FAQs for Departments and Faculty

 

I am interested in exploring starting a new Capstone Certificates. What is the process?

Academic approval and oversight of all capstone certificates resides with the Graduate School and its Graduate Faculty Executive Committee.  The process and standards for obtaining academic approval of a capstone certificate can be found here: www.apa.wisc.edu/UAPC/uapccertificates.html

Within these guidelines, academic departments are responsible for determining the content, criteria for admission, the required number of credits, and all other academic issues related to the Capstone Certificate program.

Capstone students are University Special (nondegree) students therefore admission, enrollment, and other academic dean’s office functions for capstone programs are administered by Continuing Studies' Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS), which serves in this capacity for all University Special students at UW-Madison.  Capstone Certificate students apply as University Special students in the classification UNCS using the online UW System application. The decision to admit students to the Capstone Certificate program is made by the academic department which houses the Capstone Certificate.  Because Capstone programs are administered by Continuing Studies rather than the Graduate school, the Capstone programs have greater flexibility with admissions standards and processes, term dates, etc.  Capstone students enroll at the same time as Graduate students.

 

What is the tuition for Capstone programs?

As a general rule, Capstone Certificate students pay graduate tuition rates. Check with the individual Capstone program.

 

After a Capstone Certificate has been approved by the Graduate School and the University Academic Planning Council, what does my departmental Capstone Certificate program administrator need to do?

Departments must:

  • Assign a program administrator who will be the primary contact for Continuing Studies regarding the admission and enrollment process
  • Set up an appointment to meet with Continuing Studies (Jane Schimmel and/or Katy Duren) to go over administrative procedures and student services
  • Provide Continuing Studies with a paragraph describing your Capstone program, as well as the link to your Capstone program website.  Continuing Studies maintains a central website describing all of the Capstone programs.
  • Check to see that all written promotional/informational materials and websites reflect accurate information about the Capstone program.  Where a department is also offering a Graduate Certificate, it is very important that the distinction between the admission requirements and procedures for the Capstone and Graduate certificates is clear.  Students are easily confused about the distinctions between these different types of certificates. Make sure it is clear to applicants where to go for more information.

 

What is the application process for Capstone Certificate students?

  • Students apply online as University Special student (UNCS).
  • Electronic applications are received by Continuing Studies-Adult Career and Special Student Services, which enters an admission pending code of S70 in ISIS. (Jane Schimmel, student services coordinator for ACSSS, coordinates the admission process in ISIS.)
  • Acopy of the application is sent to the Department administrator.
  • Department administrator contacts applicants about additional application materials (letters of reference, test scores, etc), where relevant.
  • Department makes decision to admit or not, and contacts Jane Schimmel, Adult Career and Special Student Services-DCS (jschimmel@dcs.wisc.edu), who enters the admission decision code into ISIS.
  • All Capstone applications must have a residency decision regardless of the fee they are charged.
  • In addition to serving as the university admitting office, Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS) of the Divison of Continuing Studies is the Academic Dean's office for Capstone students. As such, requests for credit overloads, grade change approval, and withdrawal forms must be directed to ACSSS.
  • Once approved, the students receive an admission letter or email from ACSSS-DCS, and directions on how to enroll in courses. Students will also receive an email from the Registrar and Bursar office.  Departments may also want to send welcome letters with further information specific to their Capstone certificate program.
  • Capstone students will enroll at the same time as other Graduate students, even though most UniversitySpecial students enroll later.  Space may need to be reserved in the appropriate classes for your Capstone students.

 

Can international students be admitted to capstone programs?

Capstone certificates that wish to admit international students must get approval from the US government. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas are required to enroll full-time during their studies in the US. International students need an F-1 or J-1 visa to legally study in the US. There are currently only three UW-Madison capstone programs which have been approved by the US government for the issuance of the required visa documentation: Actuarial Sciences, French Studies, and Geographic Information Systems. These programs are full-time programs. The other capstone programs currently offered by UW-Madison are either part-time programs or they have not yet been approved for study for international students. If a Capstone Certificate is fully online (the students never need to be in the U.S.), then these restrictions do not apply.

If you are interested in admitting international students, you will work with Continuing Studies and International Student Services to start the approval process.

 

What is the ISIS career for Capstone students?

Capstone students are nondegree University Special students.  Following is the setup in ISIS: Career=USPC; Program=UNCS

Plans:
Capstone Certificate in Actuarial Science – UNCS009
Capstone Certificate in Bioinformatics-UNCS106
Capstone Certificate in Communication Science and Disorders – UNCS212
Capstone Certificate in Consumer Health Advocacy – UNCS215
Capstone Certificate in Global Health-UNCS245
Capstone Certificate in French Studies at the Graduate Level-UNCS452
Capstone Certificate in Fundamentals of Clinical Researech-UNCS453
Capstone Certificate in Geographic Information Systems-UNCS-358
Capstone Certificate in Laboratory Quality Management-UNCS592 (not accepting applications)
Capstone Certificate in Master Administrator – UNCS273 (not accepting applications)
Capstone Certificate in Post-Graduate Psychiatric Nursing – UNCS830
Capstone Certificate in Type 2 Translational Research –UNCS976

Plan Type=CAP for each plan
Enrollment Limit=12 credits

 

What happens when a student has completed all of the requirements for a Capstone Certificate?

The department is responsible for monitoring the progress of the Capstone students.  When a student has completed all of the requirements for the Capstone Certificate, the departmental program administrator must notify the degree audit department (Connie Chapman) in the Registrar’s office so that the Registrar’s office can post the Capstone Certificate on the student’s transcript.  If the department wishes to provide a physical certificate of completion for the student, they may do so.

 

Who are my contacts for questions about Capstone Certificates?

Administrative Dean's Office—Division of Continuing Studies

You may contact either Jane Schimmel or Katy Duren with questions:

Jane Schimmel
Student Services Coordinator,
Adult Career and Special Student Services
Division of Continuing Studies
21 N. Park St, Room 7101
Phone: 608-262-2862
Fax: 608-265-2901
jschimmel@dcs.wisc.edu

Katy Duren
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
Division of Continuing Studies
21 N. Park St., 7th floor
Phone: 608-263-5114
Fax: 608-265-2901
kduren@dcs.wisc.edu

Academic approval

Questions about the academic approval process or policies can be directed to:

Graduate School

Kelly Haslam
Assistant Dean, Graduate School
225 Bascom
Phone 608-262-4959
haslam@bascom.wisc.edu

Academic Planning

Jocelyn Milner
Director of Academic Planning and Analysis
Office of the Provost
169 Bascom Hall
608-263-5658
jmilner@wisc.edu

Student Billing

Craig Stevens
Enrollment Management
Office of the Registrar
333 E. Campus Mall, Room 10101
Phone: 608-262-4031
craig.stevens@em.wisc.edu

Posting Capstone Certificates to Student Transcript

Connie Chapman
Enrollment Management
Office of the Registrar
333 E. Campus Mall, Room 10101
Phone: 608-262-4540
constance.chapman@em.wisc.edu