By Elizabeth Weiss McGolerick
Brian Brill, a student in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) certificate program at the University of Denver’s University College, believes his certificate will aid in his career. “My education will make me a more qualified expert witness on the stand,” he says. With a bachelor’s degree in computer science already, Brill sees this certificate as a stepping stone to a master’s. “I'm taking the classes to learn as much as I can,” Brill says. “Knowledge is a tool and I want to be as equipped as possible to figure out different puzzles and issues.”
The pursuit of certificates is a growing trend in continuing education. From the established project management certification to the popular Six Sigma, a methodology developed to eliminate defects in a product or service, certificate students are motivated by the growing opportunities to change the path of their professional lives. So say experts at Eduventures, the leading education research and consulting firm, in their recent Consumer Preferences for Certificate Programs a survey that focused on evaluating a market landscape that's beginning to flourish.
Good for You or Just Good for Your Career?
According to Sean Gallagher, senior analyst for Eduventures, the report shows that students working in practice-oriented disciplines such as architecture, communications, journalism, arts, entertainment, and finance are more receptive to pursuing certificates than those employed in the science, engineering, and health care disciplines—fields where employers tend to prefer degrees. Certificate programs offer the luxury of speedy learning, possible career advancement or rejuvenation, and the all-important résumé-enhancement.
Gallagher reports that the primary motivation of more than half of people pursuing a certificate is to develop their professional skills and knowledge. “Certificate programs are very focused,” he explains. “This makes them valuable to employers and graduates.”
Jason Wyrick, director of planning and budget at University College, agrees with Eduventures’ findings. “About 20 years ago, we had many more students interested in personal enrichment,” he says, “but now students who choose to pursue a certificate definitely have career motivations in mind.”
Rather than pursuing a full-fledged degree, Eduventures research also found that people are embracing certificates as a convenient, less-expensive way to expand their career options. With certificates, students have the ability to demonstrate newly-acquired skills and knowledge from accredited learning institutions.
According to Chuck Arnao, the program manager for Villanova University’s online studies, most people spend more time planning a vacation than they do planning their careers. “You have to manage your own ‘brand,’” he says. “You may have to change careers and change your way of thinking. There is a constant need to reinvent yourself.”
Why Choose a Certificate Program?
“About 66 percent of people are interested in counting their certificate credits toward a degree,” says Gallagher. “This is consistent across demographics and occupations, especially for those who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree.”
Wyrick echoes this statement. “Many of our certificate students begin with the certificate program to meet practical goals and then move into the master’s program to complete personal goals.”
Mia Mercer is one such student. She is earning a master’s in information management at the University of Maryland (UMD) and is also a student in the Public Health Informatics (PHI) certificate program, an elective for her degree. “Since I am already pursuing a master’s, it would be difficult to do a full-fledged Public Health program,” Mercer says. “My interests are specifically in the Public Health Informatics area so this [certificate] is perfect.” The program’s flexible, online schedule, she notes, “is a great way for me to get the certification without affecting my other course load."
At Villanova University, the aim is to align online certificate programs with degree programs while maintaining academic integrity. “We try and put academic rigor into our certificate programs,” Arnao says. Though he notes that certificate programs are not designed to mimic four-credit classes, Arnao stresses that, “All classes have assessments and the students have to pass these exams. You don’t just sign up online, pay, and get a certificate.”
As for University College’s certificate program, Wyrick says, “Students who have completed a certificate are almost halfway to a master’s degree as all the certificate credits can be applied to the master’s.”
At UMD, the PHI certificate program is only open to students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree, though students are not required to be in a master’s program to be eligible to earn the certificate. Mercer admits that she might have opted for a certificate alone, had she known about the program before she began pursuing her master’s. But she is still pleased with the combination of her academic studies. “This online program allowed me to create my own specialization,” she says. “This certificate allows me to combine my educational background with my interest in Public Health and the certification will show that on my résumé.”
Chris Chambers, who holds a master’s degree in health administration, also earned a PHI certificate from UMD. “I wanted a very quick infusion of knowledge and validation of the state-of-the-art [tools] in PHI,” he says of his decision to pursue the program. “My work has tremendous overlap and I was able to use the PHI practicum and concepts immediately.”
For Chambers, the incentives of a certificate are many. “The advantages of the PHI certification within my career are greater than mainstream alternatives offered by professional affiliations," he states. "My career is within a high performance environment; the PHI certificate exceeded my requirements and actually inspired my professional growth. I am fortunate to have found a certificate program which is both practical and personally enriching.”
Eduventures found that students also view certificates as a means to facilitate shifting careers. Wyrick agrees that, “For career changers, it makes absolute sense to go the route of the certificate as a first step. One: a person can truly understand if they even have interest in their new chosen field. Just because a job is hot does not mean everyone will enjoy working in said environment. Two: it does give a student something to place on a résumé faster so they can begin the transition process.”
Certificate Growth
Education officials seem to agree that the number and scope of certificate programs will continue to increase. “Certificates are an area of growth for colleges and universities,” says Eduventures’ Gallagher. “More certificate programs are being launched every week."
Wyrick adds, “We will keep identifying job fields that are emerging or are not already being served well by graduate institutions. Our certificates are an integral part of our curriculum, both on campus and online, therefore they will do nothing but expand regardless of modality.”
The Eduventures survey also shows that the vast majority of employers — approximately 75 percent — believe certificates are more practical and skills-oriented. “Employers are looking, primarily, for a degree as a baseline,” Gallagher reports. “It’s hard to say there’s a negative to any additional education. [The question is] just how far the certificate will go to meeting prerequisites or giving a person additional help in getting a job."