One of the fastest growing higher education degree segments are students pursuing certificates and “micro-credentials.” At a time of mostly stagnant or decreasing college enrollment, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that certificate enrollment is at a 10-year high for the third year in a row – up nearly 30% since the start of the decade.
That growth represents millions of students seeking certificates and micro-credentials with institutions, and these paths can often provide working-age adults the career tracked, skills-based learning they need on a much quicker timeline and at a lower cost than traditional institutions’ four-year degrees provide.
But one important piece for students going the certificate and micro-credential route is making sure programs are accredited – as is the case at Calbright College. Accreditation by a national agency – such as the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) who Calbright is accredited by – signals accountability and consumer protection for students and the public by ensuring an institution’s integrity, quality, and effectiveness.
Two accrediting agencies are moving into the space of setting standards for programs ranging from certificates to badges to boot camps, and other accrediting agencies may follow suit, according to reporting in Inside Higher Ed.
“The microcredential landscape is often called a “wild west” in higher ed circles,” reporter Sara Weissman notes. But now “Both the New England Commission of Higher Education and the Higher Learning Commission, which has been researching short-term programs for eight years, are gearing up to assess whether providers of these programs meet their standards.”
The goal, as with all higher education accreditation, is to make sure students are actually getting the education that is advertised to them, and that the programs have proven track records. Issues that accreditors examine include iemployment and job promotion rates for completers, whether non-credit courses can lead to for-credit programs, and the “agility” a program has in meeting industry standards.
Accreditation is a clear way for students to know what programs are validated and effective before someone enrolls.
“Reviewing microcredential programs and providers is essential for protecting students,” Nasser H. Paydar, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, told Inside Higher Ed. “Accrediting organizations recognized by CHEA and the U.S. Department of Education have already demonstrated their ability to review providers and programs. The review of these programs should begin as soon as possible, validating their quality, thereby protecting students.”
Calbright Leads the Way in Certificate Accreditation
This is a movement that matters, and one that is central to Calbright’s mission. As a fully accredited California Community College exclusively offering online certificate programs, one of the College’s top priorities was to achieve accreditation from a federally recognized agency early in its founding.. The College it is vital that every Californian have access to high quality programs that actually support their career and personal goals.
“At Calbright, we welcome accreditation standards for certificate and micro-credential programs,” said Shannon McCarty, the college’s Vice President of Learning & Instruction. “As a college that offers high-quality, workforce-relevant credentials, we see accreditation not as a hurdle but as a critical safeguard. Accreditation brings transparency, accountability, and ultimately trust, ensuring that students are investing their time and energy in programs that deliver real, measurable value. Quality matters, and the future of microcredentials should be built on a foundation of equity, evidence, and learner impact.”
Accreditation Already Shows Benefits
Prior research on non-degree credentials in higher education already shows that accreditation can have a significant impact on certificate program quality. According to a 2021 report by the Strada Education Network, many different kinds of institutions offer non-degree credentials, but it is accredited colleges – especially community colleges – whose programs have the highest satisfaction and greatest perceived value among graduates.
According to Strada, at community colleges:
- 78 percent of students and alumni from non-degree credential programs said it was worth the cost
- 67 percent said it made them an attractive candidate for jobs
- 61 percent said it helped them achieve their goals.
That’s significantly higher than those offered by individual businesses and companies, whose students and alumni rated them 54%, 40%, and 49% respectively.
Community colleges, like Calbright, are already leading the way in best-practices for non-degree credentials. Adding accreditation standards is likely to raise the bar for everyone, which is good for students.
The right certificate or micro-credential can have a significant career impact. That’s why making high quality certificates accessible to everyone is vital. That’s Calbright’s mission – and accountability is a key part of it.
