Develop, expand, and refine your professional skills with a graduate certificate from the UNH College of Professional Studies!
Available 100% online, our graduate certificate programs are a great fit for working professionals to advance their career goals while balancing full- or part-time employment, family life, and other important commitments.
Graduate certificates require fewer courses than master’s degree programs and can be completed on a quicker timeline. These focused, shorter programs allow you to specialize your knowledge and skills through courses in relevant and trending topics that align with workforce needs and priorities in your field. Requiring just a bachelor’s degree, graduate certificates can help you advance in your current position, or support a transition to a new career path.
Advantages of a Graduate Certificate
For many, a graduate certificate can serve as an alternative to a full graduate degree program. Whether you’re not ready to commit to a master’s degree, or perhaps you simply want to earn a more specialized credential, graduate certificates are a great way to accomplish your goals, while still keeping your options open. The credits earned in our certificate programs may also be applied toward a master’s program, allowing you to earn a certificate on the way to a degree.
Certificates in the Job Market
About 64% of employers believe their organization has a skills gap, according to a survey of 600 human resources leaders conducted by Wiley Education Services. Today’s hiring managers are more focused on making sure that new employees arrive with the right skills in order to prevent that gap from widening.
In response, education level is viewed differently by employers and increased attention is placed on skills-heavy, nontraditional education pathways, such as certificates. In fact, 66% of employers are open to job candidates who hold certificates!
Earning a graduate-level certificate can make you more marketable to potential employers, while building college credit that aligns with master’s degree.