Communication Certificate

Return to: College of General Studies

The Certificate in Communication is a 24-credit program designed to train students to be more effective communicators. Courses, taught by faculty of the Department of Communication, include a range of specialized communication topics. Participants may elect to concentrate their studies in such areas as nonverbal, small group, interpersonal, organizational, or mass communication; persuasion in political settings; or the construction, analysis, and delivery of public speech.

Who should participate:

• Business and professional people whose success may be enhanced by improved communication skills and further understanding of the communication process
• Those who wish to increase their personal knowledge of communication for use in their careers
• Citizens involved in community and public positions in which persuasive delivery and analysis are vital
• Persons seeking a better understanding of the impact of interpersonal, organizational, public, and mass communication in the contemporary world
• Students already enrolled in the College of General Studies or other University programs who want to concentrate on communications skills

Upon completion of this certificate, participants will be able to: 

• Understand the makeup of a persusasive presentation
• Polish and refine their communication skills
• Apply concentrated knowledge of a specialized communication topics

This certificate is applicable to fields such as education, writing, broadcasting, public relations, sales, communication training, personnel, promotions, advertising, market research, lobbying, politics, communications, and related fields.

Admission Requirements:

Students must meet requirements for admission to the College of General Studies. A certificate application form must be completed and submitted online to the College of General Studies.

Obtaining the Certificate

To receive the certificate, you must fill out an online graduation application through the Pitt Portal prior to completing your last term in the program. Visit Graduation / Diplomas on the Registrar’s website for the instructions and check the  Graduating with a CGS degree/ certificate website for the submission deadline.  Contact a CGS advisor to confirm that all requirements for the certificate have been met. To avoid a late fee, you should complete this process when registering for the term.