems – UNCS358
Capstone Certificate in Laboratory Quality Management – UNCS592
Capstone Certificate in Master Administrator – UNCS273
Capstone Certificate in Type 2 Translational Research (T2TR) – UNCS976

Plan Type=CAP for each plan
Enrollment Limit=12 credits

What happens when a student has completed all of the requirements for a Capstone Certificate?

The department is responsible for monitoring the progress of the Capstone students.  When a student has completed all of the requirements for the Capstone Certificate, the departmental program administrator must notify the degree audit department (Connie Chapman) in the Registrar’s office so that the Registrar’s office can post the Capstone Certificate on the student’s transcript.  If the department wishes to provide a physical certificate of completion for the student, they may do so.

Who are my contacts for questions about Capstone Certificates?

Administrative Dean's Office—Division of Continuing Studies

You may contact either Jane Schimmel or Katy Duren with questions:

Jane Schimmel
Adult Career and Special Student Services
Division of Continuing Studies
21 N. Park St, Room 7101
Phone: 608-262-2862
Fax: 608-265-2901
jschimmel@dcs.wisc.edu

Katy Duren
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
Division of Continuing Studies
21 N. Park St., 7th floor
Phone: 608-263-5114
Fax: 608-265-2901
kduren@dcs.wisc.edu

Academic approval

Questions about the academic approval process or policies can be directed to:

Graduate School
Kelly Haslam
Assistant Dean, Graduate School
225 Bascom
Phone 608-262-4959
haslam@bascom.wisc.edu

Academic Planning
Jocelyn Milner
Director of Academic Planning and Analysis
Office of the Provost
169 Bascom Hall
608-263-5658
jmilner@wisc.edu

Student Billing
Craig Stevens
Enrollment Management
Office of the Registrar
333 E. Campus Mall, Room 10101
Phone: 608-262-4031
craig.stevens@em.wisc.edu

Posting Capstone Certificates to Student Transcript
Connie Chapman
Enrollment Management
Office of the Registrar
333 E. Campus Mall, Room 10101
Phone: 608-262-4540
constance.chapman@em.wisc.edu