Attendance for the full day of all eight sessions is required in order to receive the certificate. Requests for absences in order to attend conferences, workshops, classes, or other events will not be granted. Instances in which an absence cannot be avoided, such as death in the family or extreme illness with a doctor's note may be excused at the discretion of The Graduate School. Students with unexcused absences will be required to drop the course or receive an incomplete. They will not receive the certificate.