Are Certificates worth the Paper They're Printed On?

irishmum78 — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:00:00 GMT

You may have seen them while scanning for an online degree program: certificate programs which aren't as long or as expensive as the full-fledged degree programs. They are especially being pitched to adult students who are looking to beef up their skill set or change careers. The question is, are they worth the cash, even if they are less expensive than a bachelor or masters degree?

As mentioned in a previous post here at eLearners, certificates can be a good way of testing the waters of a program or profession without committing to an entire degree program. Some online students have even managed to use their new credentials to gain a promotion or a new job, or change careers. However, like everything else in life, with the good comes the bad.

As detailed in this article, Smart Money magazine did some research into certificate programs. The bottom line: do your homework before you enroll in a certificate program. While some certificate programs are rigorous and require lots of reading and actual homework assignments, there are some that do not even require exams.

The courses taken through some certificate programs can actually be transferred into a full degree program if a student decides he or she wants more in-depth education in a certain field, but many other certificates are considered "continuing education" programs, and their courses do not carry any transfer credit at all.

While certificate programs are usually less expensive than actual degree programs, they can still cost a few thousand dollars. That's an expensive lesson if you are hoping to transfer those courses into a degree program down the road, only to find the certificate is considered a "continuing education" credential, with no credit-bearing courses to back it up.

Why are so many colleges and universities offering these certificates? Follow the money. Certificate programs do not require as much of the school's resources, yet it adds cash to their bottom line, especially with so many baby boomers looking to update their skills.

Smart Money magazine does offer some tips to help students make an informed decision regarding certificate programs. They include requesting the certificate program's syllabus in advance, asking for instructor evaluations for the instructor who will be leading the certificate program, checking to see if the certificate program is endorsed or regulated by an professional organizations and making sure the courses in the certificate program are transferable to a degree program at the same school. I would also add that you may want to check the school's withdrawal policies in case you are later disappointed with the certificate program.

There are some great certificate programs being offered by fantastic, well-known accredited schools. Just make sure that certificate is worth the paper it's printed on before you enroll.

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Are Certificates worth the Paper They're Printed On?