This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If you’re looking for a unique way to stand out in a sea of college resumes, or you have room for a few extra credit hours, FSU has more to offer than just adding on another major or minor. They also offer many undergraduate certificate programs! These are noted on your transcript and are a great way to add to your academic career and experience.

I came into college with a lot of credits, and I soon found out that I was going to need more than just a major and a minor to fill my time. I considered another major, but nothing interested me much at the time, so I decided to add a second minor and start working towards three certificates!

These include the Global Citizenship Certificate, Multicultural Marketing Communication Certificate, and the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate! These have not only broadened my horizons while at FSU, but have also helped me to grow academically, professionally, and culturally in ways I never expected.

Global Citizenship Certificate

FSU’s Global Citizenship Certificate (GCC), provided by the Center for Global Engagement, helps prepare students to succeed in a global workforce. The certificate requires one specific Global Perspectives course, as well as three elective courses that you can choose from, with over 500 options available. These courses have an international focus, and some may count for your major as well.

This certificate also requires you to attend eight global events and complete a sustained experience, which can either be an international experience, like studying abroad, going on an exchange, or a domestic experience. You also need to submit a short reflection paper after completing each requirement.

To enroll in the GCC, you must first attend an information session, which is held on the first floor of The Globe on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 2:30 p.m. They’ll help you learn more about the certificate and guide you on what to do next!

I’ve had a great time completing this certificate. The classes are interesting, and the events are always a fun time. There are four categories of events, and you must attend two events for each. These categories are social, global, experiential, and educational. You may have heard of FSU’s International Coffee Hour. This is an example of a social event!

As for sustained experience, you have many options to choose from. I studied abroad during my first semester at FSU, and unfortunately, I wasn’t yet enrolled in the GCC, so that experience didn’t count. However, they also offer domestic experiences, such as the Global Nole Mentor Program.

In this program, FSU students are paired with an incoming exchange student to help answer their pre-arrival questions and help them adjust to life at FSU. You attend monthly meetings with the other Global Noles, and spend time with your new exchange friend!

I’m a part of this program, and I’ve made many new friends with the exchange students. They’re from all over the world, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience!

Multicultural Marketing Communication Certificate

The Multicultural Marketing Communication Certificate (MMCC) is designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of cultural and demographic trends in the U.S., offering them the opportunity to learn more about and work effectively with diverse cultural groups.

This certificate is provided by the College of Communication and Information, through the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication. If you’re a marketing, advertising, communication, business, or public relations major, this would be a great certificate to get.

You’ll acquire the necessary skills to include multicultural marketing considerations in a marketing or advertising plan, which is vital and would be a great skill to add to your resume. You’ll also be able to apply multicultural marketing knowledge to both your academic and professional life.

The MMCC requires four specific courses for the certificate, as well as a Capstone Experience paper. This paper is a 10 to 15-page paper in which you apply the knowledge you’ve acquired through the certificate courses to your current academic or professional work. They offer this certificate for both undergraduate and graduate students!

This certificate has prepared me to think more critically about how much culture shapes communication and how important it is to understand and respect the different cultures that make up our society. I’ve learned how culture influences consumer behavior and values, as well as how inclusive communication can make or break a campaign. These skills are ones I know I’ll take with me to future projects, internships, and jobs.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Have you ever floated around the idea of teaching English abroad? Well, FSU has you covered by offering the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate! This certificate is offered through the Anne’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, and is available for both undergraduate and graduate students.

This certificate requires four courses, and the options differ slightly depending on whether you’re an education major or not. Through the courses, you’ll learn the foundations of second language acquisition, practice applying different teaching methods, and learn more about the English language in general.

This certificate has deepened my appreciation for languages. I’m currently getting a minor in Italian, and it’s been very interesting comparing that language learning experience to what I’m learning about the English language now, and how to teach it to someone else. Everything is just so fascinating!

In one of my current classes for the certificate, it was required that we tutor an English learner once a week during the semester. I tutor an eighth-grade girl named Marcela from Guatemala, and I look forward to it every Monday.

At the end of our sessions, I always ask her what she wants to work on next time, and making the individualized lesson plans has been a lot of fun. Last week we did an astronomy lesson, and the week before we covered “would, could, and should.” So, if you’re interested in teaching English, I’d highly recommend this rewarding certificate!

These certificates haven’t only given me a nice resume boost, but they’ve also expanded my academic, professional, and cultural knowledge, and allowed me the chance to grow and learn in ways I never expected! So, if you have time to add a few more courses to your academic experience, I’d highly recommend working towards a certificate!

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