About Higher Education Leadership & Administration Graduate Certificate

Who should consider the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership & Administration?

  • Higher education professionals currently working in management positions or who want to gain leadership and management skills that will allow them to move into positions with more responsibility.
  • Current doctoral students in any field considering a career in higher education administration upon completion of their degree.
  • Faculty members or administrators who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in order to provide better leadership for their campuses.

The Higher Education Leadership & Administration Graduate Certificate is most suitable for those who already have several years of experience working in higher education. If you are a recent graduate, our master’s program in higher education may be a more appropriate choice.

Do you want to learn more about the program? Sign up here to schedule a virtual information session for a chance to speak with faculty and other prospective students over Zoom. Spring 2024 sessions are as scheduled:

  • Tuesday, March 26 at 4 p.m. E.D.T.
  • Thursday, April 18 at 4 p.m. E.D.T.
  • Tuesday, April 30 at 4 p.m. E.D.T.

Please contact Annie Stephany at info-leadership [at] umass [dot] edu (info-leadership[at]umass[dot]edu) for more information or to schedule an individual Zoom advising session.

Instructions for Enrolling in Classes in SPIRE

  1. (New students - start here) Create a student record. (You should not need to do this step if you took a course in the previous semester) Go to spire.umass.edu. On the right hand menu, under Apply/References click on Non-Degree Enrollment Application and fill out the form there. You will receive an email with your NetID and password (this may take several days to process.) New students move to # 2 below.
  2. (Returning students - start here) Create an enrollment appointment. Once you have received your NetID and password you can create an enrollment appointment by logging in to SPIRE (spire.umass.edu) with the NetID and password you received. Steps:  (1) Navigate to Manage Classes Tile from your Student Center, then Enrollment Appointments.  (2) Select Term you need to take your class. (3) Make sure to click "yes" to agree to acknowledgements.  This appointment represents the time period during which you will be able to enroll in UWW classes in SPIRE. For detailed instructions for MEd students, please visit our Requesting an Enrollment Appointment in SPIRE page. 
  3. Register for classes. The enrollment appointment should be available immediately. Once you have your enrollment appointment, you can then enroll in your classes by navigating to  Manage Classes > Add, Drop and Edit Classes > Class Search Add and Enroll.  Search for the class using the course number (e.g. EDUC 643).

Questions about how to register?

  1. Please visit the How to Enroll in Online Classes webpage. This has more details on the steps for registration.
  2. If you have questions about the process, please contact Annie Stephany at info-leadership [at] umass [dot] edu (info-leadership[at]umass[dot]edu).
  3. If you need more specific registration information, please contact UMass University Without Walls at regoff [at] uww [dot] umass [dot] edu (regoff[at]uww[dot]umass[dot]edu), 413-545-3653 or 800-922-8211.

Completing the Program

Once you have registered for your fifth and final course, be sure to complete and return the Certificate Eligibility Form (directions below) to info-leadership [at] umass [dot] edu (info-leadership[at]umass[dot]edu). Forms are due by the following dates for each degree conferral period:

  • September Conferral: August 12
  • February Conferral: November 26
  • May Conferral: March 18

When completing your Certificate Eligibility Form, be sure to

  • Use your UMass email address on the form
  • Check your mailing address and name as listed on SPIRE - these will be used for your certificate 
  • Mark your certificate conferral period based on the date following your final class
    • -Students completing their final class in the Fall semester should mark February conferral 
    • -Students completing their final class in the Spring semester should mark May conferral 
    • -Students completing their final class in the Summer semester should mark September conferral 
  • Use "Educational Policy, Research, and Administration" for "Department" even if you belong to another department on campus
  • Use "Higher Education Leadership and Administration" for "Certificate Program"
  • Fill in the courses in order that you took them, using you class information on SPIRE (e.g. unofficial transcript) for that course number and class name
  • Fill in final grades for courses, but leave the final grade blank for any courses still in progress - the Graduate School will fill this in
  • Leave the signature fields blank, this section is for the Program administrators and Graduate Program Director to complete 
  • Send to the info-leadership [at] umass [dot] edu (info-leadership[at]umass[dot]edu) email a few days prior to the due date listed above
  • View a Sample Certificate Eligibility Form 

Tuition and Fees

University Without Walls (UWW/CPE) at UMass Amherst administers registration and payments for the graduate certificate.  Courses are listed as "Univ+ (UWW)" courses on SPIRE. 

Further information about tuition can be found on the "Online Program Tutition and Fees" page or through the Bursars Office at bursar [at] admin [dot] umass [dot] edu (bursar[at]admin[dot]umass[dot]edu) or call 413-545-0337.