The Certificate in Humanistic Inquiry in the Liberal Arts and Sciences provides pathways for completing 12-16 General Education credits across multiple required General Education designations. The certificate is intended for students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program who need to complete General Education (GE) credits in specific designations such as Humanities, Social Science, Global Studies, Health and Well-Being, Fine Arts, and/or Natural Sciences and who wish those courses to be grouped by a theme relevant to personal interests and goals.
Courses in the program utilize humanities-oriented perspectives to encourage new understandings of self and the world, and are informed by a call to empathy and an imperative to look deeply and beyond oneself in making meaning of the world. Methodologies such as analysis, interpretation, synthesis, evaluation, consideration of context, problem solving, and working from multiple perspectives will be central to courses in the certificate. These are skills desired by employers and essential to meaningful civic engagement. The inclusion of an ePortfolio encourages development of critical thinking, metacognition, and the ability to communicate learning.
Students will explore big questions within a theme using transformative texts and intentional reflection to connect courses to one other, the major, and beyond. As a result of the specific pedagogical design of courses included in the certificate, at least 12 credits must come from eligible courses taken at UM-Flint; equivalent transfer courses may not be applied to the certificate.
The certificate offers four themed pathways. Students are required to complete four courses within a chosen pathway and submit a portfolio that includes reflective assignments from elected courses within the pathway. The certificate will appear on a student’s official transcript. Courses should be elected in consultation with an advisor and as part of the completion of university General Education requirements.
Themed pathways include:
• Humans and Robots
• Envisioning Just Worlds
• Building Sustainable Worlds
• Leading by Living an Examined Life
Students can be admitted into a certificate program if they are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, have earned a bachelor’s degree, or have not earned a bachelor’s degree but would like to earn a certificate. Degree-seeking students will declare the certificate program by submitting a change of program form in SIS, and are eligible for aid while pursuing a bachelor degree program. Students not pursuing a bachelor degree program are not eligible for financial aid and are not allowed to participate in Commencement; however, the certificate will appear on the official transcript and an official diploma stating the area of the certificate earned will be awarded. Students who have graduated from a UM-Flint bachelor program within the past year need not reapply; students away from UM-Flint for more than a year will apply for readmittance; students with a bachelor degree from another accredited institution will apply as transfer students.
Students must complete at least 12 credits at the University of Michigan-Flint in order to fulfill the residency requirement for certificates. This certificate program is not eligible for federal financial aid if a student is not currently pursuing a bachelor degree program. Students will have to apply to graduate separately for the certificate. Students completing a certificate only are not allowed to participate in Commencement, however the certificate will appear on a student’s official transcript. An official diploma will be issued for this award and will state the area of the certificate earned.
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