Dr. Elizabeth Nichols, Director
Immigration shapes headlines, elections, communities, and everyday lives. Borders and Bridges: Immigration Through Law, Language, and Story invites students to explore one of the most pressing and complex issues of our time from multiple perspectives. Through the study of language, art, and literatures, as well as legal policy analysis, students develop the knowledge and skills to contribute thoughtfully to public discourse on immigration with insight and empathy. The certificate then culminates in a hands-on community engagement experience that allows students to put this knowledge into practice. This certificate challenges students to communicate across cultures, interpret powerful immigrant stories, critically analyze immigration in law, public service, criminology, education, healthcare, social work, business, cultural studies or the arts, this program prepares you to take meaningful action in an increasingly interconnected world.
Dr. Laurie Edmondson, Director
Neurodiversity is about recognizing differences in people as human variation rather than disabilities. These differences may include Attention Deficit Disorder, Autistic Spectrum, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Anxiety Disorder, Depression and other neurological disorders. The goal of this certificate is to understand neurodiversity and mental health issues and create future workplaces that are inclusive and supportive of every individual.
You will apply your knowledge of neurodiversity in the capstone course by going into the community to raise awareness and inform professional practice. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Ted Vaggalis & Dr. Chris Panza, Co-Directors
The certificate in Ethical Leadership provides students with a highly focused and robust understanding of the central components of ethics. Students will work to integrate the knowledge gained from the certificate courses and apply it in the capstone applied ethics course. In the capstone course, students will engage in a sustained study of one ethical issue (topics will rotate from year to year). Additionally, each student will develop a sustained research project on a significant ethical problem of their own choosing, with the personalized guidance of a faculty sponsor.
In these capstone projects, students might:
Jo Van Arkel, Director
The certificate in Graphic Storytelling develops foundation skills in the creative process, sequential thinking, visual narrative, and graphic design as it relates to the practice of illustrated storytelling. Students will enhance skills in drawing, storyboarding, and shaping narrative structure with an understanding of visual narrative as an opportunity for creative expression, informational and technical writing related to professional fields, and/or social commentary. Upon successful completion of the first three courses, students will create a capstone comic or visual narrative publication.
Upon successful completion of the first three courses, students will create a capstone comic or visual narrative publication. In these capstone projects, students might:
* Please note several sessions of ENGL 200 are offered. Only History and Theory Of Visual Narrative of Graphic Storytelling will meet this certificate requirement.
Dr. Robert Weddle, Director
International study has a unique ability to provide immersive learning experiences that heighten students’ knowledge of and sensitivity to other cultures. Drury faculty offer a broad range of international experiences, from short-term summer or winter programs to full-semester opportunities. The courses in this certificate will vary depending on the specific study-abroad program. A list of approved and currently scheduled programs (along with required courses for those programs) can be found at the International Programs Office.
Programs are approved by the faculty’s Academic Affairs Committe, and must contain the following components, including a minimum of 6 hours of coursework taken at the study-abroad location:
Understanding Place
Two courses taken at the study-abroad location, covering issues relevant to the location of the study-abroad experience and emphasizing acquisition of intercultural understanding and analysis.
Interdisciplinary Contexts
One course determined by the study-abroad program organizer(s), taken either abroad or on campus, and providing context, depth, and interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches relevant to the study-abroad experience.
Place-Based Project
One course taken either abroad or on campus, providing an integrative capstone to the study-abroad experience through a project-based application of ideas and skills, to specific place-based problems, challenges, or issues.
This certificate concludes with a place-based project that will allow you to merge creative, communication, and problem-solving skills, applying your new knowledge and intercultural awareness in hands-on ways that offer something back to the places you have visited and learned about. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Kevin Henderson, Director
The certificate in Film, History & Society will introduce students to the study of film, with an emphasis on how film reflects, distorts, and challenges our ideas of historical eras, gender identities, and political events. Students will learn how to read films to question how film represents and misrepresents the “true stories” of historical figures, cultural ideas, and our sense of what really happened. Across four connected courses, students will develop skills in writing, visual literacy, analysis of film, and questioning the sources of historical knowledge. In the capstone course, students will have the option of pursuing either a critical or creative final project, which will be presented on campus or in coordination with The Moxie Cinema in downtown Springfield.
In the capstone course, you will apply what you have learned to complete one of two projects: develop a critical review of an existing film or create your own short film. Both written and visual works will be uploaded to a digital portfolio and presented on campus or at The Moxie cinema in downtown Springfield. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Jonathan Groves, Director
This certificate will introduce students to marketing, storytelling, and branding. Students enrolled in this certificate will be encouraged to apply course content to the development of their personal brand/image. In the capstone course, student projects will be oriented toward the development of a reflective or creative representation of the image they would like to project across various media. Capstone projects should also consider consistencies across and contradictions between their actual and (various) digital self(ves).
Dr. Tom Russo, Director
We live in a society in which globalization, corporations, and cultures around the world continue to develop and impact our lives. Studying abroad for a full semester at a foreign institution provides a deep understanding of such intercultural connections. This certificate gives students the opportunity to increase their cultural capital through developing personal and professional abilities such as independence, time management, organization, self-confidence, flexibility, and creative problem-solving. Through this certificate, students add value to their Drury education and to their career prospects as employers today increasingly value such international experience.
Dr. Jeff VanDenBerg, Director
The Activist’s Toolkit certificate develops practical skills in advocacy, social mobilization, political engagement, and community leadership. Students in the certificate will gain hands-on experience through partnership projects with local non-profit and civic organizations.
In the capstone course, you will analyze policy and advocate for changes on important issues in the local community in partnership with non-profit and civic organizations. The Springfield Community Focus Report will serve as our guiding text. In these projects, students might:
Scott Petrich, Director
Students will learn about the history and science behind brewing as well as marketing the product upon completion. They will start their journey studying the impact that brewing had on culture through various time periods throughout history. The second course looks at the science behind the brewing process and the impact of alcohol within the body. In the third course students will move on to understanding how to create a label to market their beer. The capstone course will provide a hands-on experience of developing and brewing their own beer and evaluating the different varieties of beer.
Dr. Allin Sorenson, Interim Director
This certificate develops skills in marketing, cultural policies, and arts management. These skills will enable students to pursue advanced study in non-profit leadership or art administration in fields such as museums, art galleries, theatres, music ensembles, and arts councils.
Dr. Shannon McMurtrey, Director
Cybersecurity has risen to top of mind awareness for individuals all around the world. Issues such as data privacy, ransomware, and cyberwar have become more relevant for all members of our society. This certificate will take the mystery out of technology and enable graduates to feel confident in their understanding of what it means to transact safely and securely in our ever increasingly connected world.
Students pursuing the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate cannot earn the Cyber-risk Management major or minor.
Students pursuing the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate cannot earn the Integrated Business major with a track in Cybersecurity.
Dr. Gehan Dhameeth, Director
Our world has many problems in every field imaginable that require data analysis to develop solutions. The rapid growth in technology has led to enormous amounts of data available. Journalism, sociology, marketing, biology – name the field and there is an opportunity to use data to inform the users of trends and relationships that could help the world solve big problems.
In partnership with an advisory team, you will work with live data sets from organizations, companies, or the government to work on a problem closely related to their major field. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Justin Leinaweaver, Director
The long-term success of any society is inextricably linked to its ability to maintain the health of its environment. Environmental problems arise as unintended side-effects of consumers seeking to provide for themselves, business owners seeking to earn profits, and government representatives seeking to stay in power. Therefore, solving environmental problems can only be successful over time if policies are carefully designed to ensure the sustainability of the resource and the community that depends on it in equal measure. This certificate aims to provide students with the skills necessary to understand and address complex environmental problems in this way.
You will identify, evaluate, and propose the solution for an environmental problem that is implementable in the short-to-medium term, feasible in terms of the community’s resources, and sensitive to the needs of the key interests in the society whose buy-in will be required to achieve long-term success. In these capstone projects, students might:
Classes should be taken in this order: PLSC 223, BIOL 163, ECON 225, PLSC 323
Dr. Rich Schur, Director
Skills and expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are essential for success in professional life. Organizations, no matter their size or focus, need to work with people from all backgrounds and create inclusive cultures that value all stakeholders. This certificate helps students gain insight into historical inequities and develop the social, cultural, and legal skills to build inclusive and diverse institutions. Students will work through various case studies and projects and gain skills in community-building, coalition building, policy development, and inclusive media representations. It is the perfect complement to any major.
Dr. Jennie Long, Director
One of the greatest tragedies in the criminal justice system is the conviction of a person for a crime he or she did not commit. The themed certificate in Wrongful Convictions will provide the opportunity for students to gain an in-depth understanding of the legal process used to process criminal cases, evaluate the ways in which ethics and social justice issues impact conviction rates, and critically analyze real-life examples of wrongful conviction, as well as state and federal post-conviction remedies.
You will use the knowledge gained in your certificate coursework to design projects. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Natalie Precise, Director
This certificate will prepare students to be the developers and providers of the organizational training employers are looking for in today’s work environment. Completers of this certificate will understand the importance of ongoing professional learning within any profession and how being a facilitator that can lead the learning and development of others can set them apart from their colleagues. Students will learn facilitation techniques for delivering training and workshops, how to be a work-place mentor, how to lead process changes, and how to develop employee soft skills in the workplace.
Please note: In fall 2022, MGMT 204: Organizational Behavior will be replaced by new course MGMT 300
You will have the opportunity to showcase the skills you have developed in a capstone project specifically related to your major. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Vickie Luttrell, Director
Provides students with a set of skills to help them live better. Students learn about and implement a holistic self-intervention strategy to promote a healthier lifestyle and design a community-focused health intervention to improve the lives of others.
Dr. Bethany Scanlon, Director
This modern healthcare system is a complex interaction of scientific advances, interpersonal relationships between healthcare workers and their patients, and the business of healthcare operations. Many professional careers directly or indirectly engage with the healthcare system, and this certificate aims to provide students with an understanding of the scientific, ethical, and business variables necessary for success in the system.
Matt Noblett, Director
A certificate that develops professional presentation skills, utilization of visual design tools and basic communication and design philosophy. This will prepare the student for professional, design and communications-oriented leadership and support roles. Students will explore standard professional guidelines, brand identity and variety of techniques to engage and persuade audiences.
The capstone course continues your development of practical presentation technical skills and incorporates a community-focused research and final presentation projects. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Jonathan Groves, Director
The Sports Leadership certificate introduces students interested in coaching or leadership positions to key ideas in communication, management, and sociology. The coursework will provide a foundation for understanding how teams interact, evolve, and thrive.
For your capstone, you will participate in a sports-related internship to shadow coaches and players to see the communication and sociological concepts at work beyond the classroom. In these capstone projects, students might:
Dr. Colin T. Barker, Director
The Sports Stats Certificate Capstone teaches students to apply statistical techniques to explain the why behind particular games, seasons and careers. Exploring a sport of interest, students will create stats from sports data to strengthen arguments, predict team and player outcomes, and find competitive advantages. Students will create their own descriptive and prescriptive statistics that may help teams make decisions for implementing coaching strategies, predicting player-prospect future success, or ascertain player value.
Upon completion of this certificate students will have the ability to: