Alexander Bielakowski, PhD, Graduate Director
N1045, 713-221-8994
This graduate certificate program is designed to help prepare students to teach undergraduate-level coursework in U.S. History. The required 18 graduate semester credit hours are offered through the history program and under the auspices of UHD’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), in the College of Public Service. Prior to selecting their courses, students enrolled in the program should confer with their credentialing institution to ensure that their degree plan contains the appropriate blend of history content courses to suit their institution’s standards.
Graduate Certificate in History Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for this certificate program map onto select MAT learning outcomes in the following fashion.
MAT Learning Outcome #1: Be able to demonstrate competency in critical thinking and problem solving:
- Certificate Learning Outcome #1, HISTORIOGRAPHY: Students will be able to recount major historical works and historiographical debates in at least two content areas
- Certificate Learning Outcome #2, CRITICAL THINKING: Students will be able to generate explanations of the causes and consequences of historical events and place events into their proper historical context, based on their analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- Certificate Learning Outcome #3, RESEARCH: Students will be able to independently collect and organize both primary and secondary sources using both electronic and print materials.
MAT Learning Outcome #2: Be able to write effectively:
- Certificate Learning Outcome #4, WRITING: Students will be able to write clear and convincing essays, including formal research papers that follow standard academic convention within the field of history.
Admissions Criteria
All applicants must have proficiency in English (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the native language) provided by an adequate TOEFL (IBT score of 81) or IELTS (6.5) score.
The recommended/preferred GPA for applicants is 2.5 or higher.
Applicants must either:
- Have both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from an accredited university
-OR-
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and gain admission to or be concurrently enrolled in the UHD MAT program
Admissions Materials
The application process varies depending upon whether the prospective student already holds a master’s degree or only a bachelor’s degree. 
Applicants with a Master’s Degree
Applicants must complete and submit all of the following items in order to be considered for admission. Writing samples can be uploaded through the myUHD portal, emailed to gradadmissions@uhd.edu, or mailed to:
Office of Admissions - Graduate Admissions
University of Houston-Downtown
One Main Street, Suite GSB 308
Houston, TX 77002-1001
- Submit an application through the www.goapplytexas.org.
- Pay the $35 application fee.
- Request/submit to the email or mailing address above official transcripts from the institution where applicant received a bachelor’s degree as well as any graduate schools attended. (Community college coursework will not be considered in the admission process and need not be submitted.)
- Provide a 2,000-word writing sample. (We ask that you compose a single-authored, research oriented writing sample on a topic of general interest using a generally recognized academic style sheet for references (MLA, APA, or Chicago).
- Provide TOEFL/IELTS scores as outlined above (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the native language).
Applicants with no Master’s Degree
Students who do not have a master’s degree will need to apply to the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program provided by the UHD College of Public Service and select “History” as their “area of specialization” on the Apply Texas Application. They should then also select to pursue the Graduate Certificate in History. By doing so, they will be eligible to receive the Graduate Certificate in History when they complete the MAT and the required 18 semester credit hours in History.
Additional information regarding the application process for these students can be found on the College of Public Service website.
Admissions Process
Once an application is complete, the Admissions Committee will evaluate candidates using a matrix based on required application materials to determine if the applicant will be “admitted” or “denied admission” to the program. The committee may also ask for further information from the candidate before making a final admission decision. The Program Director or the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies will notify prospective students, in writing (via email), of the committee’s decision. This written notification will contain pertinent information and next steps for students, as applicable.
Admissions Appeals
Admissions decisions may be appealed through the process found in the CHSS Graduate Student Handbook linked from this page.
