Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study

How does the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study serve students or professionals?

The purpose of the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) is to provide adults the opportunity to pursue advanced studies in interdisciplinary, liberal arts in a focused and disciplined manner. The program encourages in-depth study of a core topic, while drawing upon various disciplines to provide a broad understanding of the subject. This program is designed for students with a Master's degree who wish to pursue advanced graduate work in a focal area of interdisciplinary study.

The Certificate program is an 18-hour course of study. With the approval of a faculty mentor, students select a topic and select courses from the Master of Liberal Studies curriculum. A student’s course of study may conclude with an optional capstone project. This certificate is not designed to be a professional or vocational credential, but rather to enrich the student’s knowledge and understanding of their chosen curricular field of study.

Academic Requirements

The course of study detailed below must be completed within four years and students must maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the program.

Application to this program will fulfill the following objectives:

  • clarify the expectations of the program

  • focus on a topic and select a faculty mentor

  • review writing and research methods

  • prepare an outline of the student’s plan of study

A core curriculum of 18 credit hours drawn from:

  • the MLS course offerings

  • an optional capstone seminar (three credit hours) in which students have the ability to complete and present their final papers, projects, or creative work

to apply online now for the certificate of advanced graduate study admission

Criteria for Admission

  • Online CAGS application
  • A 750-word proposal that identifies the student’s interest area, purposes for advanced study, previous study or background knowledge of the topic, and a tentative course of study. This document will be used by the Dean to determine whether the student’s study proposal is appropriate for the program, and upon acceptance will be used as a working proposal for the introductory seminar
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended with evidence of an earned master’s degree with a minimum (preferred) GPA of 3.00
  • Application fee

If you have any questions about the online admissions process

Please contact the Graduate Liberal Studies office at:
Email: hcis@smu.edu
Phone: 214-768-4273