Is getting a graduate certificate worthwhile?

If you already have your bachelor’s degree, you may be eyeing the ever-changing workplace landscape and debating the best way to stay current. One attractive option may be a graduate certificate. 

Graduate certificate programs may offer several benefits. They can open a pathway to upskilling that feels more doable for working adults, especially those who have been out of the classroom for a while. Consider the following:

• They typically cost significantly less than a master’s program.
• Online options offer enhanced flexibility.
• They can help boost skills and therefore confidence in the field.
• They typically can take less time than a graduate degree program because they can be completed in fewer courses.

Individuals may consider a graduate certificate for a variety of reasons. One is preparation for a master’s program. Another is the opportunity to strengthen and build on an existing skill set and to see if one wants to commit to a master’s program in the future. (Master’s programs can take between one and three years, depending on the program and whether someone is enrolled part or full time.)

Certificate programs are also a gentle way for working adults to explore their time management skills. If they can juggle upskilling with their other responsibilities, in other words, they may also be able to manage the time commitment of a graduate degree while still working.

While graduate certificates may be helpful generally, they are not all created equal. To find one that aligns with specific goals, individuals must consider their objectives in continuing their education. Thinking about the skills one hopes to gain — and running those by a manager at work or a mentor — can clarify what to look for in a program.

Talking to internal hiring managers can be helpful, too. They can let you know if the certificate program might help you in your current role or the one you’re aiming for.

Scanning job descriptions is another way to find out just how valuable a targeted skill is in your field. (Graduate certificates may sometimes be considered a type of microcredential by some employers. Like digital badges and boot camps, they are earned through short, condensed courses typically focused on acquiring specific skills.)

From there, individuals can use the following criteria to narrow their options even further. 

As AI continues to intrigue students and dominate conversations about careers and education, some academic institutions are embedding AI into the credentials students earn. That can mean integration with the curriculum that teaches students how AI could affect their careers or area of study.

For example, a student enrolled in a UOPX online graduate certificate program in business can use AI to summarize notes from business courses and take that skill into real-world business meetings once they land a job. This way they can save time typing and can help ensure accurate recall of things that were said or need to be done.

Programs will vary, so it’s important for students to consider the ethical implications of any given program. Using AI to help rather than replace the person doing the work, and learning how AI may shape the future of a career or discipline, may be valuable to prospective students. 

It’s critical to tie learning back to the real world. As one reads about a graduate certificate program, it’s important to consider whether the faculty have extensive and recent or current expertise in the skills one wants to learn. Does the institution provide examples of how student learning outcomes connect to specific, common challenges and situations in that field or technology?

Many UOPX certificate programs, for example, are developed to align with specific learning goals with the help of labor analytics and an industry advisory council that helps provide insights and validates the direction and program idea. Some programs, in general, may also take into account industry or association standards for increased relevancy and applicability.

Adding a new credential to one’s resumé, LinkedIn^® profile and maybe an online portfolio is just the first step after completing a graduate certificate program. From there, it’s important to translate the credential into terms that an employer is going to find valuable. Call out the skills you learned, as well as any assessments you’ve completed, that apply to relevant roles or job duties. 

In a highly competitive hiring environment, employers — whether current or prospective — need to see specifically how a candidate will be an asset to the organization. If someone has used their coursework on the job to, say, conduct portfolio assessments or create a go-to-market marketing plan for a new product, it makes sense to talk about how the credential applied to that work and what the outcomes were.

Learning, after all, is noble, but it’s what one does with that knowledge that counts.

To learn more about online graduate certificates at University of Phoenix, visit the online certificate programs page, which includes both undergraduate and post-master’s options.

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