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Please direct questions about the magazine or this Web page to Anne Scott.

by Danita Feinberg

When graduate student Bonnie Blossom landed a teaching assistant position in USF's English department, she wanted to be the best instructor she could be. So Blossom took a composition pedagogy class to better verse herself in teaching writing. She loved it and decided to enroll in the Teaching Composition graduate certificate. The certificate requires five classes to help students teach composition.

"I think the certificate provides both personal and professional benefits," said Allison Brimmer, coordinator of the composition certificate. "In addition to the obvious professional development credits they receive, educators get the opportunity to spend time in a university setting with other teachers in the Tampa area who are committed to doing quality work."

But for college graduates who've been out of the classroom for a while, the thought of slinging a backpack over their shoulder and staying awake through late-night study sessions might be a little intimidating.

"Returning students often express reservation about age differences, but they are not much older than the majority of USF students," said Ric Byham, director of Continuing Education at USF Educational Outreach.

Sixty percent of USF students are between the ages of 25 and 49. And the university's Adult and Transfer Student Services office helps returning students through the enrollment process and the transition to sitting in a desk again. USF offers a slew of opportunities for adults interested in going back to college, from updating job skills to furthering a hobby.

Graduate Certificates
Whether considering a new job, updating skills and knowledge, or perhaps seeking licensure, graduate certificates appeal to many post-bachelor degree students. Currently, USF has 1,056 students enrolled in graduate certificate programs, according to Graduate Certificates Director Lagretta Lenker.

USF Composition instructor Bonnie Blossom says "taking the graduate certificate classes definitely helped me. I use something I learned every time I walk into a classroom."

"Adults like the easy application process, short time to completion, convenient class schedules, and access to new and/or updated knowledge and skills," Lenker said. Many certificates can be finished in five classes. Most certificates require statements of purpose, letters of recommendation and appropriate coursework or professional experience to enroll, although some might ask that students already have a master's degree in a certain field.

An added bonus of enrolling in a certificate program is that the GRE test isn't required. And, with departmental approval, up to 12 credits can be transferred to a master's program if a student decides to seek an upper-level degree later.

USF offers 48 graduate certificate opportunities, with some of the more popular being creative writing, public administration, geographical informational systems, music performance, and instructional technology. New certificates being created include disaster management, play therapy, gifted education, social marketing, and clinical epidemiology, among others.

Graduate certificates began at USF in 1998. A partnership between Educational Outreach, Graduate Studies, and the Provost's office, the certificate opportunities have already seen 318 "graduates." The December issue of Certificate News reported that USF's Graduate Certificate program is second in the nation in number of students served.

Brimmer said the Teaching Composition certificate gives job applicants an advantage in their career searches.

"There's no question that the certificate gives an edge in the workforce," she said. "For teachers, it's evidence of study undertaken at one of the top-rated rhetorical/composition programs in the nation."

Noncredit Opportunities
If a graduate certificate still seems like too much of a commitment, there are other opportunities for college graduates and others who want to come back to school. Noncredit continuing education can range from professional development to personal enrichment, said Elissa Henderson, information coordinator at USF Educational Outreach.

"Students can sign up for noncredit courses without having to seek admission or instructor approval," she said. "In some cases, they should have the prerequisite skills required for the program, but these are generally an easy way to enrich your life interests and keep you involved in learning new things."

Students in these programs can enroll by phone, fax, or the Internet, bypassing traditional enrollment requirements.

There are so many different types of outreach opportunities that the office puts out its own catalog every semester to list their classes. Last year, 15,000 students enrolled in Educational Outreach's noncredit programs.

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