Good Clinical Practices [Graduate Certificate]

Location(s): In-person/hybrid

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The program provides students with knowledge and practical experience in new drug and medical device development. In addition, the courses and experiences provide a base of competence that individuals can use to seek employment in the pharmaceutical industry and the academic clinical research environment or by those currently employed by industry or academia to gain additional competencies.

This is a STEM-designated program (see OPT Extension).

Program Admission

Admit Terms and Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; students may start the program in the Fall. See Application Deadlines.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

For full admission, applicants must have 1) Earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution, 2) a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program. Conditional admission may be available to applicants not meeting minimum admission requirements.

Program Requirements

Successful applicants to the Graduate Certificate in Good Clinical Practice will have demonstrated a sincere desire for a career focusing on clinical research and development. Applicants must be fully aware of the differences in their career path from one in basic research, discovery research, or device invention.

Applicants must also meet the following program requirements. Requirements may be more stringent than the minimum graduate school requirements.

Earned a Bachelor of Science or Arts. While previous studies in the sciences, engineering, or health care are preferred, applicants may come from a wide variety of undergraduate (or post-graduate) areas of study including, but not limited to: nursing, pre-med, biology, chemistry, mathematics, science education, pharmacy, engineering, business, computer science, psychology, social sciences, pre-law, etc. Applicants with M.A., M.S., Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. degrees are encouraged to apply.
Have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester/90 quarter units of coursework.
Applicants should have excellent computer skills.
Prior experience in a relevant industry is highly desirable but not required.
Submit two letters of support
Submit a statement of 500 words or more concerning career objectives.

Based on further documentation, the Program Director may waive any formal program requirements to consider other factors on a case-by-case basis. For example, work experience in a related field, life experience, fluency in multiple languages, or other cultural knowledge may be considered and prior academic performance.

International Applicants

Applicants who possess a Bachelor’s degree from a post-secondary institution in a country where English is not the principal spoken language must satisfy one of the following tests of English language proficiency:

TOEFL: 84 iBT
IELTS: 6.5
Pearson English Language Test (PTE): 58

Applicants who submit English Language Proficiency exam scores must also complete ESLN 565 if admitted.

Applicants should note that a high degree of proficiency in both written and oral communications in English is a fundamental skill required to complete the degree program and succeed in the field. Applicants who are unsure of their skill level in either spoken or written English are advised to consult with the Program Director/Advisor.

Application

Your application will be submitted using GradCAS, a Centralized Application Service (CAS) hosted by Liaison. After reviewing the admission requirements, please review the application instructions and select the appropriate application.

- Go to 2023-2024 GradCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Winter 2025.

- Go to 2024-2025 GradCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Winter 2026.

Domestic Applicants Domestic applicants are required to submit only the transcript from the institution granting their bachelor’s degree if either of the following criteria is met: 1) Lists 30 or more credit hours with an overall GPA of 3.0 or over OR 2) Lists 60 or more credit hours with an overall GPA between 2.7 and 2.99. Within the application, follow the instructions to submit an official transcript. The University may ask applicants to submit additional transcripts after applying.

International Applicants Before applying, applicants must review the international application/process deadlines at emich.edu/international as they may differ from general program requirements.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

School Information

Health Sciences 313 Marshall, 734.487.4096

Olivia Ford, PhD, Director

Advisor Information

Michael Switzer, PhD, 311 Marshall, 734.487.4096

Degree Requirements: 15 hours

The program consists of four courses offered in a format that meets the needs of the nontraditional and full-time employed student. Successful completion of the four courses, with a GPA of 3.0 or above, qualifies a student for acceptance into a preceptorship experience where students work with clinical research associates, clinical research coordinators and clinical scientists in a workplace setting to develop and polish monitoring skills.

The only prerequisite to the first course in the sequence is the possession of a bachelor’s degree and admission to the Graduate School.

The certificate requires 15 hours of coursework to be distributed as follows:

Critical Graduation Information

Each graduate student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements or their equivalents of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

Graduate Certificate requirements must be completed within three (3) years of first enrollment in a course applicable to the certificate. Dually enrolled students (certificate and master’s program) must complete both degrees within six years of first enrollment in the master’s degree.

In the event a student does not complete the graduate certificate degree requirements within three years of the date of their original registration, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their degree in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

The following are the minimum requirements for all graduate certificate degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University. Some programs require more than the minimum in one or more areas below.

A graduate certificate must require a minimum of 12 credit hours.
No more than six credits of independent study courses and 12 credit hours of special topics and independent study courses combined may be applied to a graduate degree.
Residency Requirement - For students admitted to a graduate certificate program, at least nine graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the program must be earned at EMU. Students completing multiple certificate programs must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours per certificate.
Application of completed certificates toward prior degree credit - Only credits from one completed graduate certificate may be applied to a master’s or specialist degree in a relevant field of study, as determined by the Graduate School and with the approval of the degree-granting academic department, and be included in the residency hours of the master’s program.
The Graduate School does not permit the use of undergraduate courses (499 and below) to meet degree requirements on graduate programs of study.
Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at EMU and in their program of study to remain in good academic standing and be eligible for graduation. Students do not need to be registered for classes during the semester of graduation.