The Wilmette Institute’s Social Transformation Certificate is an online, tuition-free, accredited academic program designed to deepen your understanding of race unity, education, environmental stewardship, and social change. Participants earn the certificate by completing three courses within two years of enrollment, in any order.
Current Course Offerings
Each course includes 135 clock hours of academic engagement.
Spring 2027 Semester Courses
Start Date: January 20, 2027
Admissions Deadline: November 30, 2026
Our rolling admissions process encourages early applications.
STC341 Transforming Education: Knowing, Learning, and Being
STC321 Sweeping Changes in Humanity’s Relationship with the Natural World
Eligibility Requirements
- Associate’s degree or higher, or currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s program with at least 2 years completed.
- Strong understanding of the English language.
- Reside in a U.S. state where WI is authorized (*see list below) or in Canada (all provinces/territories eligible).
*Authorized U.S. states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY. (If your state is not listed, your application will be deferred until authorization is obtained.)
Credit and Transfer Policy
The Wilmette Institute does not accept transfer credits from other institutions.
Students seeking credit at their home institutions are encouraged to consult with their advisors; credit recognition is at the discretion of the receiving institution.
Note: Earning a certificate or completing clock hours at WI does not guarantee transferability to another college or university.
Application Process
- Online Application Form in 2 Stages: Includes ID upload, unofficial transcript upload, and an admissions essay (choose from five topics).
- Interview: Conducted via Zoom to assess mutual fit.
- Final Decision: Made by the Admissions Committee using a scoring rubric.
Additional Information
- Official transcripts may be submitted after your first course; unofficial/student copies can be uploaded with your application
- Each course is capped at 25 students to ensure a high-quality learning experience
Student Engagement & Feedback
All students are asked to complete course evaluations and a program feedback survey, which help us continuously improve the learning experience.
Student Achievements
We’re proud of our growing certificate community. Our first three graduates presented at the August 2024 Association for Bahá’í Studies Conference—a milestone we celebrated as a sign of meaningful impact.
As of February, 2026, 18 students have earned their Social Transformation Certificate.
Program Metrics (2023 and 2024 Cohorts)
2023 Cohort Completion Rate*: 58%
2024 Program Completion Rate&: 85%
2023 Cohort Persistence Rate**: 68%
2024 Cohort Persistence Rate**: 72.4%
2023 Cohort Satisfaction Survey Results***: 96.03%
2024 Cohort Satisfaction Survey Results***: 94.0%
*This is preliminary data. A formal Completion Rate is not available until 3 years after the start of a given cohort.
&This is preliminary data. A formal Completion Rate is not available until 3 years after the start of a given cohort.
**The percentage of students who enrolled in a second course within 12 months of enrolling in their first course.
***Based on a 5-point Likert scale, calculated by adding the total points given by students for all questions, divided by the total number of possible points, as a percentage.