Graduate Certificate in Teaching of Writing at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Programme overview

Graduate certificate for K-16 educators providing grounding in writing and literacy pedagogy, sponsored by the Western Massachusetts Writing Project of the Department of English and the College of Humanities and Fine Arts.

Department: English | Location: Amherst, MA, United States

What you will study

Students work on their own writing, reflect on teaching practice and read current research on learning to write and writing to learn.

Career pathways

Teacher and teacher-leader roles in writing education.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimums for UMass Amherst graduate programmes: a bachelor's degree (US regionally accredited or an equivalent four-year international degree) completed before the start date; minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, with some programmes expecting higher; two letters of recommendation in most programmes (some require more); personal statement and resume; a short essay of up to 600 words on a community or group; $90 application fee; transcripts from all institutions where 9 or more credits were earned. Applicants whose native language is not English (non-US citizens/permanent residents) need TOEFL iBT 80 (4 on the new scale for tests from January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo 115 or PTE Academic 53, unless a waiver applies. GRE/GMAT is required only where the programme sets it. Three-year bachelor's degrees (e.g. Indian 3-year degrees) and Nigerian ND/HND are not accepted as equivalent.

Requirements published at program group level.

Apply through the official page: https://www.umass.edu/graduate/apply

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