An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from the bachelor’s degree granting institution.
Students may pursue the graduate certificate in Appalachian Studies while enrolled in the Humanities M.A. program OR as a certificate-only student. Students already enrolled in the M.A. degree program should submit to Graduate Admissions a Secondary Program Request form, available here.

Applicants interested in the certificate-only program should apply for admission to Marshall University as a Certificate/ Professional Development student and select on the application form the Certificate in Appalachian Studies. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Students are encouraged (but not required) to contact the Director before officially submitting their application.
All students should apply to the Certificate of Appalachian Studies through Marshall University’s Graduate College, following these procedures:
fill out a Marshall University Graduate Application for Admission, being sure to identify
the “Type of Admission” as “Certificate/Professional Development Program”,
the “Major Program to which you are applying” as “GX00 Graduate Certificate Program” (it’s near the end of the list),
the “Area of emphasis within your intended major” as “Appalachian Studies GXL3” (it’s also near the end of the list), you may do this on on-line here.
send your application to the Graduate College, and have the registrars at all colleges and universities you have attended to send official transcripts of your academic records directly to the Graduate Admissions Office (if you have not already had them sent for another application).
For provisional enrollment, students must first apply to the certificate program following the procedure above. Should the Humanities Program decide to admit the student provisionally, the Director will contact the student directly.
Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools from which you have received credit. Printouts or opened copies are not acceptable.
International students and applicants who have earned a degree from a non-English institution must provide proof of English proficiency as follows: minimum of 80 on TOEFL IBT (or 550 paper based), IELTS 6.5.
(MELAB) Michigan English Language Assessment Battery minimum score of 82 for graduate study.
Successful completion of the advanced level of INTO Marshall Academic English level 6 with no grades below B.
Successful completion of INTO Marshall Pathway course ENG 160 or ENG 101A with minimum grade C.
Diploma or degree from an English speaking school – a degree or diploma from an accepted accredited college or university in which the primary language of instruction for the entire institution is English.
You have graduated from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.