Microdegree

{{Short description|Certification of a component part of a formal qualification}}

{{about|a certificate in postsecondary education|the angular measure|Degree (angle)}}

In higher education a microdegree, also microcredentials and microcourse, is a qualification{{Cite web|last=A3|first=EAC|date=2020-12-11|title=A European approach to micro-credentials|url=https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/european-education-area/a-european-approach-to-micro-credentials_en|access-date=2021-09-17|website=Education and Training - European Commission|language=en}} focused upon a specified professional or career discipline and typically comprises one or more sources of accelerated educational experiences. Microdegrees are a single manifestation of Competency Based Education (CBE) which seeks to tie credentialing to specific skills sets.{{cite web|url=http://www.edcircuit.com/moocs-and-credentialing-a-revolutionary-perspective/ |title=MOOCs and Credentialing: A Revolutionary Perspective |publisher=EdCircuit.com |date= |accessdate=2015-04-09}} Micro-credentials may be completed on-site, online or in a blended format.{{Cite web|last=A3|first=EAC|date=2020-12-11|title=A European approach to micro-credentials|url=https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/european-education-area/a-european-approach-to-micro-credentials_en|access-date=2021-09-17|website=Education and Training - European Commission|language=en}}

Microcredentials including microdegrees act as a pointer to the criteria for and demonstration of the skills represented by the microcredential. Because the credentials are presented in a digital format, they can be parsed automatically for verification over the web and allow for a greater level of granularity than a traditional paper transcript. Microdegrees meet the criteria for Open Educational Data defined by the U.S. Department of Education.{{cite web|last=DOE |first=U.S. |url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/data/index.html |title=Open Data |publisher=ed.goc |date=2015-04-09 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}

Within the hierarchy of educational credentials microdegrees are considered to be "certificates" requiring a lower level of commitment and rigor than a traditional degree program but serving an important role as a vocational credential.{{cite web|last=Fain |first=Paul |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/06/06/certificates-are-misunderstood-credentials-pay-mostly-men |title=Certificates are misunderstood credentials that pay off - mostly for men |publisher=InsideHigherEd.com |date=2012-06-06 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|last=Leonhardt |first=David |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/upshot/true-reform-in-higher-education-when-online-degrees-are-seen-as-official.html |title=Here's What Will Truly Change Higher Education: Online Degrees That Are Seen as Official |work=New York Times |date=2015-03-05 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}

Microcredentials may have a credit value at either undergraduate or postgraduate level, and this may be used towards undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications.{{Cite web|title=WHAT ARE MICROCREDENTIALS?|url=https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/contentlibrary/imagelibrary/microcredentials/prospectus-pdf/microcredentials-2020-21-prospectus.aspx}} or potentially at another university (subject to the agreement of the receiving institution).

The advent of the microdegree is presented by its promoters as a challenge to the existing degree model as it permits students to utilize accelerated, free and low cost programs to earn credentials of direct relevance to their interests and career ambitions.{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/news/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2015/02/traditional_college_degrees_co.html |title=Traditional college degrees could face 'serious competition' as online 'microdegrees' emerge, website reports |publisher=NOLA.com |date=2015-02-24 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2015/02/23-mooc-google-coursera-butler |title=How Google and Coursera may upend the traditional college degree | Brookings Institution |publisher=Brookings.edu |date=2015-02-23 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/meet-the-new-self-appointed-mooc-accreditors-google-and-instagram/55807 |title=Meet the New, Self-Appointed MOOC Accreditors: Google and Instagram – Wired Campus - Blogs - The Chronicle of Higher Education |publisher=Chronicle.com |date=2015-02-11 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|url=http://etcjournal.com/2015/02/24/mooc-sightings-003-future-learn-microdegrees-open-internet/ |title=MOOC Sightings 003: FutureLearn, Microdegrees, 'Open Internet' | Educational Technology and Change Journal |publisher=Etcjournal.com |date=2015-02-25 |accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|url=https://www.edsurge.com/n/2015-02-02-how-to-make-micro-credentials-matter |title=How to Make Micro Credentials Matter | EdSurge News |publisher=Edsurge.com |date= 2 February 2015|accessdate=2015-04-09}}

Microdegrees and other microcredentials are also seen as a system to facilitate and record lifelong learning.{{cite web|url=http://www.edutopia.org/blog/micro-credentials-empowering-lifelong-learners-krista-moroder |title=Micro-Credentials: Empowering Lifelong Learners |publisher=Edutopia.org |date= |accessdate=2015-04-09}} A significant percentage of microdegree students are working adults seeking career change or advancement.{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.com/article/PhD-or-Microdegree-/228153/ |title=PhD or Microdegree? |last=Young |first=Jeffrey R. |publisher=The Chronicle of Higher Education |date=March 9, 2015 |accessdate=2015-03-09 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|url=https://books.emeraldinsight.com/page/detail/Higher-Education-at-the-Crossroads-of-Disruption/?k=9781800715042 |title=Degrees Converting Into Lifelong Learning, in Kaplan A.(2021) Higher Education at the Crossroads of Disruption, The University of the 21st Century |publisher=Emerald |date= |accessdate=2021-04-19}}

Some institutions that offer microdegree programs describe themselves as a "Micro College".{{cite web|url=http://www.hastac.org/blogs/bill-brantley/2014/01/12/micro-colleges-and-pop-university |title=Micro-Colleges and the Pop-Up University |publisher=Hastac.org |date= |accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|url=http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2013/09/trimming-the-fat-introducing-the-lean-micro-college-model-for-education/ |title=Trimming the Fat – Introducing the Lean Micro-College Model |publisher=www.futuristspeaker.com |date= 29 September 2013|accessdate=2015-04-09}}{{cite web|url=http://www.innovationews.com/DaVinci-Coders-given-Microdegree-granting-authority-for-its-software-coding-courses/ |title=DaVinci Coders given Microdegree-granting authority for its software coding courses |publisher=Innovationnews.com |date= 10 April 2015|accessdate=2015-04-10}}

In recent years, MOOC platforms have started expanding their offerings of microcredentials as viable substitutes, going as far as offering a blended education model. Such programs allow graduates of the respective microcredential programs to have a reduced residency period at traditional universities.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamgordon/2018/02/13/voice-of-employers-rings-out-as-moocs-go-from-education-to-qualification/#3a218197564b|title='MicroMasters' Surge As MOOCs Go From Education To Qualification|last=Gordon|first=Adam|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-03-09|language=en}} For example, the MIT admitted in 2018 its first cohort of students in supply chain management at a reduced five-month residency period through their blended learning initiatives on the edX platform with the launch of its MicroMasters program.{{Cite web|url=https://campustechnology.com/articles/2018/02/06/mit-micromasters-begins-on-campus-phase.aspx|title=MIT MicroMasters Begins On-Campus Phase -- Campus Technology|website=Campus Technology|language=en|access-date=2018-03-09}}