The world of higher education is changing rapidly. Traditional degree programs that take years to complete no longer meet the needs of today’s learners and employers. In their place, microcredentials — short, focused courses that demonstrate specific skills — are on the rise. This seismic shift presents new opportunities and challenges for students, educators, and employers alike.

What are Microcredentials?

Microcredentials, also known as digital badges or nano degrees, are short courses that provide training in a specific skill or competency. They may take anywhere from 5 hours to 6 months to complete, unlike traditional 2- or 4-year degrees. Microcredentials equip learners with precisely the skills they need for a job, promotion, or other goal.

A microcredential course culminates in an exam, project, or other assessment. Upon successfully passing the assessment, learners earn a digital badge they can display on resumes, websites, and social media profiles. Many microcredentials are stackable, meaning they can accumulate over time into a recognized certification status.

“Microcredentials allow driven learners to quickly gain qualifications that apply directly to their careers,” said Dr. Jonas Clark, Director of Adult Education at Springfield Community College. “They provide targeted, convenient, and low-cost professional development opportunities.”

The Growth of Microcredentials

While microcredentials first emerged over a decade ago, they’ve recently exploded in popularity. In a 2021 survey by Simon Fraser University, 65% of respondents said they would opt for a microcredential or digital badge demonstrating specific skills over a full master’s degree. Learners appreciate microcredentials’ convenience, flexibility, and affordability compared to traditional programs.

Employers also endorse microcredentials’ work-ready approach. IBM, PwC, and JP Morgan now use digital badges to onboard new hires and upskill employees. The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2026, over 60% of employers will embrace microcredentials as part of their human capital development strategy.

Higher education institutions are also getting onboard. Northeastern University, MIT, and Harvard have all launched microcredential programs, with Northeastern offering over 90 badge options alone. Traditional universities now compete with e-learning platforms like Coursera, Udacity, and Udemy that offer microcredentials at scale.

“Microcredentials allow us to deliver flexible, skills-based learning opportunities to diverse groups of lifelong learners,” explained Elizabeth Johnston, Assistant Provost for Professional Education at MIT.

“Microcredentials allow driven learners to quickly gain qualifications that apply directly to their careers. They provide targeted, convenient, and low-cost professional development opportunities.”

Dr. Jonas Clark, Director of Adult Education, Springfield Community College

Benefits of Microcredentials

The meteoric rise of microcredentials is no surprise given their numerous benefits:

Convenience

Learners can complete microcredentials on their own schedule, at their own pace, in months instead of years. The ability to learn part-time while working makes education more accessible. Microcredentials’ online delivery also provides geographic flexibility.

“As a parent working full-time, I can only take on education in small chunks,” said project manager Priya Thomas. “With microcredentials, I can sharpen my skills without putting the rest of my life on hold.”

Affordability

At $100–500 each, microcredentials are a fraction of the cost of traditional master’s degrees and MBAs, which run $30,000+ on average. Their focused nature provides cost-efficient professional development.

Relevance

Whereas broad degrees cover general knowledge, microcredentials deliver specific, tangible skills for career advancement. Students enjoy learning with real-world applications.

“I appreciated how my cybersecurity microcredential provided hands-on training in defenses against hacking,” commented IT specialist Jake Simmons.

Portability

Learners can display digital badges on their professional profiles, providing employers with evidence of abilities. Workers can bring credentials from role to role, adding flexibility to their career arc.

“Digital badges enable me to exhibit my expertise wherever I go,” said Sarah White, an HR administrator with 15 microcredentials.

Stackability

Some institutions allow earners to accumulate microcredentials over time into credit toward a graduate degree, combining the best of bite-sized and traditional learning.

Upskilling

Businesses embrace microcredentials’ ability to quickly upskill their existing workforces. They provide more cost-effective professional development than sending employees back to school.

Challenges with Microcredentials

Despite their hype, microcredentials also come with challenges:

• Ensuring Quality — With an endless array of microcredential providers now flooding the market, how can learners identify respected, high-quality programs vs worthless “credential spam”? Industry standards are still emerging.
• Measuring Competencies — Are short-term microcredentials enough to attain the depth of knowledge and competencies provided by immersive, multi-year degree programs? How can learners showcase their full range of abilities?
• Cost and Access Barriers — While microcredentials are more affordable and convenient than graduate degrees, lower-income learners still struggle to pay the fees. More scholarships and employer-provided learning subsidies are needed.
• Stackability Transferability — If microcredentials stack into larger qualifications, will those credentials be recognized across institutions, or only at the issuing school? Learners need clarity on how microcredentials transfer between providers.
• Role of Publishers & Employers — As influential stakeholders, publishers and employers should help shape microcredential curricula and assessments to connect learners to real-world needs. More collaboration is required.

“We’re still figuring out best practices around microcredentials,” said Stacy Caldwell, Dean of Continuing Education at the University of Michigan. “But the benefits outweigh the unknowns. It’s the future of learning.”

The Future is Micro

While questions remain, microcredentials’ momentum is undeniable. As technology evolves the pace of our lives and work, microcredentials provide the agile learning formats needed to keep up.

In the future, will we all be lifelong learners patching together “playlists” of microcredentials from diverse providers to meet our needs? Will we amass hundreds of digital badges as we continuously upskill for new careers? One thing seems certain — micro is the new macro.

The potential for microcredentials to democratize learning and skills-based employment looks bright. But the path forward must be paved thoughtfully, with learner and industry needs in mind.

What role should microcredentials play in the future of higher education and talent development? Have you earned a microcredential? Share your perspectives below.