Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate Programs

Updated: Dec 14, 2023

Curriculum development is an important area of education. Both children and adult learners need professionals to develop learning materials, courses, and programs that are both ability and age-appropriate.

An online Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate is designed for grads in the education arena who desire a career developing course material and improving school curricula. Educators are the ideal candidates with their extensive experience to design study programs.

What Are the Online Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate Requirements?

Prior to applying to an online curriculum and instruction graduate certificate program, prospective students will need to ensure that they meet all eligibility requirements. This will vary by school, but in general, students will need to fulfill the following:

A bachelor's and a master's degree in relevant education subjects
3.0 minimum GPA
Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
Demonstrable experience working as a teacher, typically a minimum of two years
If you do not speak English as a first language, the college will expect you to submit certification of relevant and accredited English language certification. These include TOEFL, PTEA and TOEFL. Some colleges might accept DuoLingo and ELS112
Two or more letters of recommendation
The non-refundable application fee
A personal statement with further details about your background and experience
Some schools may ask that you complete an essay answering a question concerning a specific issue in education

What Type of Classes Are Included in the Online Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate Program?

Curriculum and instruction graduate certificates are made up of a series of courses that can usually be completed in around a year. Common course topics covered in this type of certificate program often include:

Curriculum Design for Learning Environments
Assessment Design
Accelerated Learning Programs
Leadership in the Classroom
Evidence-Based Learning
Integrating Technology into Teaching
Teaching Models
Global Perspectives
Current Issues in Education
Curriculum Development Theory
Collaborative Teaching
Supervision in Education
Teaching & Learning Analytics
Statistical Analysis in Learning Environments
Principles and Procedures of Curriculum Development
Developing Elementary School Curriculum
Developing Secondary School Curriculum
Developing Junior High and Middle School Curriculum
Developing Alternative School Curricula

What Type of Careers Can I Pursue with an Online Curriculum & Instruction Graduate Certificate?

As an educator with a curriculum and instruction graduate certificate, rewarding careers in several industries are available to you. Popular pathways include:

Private Tutor: You will be responsible for teaching one-to-one independently. You will oversee developing your own course material – often subject to certain standards.
Business Training Associate: This involves training adults in business systems and soft skills for the workplace. While you might be expected to adhere to industry standards on training, you will have some degree of control over course design.
Corporate Trainer: Similarly, this role involves working within a business for employee development spearheading onboarding and training.
Instructional Coordinator: Outside of frontline or second-line training, these professionals work at the top of organizations and government. Your job is to design curricula, set up tests with students, and evaluate a school or organization's educational practices.
School Teacher: Your skills will be useful for designing lesson plans and assignment structures as well as carrying out evaluations on individual and group performance. Applies to elementary, secondary, and post-secondary.
Special Needs Program Director: Children with learning or developmental difficulties need special consideration. Sometimes they need a different approach to study and a different type of program.
Gifted Children Program Director: Gifted children also need special consideration and teaching methods, and sometimes curricula.
Test/Exam Developer: Direct your skills towards creating age and skill-appropriate examination systems for schools and colleges.