Laddering
Laddering of Graduate Certificates into a Course-based Master's Degree
If you’ve completed a Graduate Certificate from the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, you may be able to apply those courses toward a course-based master’s degree program. This process—called “laddering”—allows students to use coursework from specific freestanding Graduate Certificates to gain advanced standing in a master’s degree program.
Please note: Completion of a certificate does not guarantee admission into a master’s program. Admission and laddering eligibility are subject to program-specific requirements.
Eligible Graduate Certificates
Laddering Guidelines
The master’s program will specify which certificates may be laddered in. Courses from eligible certificates may be credited toward your master’s degree if:
- They were completed within five years prior to your admission to the master’s program (Except where otherwise specified by a program.)
- You received grades that meet the admission and academic standards of the program.
- You must indicate your intention to ladder your certificate(s) at the time of application to the master’s program.
Certificates from other institutions may be considered for laddering if:
- They do not exceed ★9 credits (or up to 1/3 of the program’s total credit weight for programs over ★24).
- In exceptional cases, and with prior approval from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, up to ½ of the course weight may be met through a combination of laddered and transferred courses from other institutions.
Degree Completion Requirements
- To receive your course-based master’s degree, you must:
Complete the University’s Ethics and Professional Development requirements.
Complete any remaining coursework, including the master’s capping exercise.
Pay tuition and applicable fees for the duration of your registration in the master’s program.
Contact
For additional information on how to ladder your completed Graduate Certificate(s) into a course-based master’s degree from the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, please contact:
Jill Cameron
Manager, International and Community Education
Phone: 780.492.8369
Email: KSRCertificates@ualberta.ca