Students may earn a certificate en route to the master’s degree, but it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that requirements for both programs are met. Students seeking the Master’s degree may not receive a certificate in their Master’s degree major or a closely related area because the value of the student’s work and the academic credentials are diminished. For example, students pursuing a graduate degree in Military Studies/Naval Warfare may not receive a Naval Warfare Certificate en route to their degree, but a student pursuing a graduate degree in Military Studies/Land Warfare may receive a Naval Warfare Certificate by selecting Naval Warfare courses that are applicable in the Certificate program as his/her elective courses towards the Land Warfare degree. Students who wish to pursue a certificate in an unrelated area en route to the Master’s degree will be required to take a minimum of two courses beyond the Master’s degree program to receive the certificate and degree (a total of 42 semester hours or more).