Admission to Parent Education Certificate Program

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be submitted at any time. To learn more about this program, which can be completed in one year, please visit the program page.

Admission criteria

• Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent with a 2.80 or higher grade point average (GPA).
• Complete the equivalent of six semester undergraduate or graduate credits in child development courses before entering the parent education certificate program, completed within 10 years of admission to the certificate program. If these credits have not been completed at the time of application, the applicant may be admitted conditionally until they are completed and recorded on a transcript. The following CEHD courses are examples of child development courses that may meet this requirement:
  • CPSY 4302 - Infant Development
  • CPSY 4331 - Social and Personality Development
  • CPSY 4343 - Cognitive Development
  Applicants may be asked to submit syllabi of child development courses they have taken to determine that they include the content required to meet this prerequisite.

Application Materials

1. Résumé of educational and professional experience
2. One page personal statement describing professional qualifications, interest in the field of parent and family education, and how applicants expect to apply knowledge gained through the certificate program to their professional work.
3. Application fee of $55.00, charged when your online application is submitted. Fees must be paid with a credit card.
4. Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended or are currently attending, except the University of Minnesota. Transcripts can be uploaded directly into the Apply Yourself online application system. For instructions on how to upload your transcripts into the application system, click here.
5. If you completed coursework at a university outside of the United States, your transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation center. Request a “course-by-course” evaluation. This process can take 4-6 weeks, so please plan in advance. You can use any provider that is an accredited member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). A suggested provider of this service is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), P.O. Box 514070, Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 (414-289-3400, fax: 414-289-3411).
6. Non-native speakers of English: official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Minimum scores of 213 on the computer-based test or 550 on the paper-based test are required.

Apply Online

• Apply Online
• Save your PIN number and password so that you can work on the application over time.
• When completing "Application Information" you will be asked what type of program you are applying to—choose "Certificate" from the pull down menu. Next you will be asked for your primary program objective—choose "Parent Education" from the pull down menu. You do not need to select a second or third emphasis.
• On the "Supplemental Material" page, you will be able to upload your transcripts and goal statement.
• Follow application instructions carefully. Once your application is submitted, you will no longer have access to add/change application information or upload required supplemental material.
• As your application is being reviewed, you can log back into your account to view your current application status.
• You will recieve a decision notification by email within three weeks of application submission.