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Your educational journey extends beyond a traditional degree. It’s a collection of courses and experiences, each offering unique learning opportunities. In today’s fast-paced world, degrees are no longer the only path to higher education and skill development. Microcredentials offer a more targeted approach to acquiring specific skills that are often immediately relevant in the job market.
"Microcredentials have been great for helping students connect what they have learned in class, directly to the skills employers are looking for!"
Microcredentials are digital, verifiable representations of specific expertise, valuable experience, or skills gained through a course, program, or event. Often shown as digital badges, they visually communicate learning outcomes and can be shared on social media, professional networks, or email signatures. When clicked, badges display details such as the skills acquired, industry standards met, expiration (if any), and award criteria. They serve as a confidence booster and a helpful talking point for students in job interviews.
Whether you’re looking to switch careers, advance in your current field, or simply learn something new, microcredentials offer a flexible, cost-effective way to master new skills.
Job-Relevant: Designed to impart skills that are in demand by potential employers
Marketable: Gain experience in areas that employers want to see on your resume: problem-solving, critical thinking, human resources, and project management
Specialization: Allows you to upskill and specialize in areas that are most relevant to you.
Recognized by Employers: Many businesses recognize and value microcredentials and their application to the real world.
Taught by Experts: Working with academic programs and researchers means courses are developed with faculty and experts in the field
Lifelong Learning: Enables a culture of continuous personal and professional development.
Continuing Education: Microcredentials may inspire you to continue your educational journey to certificate programs associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.
“A typical transcript is actually pretty vague. You have a list of courses and course numbers and grades that somehow add up to a degree, and the assumption is that the person knows something after having gone through this experience. I think that the use of digital badges and microcredentials really paints a deeper and more accurate picture of what an individual has accomplished and learned. Any institution of higher learning that is relevant and paying attention to current trends will at least dip a toe in the water of microcredentials and see how they work for them.”
Since 1934, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, one of the six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
UAF eCampus adapts its courses to be better suited to online learning but all UAF courses pass the same high-quality standards.
A: Your instructor has developed the benchmarks that a student much achieve in order to be awarded a badge. Please review your syllabus for the criteria. If you have questions regarding the criteria, please contact your instructor directly.
A: You will receive an email notification from Credly (admin@credly.com) with instructions for claiming your badge and setting up your account.
A: Representing your skills as a badge gives you a way to share your abilities online in a way that is simple, trusted and can be easily verified in real time. Badges provide employers and peers concrete evidence of what you had to do to earn your credential and what you’re now capable of. Credly also offers labor market insights, based on your skills. You can search and apply for job opportunities right through Credly.
A: You can share your badge directly from Credly to LinkedIn, social media, and professional nextworks; over email or in your signature; or embedded in a website.
A: The majority of badges do not expire. However, some instructors may choose to have their badges expire should the content require a refresher after a period of time. If your badge does expire, it will be listed within the badge’s details. If you have questions about the badging criteria, please contact your instructor.
A: Labor market insights are pulled from live job requisitions. Based on your skills you can learn which employers are hiring, what job titles you might be qualified for, salary ranges and more. Search active job listings and even apply for them with just a few clicks through Credly. Access the labor market insights from your badge details page by clicking on Related Jobs, or by clicking on the skill tags assigned to your badge.
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The University of Alaska Fairbanks is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
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