Pregraduate Study
Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies offers a unique opportunity to create a custom course of study to prepare for graduate school and doctoral programs. Using the admission requirements of programs that you are considering as a guide, you will collaborate with an adviser to develop an individualized academic plan (consisting of four to eight courses) that capitalizes on your background and suits your academic goals. You can strengthen your academic transcript, show recent academic success and secure current letters of recommendation from Northwestern faculty. The Northwestern University certificate is a credential that will enable you to stand out in your application for advanced study. To be eligible for the certificate, you need to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Subject-Specific Programs
You can create a program with a relevant concentration drawn from the undergraduate curriculum. Click on the links below to explore specific courses offered in each subject:
Anthropology
Art History
Biological Sciences
Business
Communication Studies
Communication Systems
Creative Writing
Economics
English and American Literature
Environmental Policy and Culture
History
Information Systems
International Studies
Journalism
Mathematics
Organization Behavior
Political Science
Pregraduate Business Administration
Psychology
Radio/TV/Film
Sociology
Specialized Study
Create a custom program by choosing courses that are tailored to your specific academic goals. Courses are offered in 38 subjects. |
Time to Completion
Two quarters to two years, based on your goals and number of courses
Locations
Courses are available on Northwestern’s Evanston and Chicago campuses
Times
Evening and Saturday courses
Individualized Support Services
Outside of the classroom, the School of Continuing Studies also works with you to get the most out of your academic experience at Northwestern. The SCS Student Services team is available to assist you every step of the way, and you'll benefit from access to the academic and community resources of Northwestern University. Post-baccalaureate program students can take advantage of:
- Advisers who will collaborate with you on your academic and professional goals throughout your tenure at SCS
- Events, workshops and presentations that will help you hone and enhance your graduate or law school application
- Access to the premier online service Interfolio to accumulate your credentials for graduate school applications, especially letters of recommendation, and manage them efficiently
- Preparation for graduate and law school interviews, including feedback on recorded mock interviews
- Guidance in crafting a personal statement and selecting strong writing samples for your application
Post-baccalaureate Admissions |
Interdisciplinary Programs
You may link individual courses from the undergraduate curriculum to further customize your program and meet specific academic goals that are outside of these concentrations, such as comparative literature, cultural studies, or urban studies. The certificate that you receive upon completion will list the approved title of your specialized study program.
Law School Preparation
There is no one academic path to law school, but courses at Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies will equip you with strong writing and verbal communication skills, an understanding of society and human nature, and critical and creative thinking skills. Students preparing for law school study in subject areas such as English, history, political science, communication studies, and psychology. You will collaborate with an adviser to develop an individualized academic plan (consisting of four to eight courses) that capitalizes on your background and suits your academic goals. You can strengthen your academic transcript, show recent academic success and secure current letters of recommendation from Northwestern faculty. The Northwestern University certificate is a credential that will enable you to stand out in your application for advanced study. To be eligible for the certificate, you need to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Education Master’s Programs
General Education Courses
If you are planning to enter a master’s program for a career in elementary or secondary education, the School of Continuing Studies can help you get started. Based on your undergraduate course work and the requirements of your chosen master’s program, you can take general education courses at SCS to prepare for graduate study while satisfying some teacher certification requirements.
In Illinois, the requirements for certification are determined by the certifying institution (www.isbe.state.Il.us/certification). To plan your course of study, you should examine the general education requirements of the graduate program, or programs to which you plan to apply, whether at the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University or at another institution. Then you should meet with an academic adviser at SCS who can help you create a customized course of study.
Courses for Secondary Education
If you are a career changer interested in a secondary education graduate program, you will need to satisfy the course equivalents of a major. In many cases, you can fulfill those requirements for an eligible major, such as mathematics or history, at SCS. Be sure to study the requirements of the graduate program that you are interested in before you choose any courses at SCS. Requirements vary from school to school. Once you have an idea of the courses in which you are interested, you should meet with an SCS adviser to map out a customized course of study for your pregraduate study.
You can create a program with a relevant concentration drawn from the undergraduate curriculum or you may link individual undergraduate courses to further customize your program and meet specific academic goals that are outside of these concentrations, such as language studies, art and philosophy. The certificate that you receive upon completion will list the approved title of your specialized study program.
SCS advisers are available to discuss your goals and course of study before you apply for admission to the post-baccalaureate certificate program.
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