Certificates vs. Degrees

Certification programs are reasonably short-term (3-9 months), low in expense, and have high rates of completion. Certificates can also provide specialized education and training that allow the student to develop transferable skills in the field or type of job they desire. In addition, they allow students to specialize quickly and to graduate in a shorter amount of time with the necessary skills to succeed.

A degree on the other hand is a long-term program, normally two to four years if the student can devote to full-time attendance and not take any time off from college. In addition to offering expertise and study in the trainee's major, degrees likewise require students to take general education classes and may also require pre-requisite courses, depending upon the student's field choice.

Both certification and degree programs are exceptionally beneficial to students. A post-secondary education and learning is not only desirable to employers but is often mandatory and, these days, not having a post-secondary education, or significant training and experience to replace it, can badly put you behind your competition.

So, do you have to choose between the two? No! It's not an either/or scenario. You can absolutely have both under your belt if you want, and you can complete them in any order. If you're short on time or need to get involved in the job area sooner instead of later, a certification might be an excellent steppingstone toward your long-term goals. If you currently have your degree, on the other hand, taking a certificate program to add to your skill set can boost your resume, as well as potentially helping with your career development. Certificates can, in some cases, also be the single education called for to get you where you want to be.