Program Overview

Student Affairs Program Assessment Certificate

The Student Affairs Program Assessment Certificate is a fully online certificate that requires the successful completion of five core courses within three years of enrollment. This certificate is designed to provide learners with the knowledge, skills, tools, and strategies needed to accurately determine how successful student affairs programs are in achieving their desired outcomes.

Program Overview

Student affairs professionals in higher education settings are responsible for enhancing the student experience, which they do through comprehensive programming ranging from campus life initiatives to academic, cultural, and financial support programs. The Student Affairs Program Assessment Certificate draws on contemporary research and practice, industry expertise, and a mix of live and self-paced material, to provide an engaging learning experience that positions participants for effective program assessment in college and university student services contexts.

What You Will Learn

• Understanding of Assessment Principles: Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of assessment theories, principles, and frameworks relevant to student affairs, including the importance of alignment with institutional missions and goals.
• Research Methodologies: Students will learn about various research methodologies and data collection techniques commonly used in student affairs assessment, such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, and document analysis.
• Data Analysis Skills: Students will develop proficiency in analyzing assessment data using both quantitative and qualitative methods, including statistical analysis, coding, and thematic analysis.
• Program Evaluation: Students will acquire the skills necessary to design and conduct program evaluations, including establishing evaluation criteria, developing assessment instruments, and interpreting evaluation results, with ethical considerations, including issues of confidentiality, privacy, bias, and fairness.
• Utilization of Assessment Results: Students will understand how to use assessment results to inform decision-making, improve programs and services, and enhance student learning and development.
• Effective Communication of Assessment Results: Students will learn how to engage partners in the assessment process, and effectively communicate assessment findings to various stakeholders, including administrators, faculty, staff, students, and external partners, using clear and compelling formats and language.

Who Should Take This Certificate

This certificate is designed for, but not limited to, professionals working in the field of student affairs.

How Will You Benefit

This certificate supports in-service professionals across Canada and opens the door to student affairs-related work in higher education settings.

Courses

Each course in the certificate is five weeks in length and consists of 20 learning hours, including 10 hours of live sessions. Learners can expect to spend approximately four hours per week on their studies.

• Assessment Essentials for Student Affairs Professionals
• Methodologies Part I Intro and Design
• Ethical Research and Assessment
• Methodologies Part II Research Design, Data Collection, Data Analysis
• Actioning Assessment in Student Affairs

Fees & Schedule

The fee for each course is $900. Please note that textbooks are not included. This online certificate consists of five courses. Live online sessions are during work hours, Atlantic Standard Time (AST).

Certificate Requirements

It is highly recommended that participants complete the five courses in sequential order. The certificate is awarded after the completion of all five courses, including all quizzes, assignments, and exams. This represents approximately 100 hours of training, including online sessions, home study, assignments, and capstone project. Participants must keep 80% attendance and attain a minimum of 65% for each module and an aggregate average of at least 75% in the program.

Recognition of Prior Learning

It may be possible to receive advanced standing in this certificate based on prior learning from work or life experience. There are two types of recognition of prior learning:

• Prior Certified Learning: Assessment of prior coursework or training through a provider, that is neither a university or college, for the purpose of advanced standing.
• Prior Experiential Learning: Assessment of previous work and life learning that may be equivalent to learning outcomes of university courses/programs, for the purpose of advanced standing.

Courses Details

Cohort Based Option

Courses in this certificate stream must be taken in order. The minimum required is 5 courses.

• CORP-SAPA0010 Assessment Essentials for Student Affairs Professionals
  • CEUs: 2
  • Prerequisites: N
  • Delivery Options: Blended - Online
  • Next Offered: Winter 2026
  • Status: Available
• CORP-SAPA0011 Methodologies Part I: Intro and Design
  • CEUs: 2
  • Prerequisites: N
  • Delivery Options: Online - Scheduled
  • Next Offered: Winter 2026
  • Status: Available
• CORP-SAPA0012 Ethical Research and Assessment
  • CEUs: 2
  • Prerequisites: N
  • Delivery Options: Online - Scheduled
  • Next Offered: Spring/Summer 2026
  • Status: Available
• CORP-SAPA0013 Methodologies Part II: Research design, data collection, data analysis
  • CEUs: 2
  • Prerequisites: N
  • Delivery Options: Online - Scheduled
  • Next Offered: Fall 2026
  • Status: Available
• CORP-SAPA0014 Actioning Assessment in Student Affairs
  • CEUs: 2
  • Prerequisites: N
  • Delivery Options: Online - Scheduled
  • Next Offered: Fall 2026
  • Status: Available