Standards for Issuing Physical Certificates

Standards for Issuing Physical Certificates
Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh 
Effective Date: As soon as possible, but no later than August 2003
Revised 2010

While certificate programs do not require the issuance of a physical certificate, when a unit elects to issue a physical certificate, the following standards apply:

  • Signatures on physical certificates should be limited to those of the regional campus president, dean, and director of a center, department chair and/or program director. The school or center should decide which of these signatures should appear. The signature of the Chancellor, Provost, and Chair of the Board of Trustees are reserved for diplomas and are not permitted on certificates.
  • The name of the program on the physical certificate should match the name of the program on the student’s transcript. Exception: the program name on the transcript may be abbreviated due to student system limitations. The program name on the certificate does not need to be abbreviated.
  • The wording on the certificate program line should correspond to the wording associated with the student system certificate code.
  • The student’s first and last name on the certificate should match the name on the transcript.
  • All certificates should be of uniform text and design. Refer to the attached sample certificate and instruction sheet for details.

*There are no detailed standards for departmental or center certificates that are not part of the student system at this time. However, please note that non-student system certificates should not contain the University seal or the signatures of the Chancellor, Provost, or Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Certificate Sample Instruction Sheet

Sample Certificate