Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Value of a grad certificate
#1
Personally, I feel like a candidate with 12+ grad level credits (and undergrad in something unrelated) seems more impressive to me than the candidate with an undergrad degree in the subject, especially if it was 18+ credits. Because I would assume that the person who could handle the grad level credits could have done all the undergrad ones. (For example Grad cert in finance + Bachelor's in anything, vs. Bachelor's degree in finance.)

Would that not be true in the hiring world, assuming they both had references, past experience, etc? What would be the reasons?

If I were hiring, the only reasons I think the Bachelor's is better is:
- I would assume the person who did the Bachelor's had planned out their career more carefully, for a longer period of time.
- I would assume since they have more years in the subject, they are less likely to tire of it.
- The grad certificate holder might be less likely to go do more schooling (that my company would have to pay for)?

Reply
#2
I'd love to know this as well. APU offers a bunch of certificate programs, some of which are really appealing to me (History, Homeland Security/Terrorism Studies/Intelligence Studies, Information Systems Assurance/Security) which cost around $6,500 when all is said and done.

I love to read and like to write, so programs like these are a good outlet for me to spend my "fun money" on as time passes. If they were to serve as good credentials for employers, that's just a bonus!
Master of Business Administration, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in Management & Team Management, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in International Trade, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in Supply Chain Management, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in Project Management, Universidad Isabel I, 2023

BS Information Technology, Western Governors University, 2017
AAS Cybersecurity, Community College, 2017
FEMA Emergency Management Certificate, 2017
Fundraising Specialization Certificate, Berkeley/Haas, 2020

Undergraduate Credits: 165 Semester Credits
Graduate Credits: 105 ECTS (52.5 Semester Credits)
Reply
#3
Thorne Wrote:I'd love to know this as well. APU offers a bunch of certificate programs, some of which are really appealing to me (History, Homeland Security/Terrorism Studies/Intelligence Studies, Information Systems Assurance/Security) which cost around $6,500 when all is said and done.

Most of those tie into your undergrad degree and certs Smile

My question is mostly for the certs that don't tie in. I think it can help if they are related, but more specialized. Like someone getting an Psych degree then getting a cert in a specific branch like Educational Psych. But not getting a cert in just general Psych or in something unrelated.

Reply
#4
Ideas Wrote:Most of those tie into your undergrad degree and certs Smile

My question is mostly for the certs that don't tie in. I think it can help if they are related, but more specialized. Like someone getting an Psych degree then getting a cert in a specific branch like Educational Psych. But not getting a cert in just general Psych or in something unrelated.

Almost every certificate program can be used in an undergraduate or graduate degree program. Schools specifically design them that way. There are masters degrees in educational psychology, and there are masters degrees in psychology that let you have a focus or concentration in educational psychology. Certs can help with specialization or respecialization. Someone with a graduate degree in criminal justice might be interested in a graduate cert in homeland security. Someone with a graduate degree in political science or international relations may be interested in a graduate cert in intelligence studies or national security. Someone with an IT masters might be interested in a graduate cert in information assurance/security.

I've seen some advice on here that doesn't exactly match with the real world. There are some jobs with very strong preferences toward a certain major. There are some jobs with a requirement for a certain major. However, many, maybe even most, jobs are flexible. For example, there was a security specialist job open at a place I worked at as a contractor. The job ad clearly said that a bachelors degree in criminal justice or a related field was required. The person who ended up getting the job was a former FBI agent with a degree in mechanical engineering. I often see jobs that say that they want a degree in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, and several other fields. Sometimes, the ad might include "related field." "Social science" is not a commonly listed major in job ads. However, I have not had issues with passing initial screening to get interviews. While HR professionals aren't typically the brightest, they know what social science is and that it's related to psychology and sociology.

Now, I did explain to someone that a BS in Natural Science is not going to get you a job over a BA in Biology. A BS in Natural Science may very well get someone a biology job, but it would be incorrect to assume that a natural science degree would be preferred over a biology degree just because the natural science degree is a BS and the biology degree is a BA.
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
Reply
#5
Thorne Wrote:I'd love to know this as well. APU offers a bunch of certificate programs, some of which are really appealing to me (History, Homeland Security/Terrorism Studies/Intelligence Studies, Information Systems Assurance/Security) which cost around $6,500 when all is said and done.

I love to read and like to write, so programs like these are a good outlet for me to spend my "fun money" on as time passes. If they were to serve as good credentials for employers, that's just a bonus!

When the Grad Certificates reaches that amount, I usually recommend people to go for a Masters Degree instead.
Especially since they want to continue in IT/CyberSecurity, I tell them to go for the Hodges MIS or WGU MSCIA.
In Progress: Walden MBA | TESU BA Biology & Computer Science
Graduate Certificate: Global Management & Entrepreneurship, ASU (Freebie)

Completed: TESU ASNSM Biology, BSBA (ACBSP Accredited 2017)
Universidad Isabel I: ENEB MBA, Big Data & BI, Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
Certs: 6Sigma/Lean/Scrum, ITIL | Cisco/CompTIA/MTA | Coursera/Edx/Udacity

The Basic Approach | Plans | DegreeForum Community Supported Wiki
~Note~ Read/Review forum posts & Wiki Links to Sample Degree Plans
Degree Planning Advice | New To DegreeForum? How This Area Works

[Image: e7P9EJ4.jpeg]
Reply
#6
bjcheung77 Wrote:When the Grad Certificates reaches that amount, I usually recommend people to go for a Masters Degree instead.
Especially since they want to continue in IT/CyberSecurity, I tell them to go for the Hodges MIS or WGU MSCIA.

Oh yeah, that's expensive. I was thinking of more like $2000, although a lot of certificates are $3000+ and some Masters' are under $4000.

Reply
#7
Ideas Wrote:Oh yeah, that's expensive. I was thinking of more like $2000, although a lot of certificates are $3000+ and some Masters' are under $4000.

Could you shoot me a link to some of those $2-3,000 grad certs and $4,000 Master programs? I know about Patten, but they really only offer business, and I haven't been able to find many universities that offer degrees at such a low cost. The only ones I've found so far are WGU, Hodges, Patten, and one at Amberton (still about $4k for a certificate though).
Master of Business Administration, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in Management & Team Management, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in International Trade, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in Supply Chain Management, Universidad Isabel I, 2021
Master in Project Management, Universidad Isabel I, 2023

BS Information Technology, Western Governors University, 2017
AAS Cybersecurity, Community College, 2017
FEMA Emergency Management Certificate, 2017
Fundraising Specialization Certificate, Berkeley/Haas, 2020

Undergraduate Credits: 165 Semester Credits
Graduate Credits: 105 ECTS (52.5 Semester Credits)
Reply
#8
Thorne Wrote:Could you shoot me a link to some of those $2-3,000 grad certs and $4,000 Master programs? I know about Patten, but they really only offer business, and I haven't been able to find many universities that offer degrees at such a low cost. The only ones I've found so far are WGU, Hodges, Patten, and one at Amberton (still about $4k for a certificate though).

Yeah the cheap degrees are mostly business. Some IT and education degrees, but I think most of the education ones need you to already be a teacher. They are the ones that you have to race to finish in 1 flat-rate term. I don't remember all of them but WGU, maybe Hodges, maybe Patten, maybe NAU, maybe U of Wisconsin. I think Capella can't be finished in 1 term, but I'm not sure.

Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Article bashes Harvard Extension ALM Grad smartdegree 50 8,284 12-25-2023, 09:32 AM
Last Post: posabsolute
  European Grad Studies Abroad: Cost of Living vs Low Tuition Fees bjcheung77 7 1,409 12-23-2023, 08:43 PM
Last Post: nykorn
  Seeking a grad school OTmina 4 1,063 10-11-2023, 11:13 PM
Last Post: OTmina
  Time to start thinking post grad, and don’t know where to start Insert Name 7 955 07-09-2023, 10:43 AM
Last Post: bjcheung77
  Looking for online Grad Cert. or Masters Program RoliJoli 4 1,107 03-27-2023, 05:41 PM
Last Post: sanantone
  New Amberton Grad Cert ss20ts 0 554 03-25-2023, 03:36 PM
Last Post: ss20ts
  IUBH - Another low cost European Grad option posabsolute 18 5,975 03-21-2023, 03:13 PM
Last Post: JPN
Exclamation Reading through this board for cheap grad schools but don't see MITx or Coursera??? Randyb100 30 4,652 12-06-2022, 06:27 PM
Last Post: LevelUP
  40 Low GPA Grad Schools & Advice to Help You Get In LevelUP 8 1,339 11-08-2022, 11:50 AM
Last Post: sanantone
  Walden Tempo Criminal Justice/grad school redheadguy03 6 1,092 10-31-2022, 03:27 AM
Last Post: SweetSecret

Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)