Jump to Footer

Certificate, Microcredential Programs Hone Skills, Provide Specialized Field Training

certificate microcredential programs

Someone looking to enhance their career skill sets, job prospects or even shorten the time they’re in college would do well to check out SUNY Plattsburgh’s certificate and microcredential programs.

Certificate programs are shorter educational paths designed to develop specific skills or provide training in a specialized field. They can then lead to state certification for certain professions or enhance career prospects in areas like healthcare, technology, trades, or professional development.

Microcredentials are short, focused credentials that can lead to a certificate or open the door to a degree program. Both provide a shortcut to new skills compared to traditional degree programs.

gleeson-krieg“The purpose is to focus on workforce development, allowing a person to gain significant skills in shorter amounts of time,” said Dr. JoAnn Gleeson-Krieg, associate vice president for academics. We often hear there is a need for individuals to be prepared for certain job descriptions without the need for a degree. These are quicker paths to those skills, and they’re designed to be stackable.”

Gleeson-Krieg said that means that “certificates and microcredentials can be combined and applied toward a degree if that’s what a person wants.”

She said the flexibility allows someone to return afterwards to complete a degree, to go back into the workforce or give the program at try simply for the sense of accomplishment.

“We just launched a gen ed certificate, which can be a launching pad to a degree,” Gleeson-Krieg said. “It can help someone with an associate’s degree or someone who wants to move into management and come back for their bachelor’s degree. There are many applications.”

SUNY Plattsburgh offers a variety of certificate topics, from adventure sports and the chemistry and therapeutics of cannabis to theatrical production and technology. The list also includes:

  • General education
  • Global social action
  • Healthcare informatics
  • Human resources management
  • Lean Six Sigma
  • Multimedia journalism
  • Professional writing
  • Social media influencer
  • Stock market analyst

Current microcredentials include:

  • Cannabis chemistry
  • Cannabis therapeutics
  • Beginning French
  • Intermediate French

Since most are credit-bearing, participants would have to pay tuition, but they would have something to show to their employer that could go a long way toward continuing growth and education, Gleeson-Krieg said.

“We have a professional writing certificate for instance that could be used for those people who need to enhance that skill set but who don’t want or need to return for a degree,” she said. “These can help you stay current in your field and gain updated skills.”

For more information on the SUNY Plattsburgh certificate and microcredential programs, contact Gleeson-Krieg at [email protected] or call 518-564-5402.

— By Associate Director of Communications Gerianne Downs

— Photos by Hunter Mossey, multimedia coordinator, and Gerianne Downs

Back to top