Play and Learning Certificate

100% online

BGSU is the only university in the United States currently offering this program entirely online. The Graduate Certificate in Play and Learning provides individuals with content and hands-on practice of skills to create and evaluate play spaces and play-based activities for people of all ages.

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Application Requirements

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Humans of all ages play, yet we sometimes fail to recognize its value as anything more than fun. The Play and Learning Certificate challenges students to examine play and its provision in a scholarly and hands-on manner to prepare them to provide rich, free-play and play-based learning experiences across the life span.

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Graduate Certificate in Play and Learning

Advance Your Career

Become qualified to provide free-play opportunities and play-based educational programming in a variety of informal settings
Official acknowledgement of training and expertise in play and play provision from a highly-respected institution
Pursue a pathway for an online master’s degree in Curriculum and Teaching

BGSU eCampus programs have received The QM Online Learner Support Certification, which recognizes programs that provide all the critical student and academic services needed for learner success and use learner feedback to continuously improve those services.

Courses/Cost/Time

four online courses
Tuition estimate $5,733
Finish in 2 semesters
Tuition calculator (select eCampus)

Program Benefits

Seven-week courses
100 percent online
Advance your career
Enhance your credentials
Advance your professional knowledge

Course Requirements

The program consists of four courses (12 semester hours). Courses must be taken in numerical sequence starting in the spring semester.

EDTL 5801: Play and Learning Across the Lifespan (1st 7 weeks spring)
EDTL 5802: Creating and Providing Play Opportunities (2nd 7 weeks spring)
EDTL 5803: Evaluation of Play Environments and Practice (1st 6 weeks summer)
EDTL 5804: Field Research Project (1st and 2nd 6 weeks summer)

Why a Graduate Certificate in Play and Learning?

The Graduate Certificate in Play and Learning provides individuals with content and hands-on practice of skills to create and evaluate play spaces and play-based activities for people of all ages. Students examine the benefits of play across all age groups and developmental domains (e.g., emotional, cognitive, psychological and physical), learn and practice strategies for providing rich play experiences, and implement methods of evaluating and reflecting upon their play provision. The understandings and skills are applicable to a variety of informal educational environments, including childcare and eldercare facilities, zoos, museums, youth camps, and metroparks, as well as formal PreK-16 settings.

Learning Outcomes

Articulate the benefits of play across developmental domains and age groups.
Identify aspects of the physical and social environment that can promote different types of play and learning.
Evaluate the impact of the physical and social environment on human play, happiness, and learning.
Critically reflect on the practice of the play provider to foster play, happiness, and learning.

Application Requirements

Applicants to the graduate certificate in Play and Learning must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA or better. Applicants are required to submit scanned copies of official or unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended. Upon admission, final official or notarized copies of transcripts from all institutions where degrees were earned and diplomas from international institutions must be submitted. A statement of purpose is also required.

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Submit Your Graduate College Application Online

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For Area of Study, select “Certificate” AND “Play and Learning - Certificate (eCampus)”

A statement of purpose for completing the Play and Learning Certificate is required.

Note: All graduate level programs use the same Graduate College Application. A $45 nonrefundable application fee is assessed for domestic applications. The international application fee is $75.

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Submit Transcripts

Submit scanned copies of official or unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended to the Graduate College. Upon admission, final official transcripts from each degree granting institution must be submitted.

Request official transcripts be sent to:

Graduate College
200 University Hall
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403

You will be enrolled in and receive your graduate certificate from the College of Education and Human Development

All courses count toward a Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching.

Updated: 01/19/2022 03:51PM