Henderson adds nine new certificate programs

Henderson State University students have nine new certificate programs to choose from, ranging from social media and digital media production, to special education resource and supply chain management.

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education approved the following certificates on July 30:

Graduate Online Teaching Certificate and Endorsement
Online teaching is an essential part of evolving K-20 learning environments. This program seeks to prepare educators at every level to design and teach in an online learning environment. The program consists of four three-hour courses pertaining to digital literacy and technology, assessment and measurement, universal design for learning and an online teaching and learning academy for the design and facilitation of online learning.

Special Education Resource Certificate -- Graduate
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for licensed special education teachers in Arkansas as evidenced by the number of years that special education has been listed as a shortage area for the state.

The Arkansas Department of Education has been engaged with a number of activities aimed at increasing the number of special education teachers and reducing the number of teachers on additional licensure plans for special education. Special education has the highest number of teachers on an additional licensure plan (ALP).

Special Education Resource Certificate -- Undergraduate
One of the strategies initiated by the Department to increase the pool of special education teachers was to propose a special education resource endorsement area to allow a larger pool of candidates to be able to teach students with special needs in specific content areas.

Certificate in Social Media Certificate
Social media continues to be one of the largest and fastest growing areas in the media landscape. Social media is a skill set that has a place in most fields. In addition, it is an area that requires creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on experience to achieve success.

This certificate is designed with these aspects in mind and will give students the opportunity to refine/develop high demand skills and help students be more successful in their career paths.

Certificate in Digital Media Production
The digital media production certificate provides skills needed to conceive, produce, and distribute digital media products like videos, films, VR/AR experiences, and more. The 12 hours of nearly all hands-on coursework will give those earning the certificate opportunities in fields of traditional media production such as news and entertainment as well as corporate and organizational communication.

Businesses, political campaigns, start-ups, journalism and non-profits are just a few examples of organizations that must communicate via produced media distributed on digital platforms. This certificate will benefit those already in careers by enabling them to learn valuable skills and also benefit current students who will have additional marketable skills upon graduation.

Health Communication Certificate
Health communication is one of the fastest growing and in-demand areas of expertise in the US. With the rise of telehealth services, online public health campaigns, and increasing digital communication demands on medical professionals, health communication skills have become increasingly important.

In this certificate program, students will learn how to craft public health campaign messages, understand and adapt to the health needs of disadvantaged populations, study the interpersonal relationship between medical providers and patients, and become versed in the challenges that organizations face during a medical crisis. Classes in this program cover topics such as intercultural, gender, interpersonal, and other communication areas related to public health.

Studies have demonstrated a correlation between medical staff with communication training and effective long term treatment in a variety of settings. This certificate will enable students to add valuable skills that will assist them in their careers as well as improve the health and health information in the state.

Sports Psychology Certificate
This certificate is designed to enrich student understanding about sports psychology. Students will learn about how the human mind processes information in an athletic context and relates to behaviors in sports. Students will develop foundational insights in the area of sports psychology by analyzing, evaluating and interpreting data they will be exposed to while completing assignments in the courses for this certificate.

It will be a beneficial credential upon graduation but will also prepare students to pursue graduate studies in fields related to sports psychology sciences. The United States Department of Labor forecasts a 13% job growth by 2026 for coaches and scouts who have completed their sports psychology one-year diploma.

Graduate Supply Chain Management Certificate
The 18-hour graduate certificate in supply chain management prepares the student with the knowledge, skills and ability to operate the supply chain for efficiencies thus driving operational excellence through all levels of the organization. The student will gain an integrated perspective of procurement, operations and logistics.

Graduate Project Management Certificate
The 18-hour graduate certificate in Project Management prepares the student with the knowledge, skills, and ability to apply principles and best practices from the Project Management body of knowledge. The student will become proficient with Microsoft Project platform and other tools to manage complex project plans, timelines, and budgets, and will prepare for the Certified Associate in Project Management.

The ADHE also approved a new Gender Studies track in the Master of Liberal Arts graduate degree program.

The 36-hour track will attract a variety of students including those exposed as undergraduates to the gender studies; nontraditional students looking to continue their education; and teachers and other professionals interested in innovative options for professional development.

Some students completing this MLA emphasis will use it to build a solid foundation on which to pursue further scholarship, while others will use the knowledge they gain to excel in their respective professions whether they be new or established.