Certificate Programs: Are They Worth It?

For the past 32 years, Linda Smith has worked for the Social Security Administration. Now, as a 60-year-old manager, shes looking toward retirement, but doesnt want to stop working altogether. So she decided to pursue an online masters degree in distance education at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC, Adelphi, MD), and earn certificates along the way. But why bother with certificates when shes already earning a masters degree?

As a professor of finance at St. Josephs University (Philadelphia, PA), Christopher Coyne, CFP®, has been instrumental in the beginnings of a financial services program at his school. Thats because he earned his Certified Financial Plannertm designation through the online financial planning certificate program at the Boca Raton, FL-based Kaplan College. But Coyne already has his Ph.D. in finance. Why bother with a certificate?

While working on a separate MBA in industrial management and distribution, Brittain Ladd also completed the logistics and supply chain management online certificate from Penn State World Campus (University Park, PA). But why should this manager of inbound transportation for a Michaels arts and crafts store (Irving, TX) bother with an MBA and a certificate?

Why Bother?
Weve had a shift to an information society where lifelong learning has become a necessity, asserts Dr. Gary Miller, associate vice president and executive director of Penn State World Campus. People used to just get a degree, but today, you have to keep learning. Its a response to workforce needs.

Because of this, experts and students alike recommend supplementing your education with the hottest addition to higher education --certificates. Certificates allow for career advancement by specializing in a particular area, explains Kristina Belanger, chair, Kaplan College School of Continuing Education. Its a sound investment for your career. And thats exactly what Smith, Coyne, and Ladd realized.

As Smith explains, Its another way of demonstrating a focus in the field, and it helps me document who I am professionally. Coyne certainly didnt need any more degrees but he did need a highly specialized credential that would allow him to institute a financial planning program at his school. And Ladd felt both his MBA and his certificate were sound investments as well.

I wanted to further my career and improve my knowledge of various subjects, he says. The certificate was a totally separate program, like a mini-MBA.

Whats in It for Me?
While degrees offer obvious benefits, certificates have become the breakout stars with their unique ability to offer specialization and customization for career advancement, all for less time and money than it takes to earn a traditional degree.

>> Specialization
Many people can earn degrees, but certificates are about going the extra mile. A degree is a foregone conclusion, contends Coyne. A certificate supplements the degree; it says, I specialized.

According to Barbara Sonderling, executive director of Kaplan College School of Continuing Educations Health Care Pathways online certificate programs, certificates not only allow you to garner official recognition of additional training in a highly specialized area, they also enable you to explore new, nontraditional areas of your career. They allow you to expand your career horizons, she notes.
And, since certificates assume that the person studying is in the workforce already, says Dr. Miller, they expand professional knowledge of a specific discipline without trying to cover all the bases of a degree program.

>> Customization
Since there might not be a degree program that fits your specific needs, customization through certificates is your best bet, says Smith. You can then package the certificates and present them to an employer as a strong education background.

In fact, certificate programs may save you from unnecessary core requirements, and allow you to focus on your individual track. Certificate programs give you a better opportunity to pick and choose what you really need, affirms Christine Walti, who received her masters degree in distance education from UMUC, and three related certificates along the way. The more a program is pre-prescribed, the more difficult it is to be flexible.

>> Economization
The third and most obvious benefit of certificate programs is, of course, their brevity. I was able to get a certificate in about eight months, while a degree took me two and a half years, claims Chuck Williams, who received two certificates and an MBA in project management from Jones International University (JIU, Denver, CO).

Theyre a quick home run, adds Ladd. Certificates are designed for the working adult. Theyre a minimal investment, and you dont have to totally change your lifestyle around them. Walti agrees. Youre calculating your risk at a much lower level.

But dont think youre missing out on quality just because theres less quantity. We dont separate certificate- from degree-seeking students, assures Mark Parker, executive assistant to the provost and adjunct assistant professor at UMUCs graduate school. Both programs have the same courses, so students arent losing out on the education experience. The total experience is similar, just shorter.

Whats It Worth?
Since youre taking the time to work through a certificate program, you want to know it will count for something. But how can you be sure? Because certificates are newer than degree programs, its taking them longer to be recognized in terms of employers providing tuition reimbursement, recognizes Parker. Sometimes students have to fight harder to obtain financial aid. But typically, an employer provides tuition and benefits for programs that increase an employees knowledge base. Certificate programs are able to do that well.

Fortunately, Williams didnt have any problems getting his employer to recognize and subsidize his certificate programs. The way the economy is going, employers
are more willing to sign off on a certificate program, he assures. Ladd agrees. Employers love certificates because they dont require time off, and they dont affect on-the-job performance.

Arent a Few Courses Enough?
Some may wonder why its necessary to pursue a set, diploma-like certificate program of four or five courses instead of racking up random credits at your community college. Smith believes its helpful to have certificates, as opposed to clocking lots of classroom hours. It shows I have focused enough on these areas of the field to have expertise, and I have something to offer professionally, she explains. Courses are not nearly as attractive to an employer as a collection of certificates.

Williams echoes that sentiment. Some people just go to one or two classes and dont have anything to show for it. A certificate has value in the corporate world.

Whats Hot?
Once you understand the merits of certificate programs, start looking around, and youll find you can specialize in just about anything. Among the most popular programs? Information technology, distance education, e-commerce, financial
planning, wealth management, legal nurse consulting, forensic nursing, life care planning, negotiation and conflict management, and writing and presentation skills, to name just a few.

Each school has its own unique offerings, such as UMUCs Doing Business in the U.S., geared toward international students, and Noise Control Engineering at Penn State World Campus. A lot of people might want to know something about noise control but wouldnt want to get a whole degree in it, explains Dr. Miller. This is a good example of a narrowly niched certificate that has a broader appeal than you think.

Along with over 50 executive and professional certificate programs geared toward English-speaking students, JIU offers about a dozen business and education certificate programs in Spanish. In addition, the school was selected by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop a corporate university -- the UNDP Virtual Development Academy -- entailing a yearlong certificate program for its country leaders. Its an example of an organization that understands the importance of certificates and lifelong learning, says Dr. Pamela Pease, president of JIU.

What Now?
With the myriad of offerings, knowing where to start can be confusing. Thats why Sonderling recommends being an educated consumer by researching whats out there and what appeals to you. And when youre deciding on a program, Smith urges you to consider your future goals. Some students are taking courses here or there without a strong plan for their career, she says. Its better to take a longer-term approach, which can make a difference in the certificate program you select.

Plus, students warn against taking a certificate program in hopes of getting an easy A. Understand why youre doing it, advises Coyne. A certificate program is a commitment, not just a single course, in and out.

Williams concurs. Dont kid yourself -- a certificate is just as hard as an MBA. Its the same curriculum, and the level of expectations is just as high. It has a specific emphasis, but youre expected to do the same work as degree students.

Certificate programs are probably the most important lifelong learning tool available to the non-traditional student, asserts Parker. Theyre definitely here to stay.

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