Global Directory of Academic Programs in Evaluation

The Graduate Diploma in Evaluation program is perfect for new or mid-career professional evaluators. You’ll build knowledge and skills to become an expert in evaluation and performance measurement, and work with a client to develop and execute an evaluation.

As industry standards change, the demand for higher accountability and transparency of development-related project funding also increases. Future funding hinges on the clarity of demonstrated program performance. Employees who specialize in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) skills are in demand for this reason. The skills American University offers in M&E will give you what you need to assess a project or program’s current or past performance, as well as its lasting impact.

This credential is ideal for students with backgrounds in management and social sciences. It offers rigorous training in applied statistics but doesn’t require knowledge of calculus or matrix algebra. Through certificate coursework, you'll build foundational knowledge in data programming. You’ll also gain expertise in quantitative analysis, research design and managerial experience. The program will introduce you to open-source software and open data ecosystems. You’ll learn to use R (a computer language) to create data dashboards, automate reports and more. These tools can be helpful for communicating results to clients.

The Program Evaluation in Education and Education Related Settings Certificate is designed for individuals interested in acquiring knowledge and skills necessary for evaluating a variety of programs. The certificate program is open to private and public administrators, teachers, trainers, instructors, curriculum experts, counselors, psychologists and instructional designers, as well as those preparing for doctoral programs. This certificate program is practice-based and focuses on academic, community and business (on-the-job training) program assessment and evaluation.

The Certificate of Advanced Study in Evaluation equips you with advanced methodologies for conducting evaluation at the intersection of theory and practice, emphasizing on-the-ground practice. In intimate cohorts with a favorable student-faculty ratio, you can build and renew your skills in the rapidly expanding field of evaluation.

The Certificate in Evaluation Practice (CEP) offers participants a breadth of understanding of the knowledge and skills that are frequently needed for evaluations. The CEP is intended for evaluators who are seeking a course of study that exposes them to the fundamentals of evaluation practice.

The Certificate in Advanced Evaluation Practices (CAEP) allows experienced evaluators to deepen their evaluation understanding, and to improve their ability to produce high-quality evaluations. Completion of the first-level Certificate in Evaluation Practice (CEP) is a prerequisite for beginning the CAEP. The CAEP instruction is designed to increase participants’ depth of understanding of various evaluation approaches and theories. These approaches can help participants design and implement tailored evaluations that are more responsive to each context and its stakeholders.

The program prepares students for the analytically demanding roles of the field by exposing you to the practical application of program monitoring and evaluation. Students will gain experience and perspective as an intern, by consulting with companies, or joining research/practice professional projects that connect directly with organizations and issues that you’re passionate about.

This program provides students with a set of interdisciplinary competencies to design, implement, and critique evaluation research. Master’s, doctoral and non-degree seeking students apply this information in a variety of settings. The information gained in the Program Evaluation certificate program benefits employees in education, social sciences, public administration and more. The program content also helps evaluators, policy analysts, health and social service administrators, and program managers in their careers.

In this program, graduates will be prepared to seek out and apply for grants of all kinds. Additionally, specialized training in grant writing can increase their employment potential greatly, as employers recognize the value and financial benefit of well-trained grant proposal writers.