We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Certificate Degrees?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 4,830
Share

It’s common to think of degrees, such as the bachelor’s degree, as separate from certificates. There are many educational programs called certificate programs that focus on specific training in a subject but tend to leave out the educational requirements of formal degrees, especially at the college level. Such programs can be found on college campuses, at trade and vocational schools, and in many places online. Finishing these programs could be viewed as earning “certificate degrees,” even if that sounds oxymoronic.

In addition to the number of certificate degrees that can be earned, there are also many people who have certification or licensing in certain areas and who must periodically take continuing education to maintain a license. This is true of a lot of professions, and these people have certainly earned degrees in the past. Sometimes these programs are called continuing education programs and they may be thought of as maintaining certificate degrees or simply maintaining certification.

Alternately, instead of simply maintaining a license, some professionals seek out true certificate degrees that expand their professional repertoire. People with degrees can specialize in different areas. A person with a PhD in psychology could participate in a certificate degree program in psychopharmacology. Though this would not license the psychologist to prescribe medicines, he or she would be able to claim expertise in this area. Similarly, nurses can participate in a number of certificate degree training programs that allow them to operate more equipment or to perform specialized medical procedures.

On the other hand, many people still view certificate degrees as training that may lead to a job and that doesn’t typically involve traditional liberal arts studies. In some fields, certificate training is received very well, and in others it may not be as acceptable as degrees earned in the field. A place of employment looking to hire an accountant, may not be as well satisfied with someone who has a certificate in accounting instead of a degree in the subject. There continues to be a certain prejudice for the liberal arts education, though there are plenty of people who earn a certificate degree and who are quite well rounded.

That is one consideration people should have when they’re thinking about training programs. As mentioned, there will be some that couldn’t be earned as part of a normal degree in any case, but some of them may not be as well received in the job world, if they’re considered a watered down version of true degree studies. On the other hand, certificate programs often have the advantage of being much shorter than a college degree program, and could provide necessary training to enter or re-enter the work force.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-certificate-degrees.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.