Does anyone really care about "Graduate Certificates"?

Non-Running Finance/Jobs

9 years ago 09/28/2014 9:14pm EDT

A university close to where I live offers several different graduate certificates related to my field of work. All they are are programs that require 15 hours of course work, some of which is at the graduate level, most of which is not. There's no thesis or anything; you just take and complete the coursework with a B or better and then get a certificate. I'd be somewhat interested in pursuing one of these if it would actually help me, but I'm not sure employers would give a rat's arse about something like this. Any first hand experience?

9 years ago 09/28/2014 11:16pm EDT

re: yungster

Graduate certificates are supposed to be all graduate level courses. They're also useful in complimenting the degrees you already have. For business grad certificates, they're basically like completing an MBA "specialization" (since the specialization typically requires 15 hours of coursework in a specific area).

They aren't a masters degree, but they can't hurt. Whatvdegrees do you already have?

9 years ago 09/29/2014 7:56am EDT

re: yungster

It seems to me there is a big difference between the influence a Certificate would have on a current vs a future employer.

For a current employer, if the job you are performing doesn't change, no raise for you.

For a future employer, the Certificate is another bargaining chip to negotiate more money.

9 years ago 09/29/2014 8:19am EDT

re: yungster

Throughout your career, you should always be thinking of how to maintain or improve your skills, in ways that make you stand out to your current or future employers.

I'd suggest the following order of importance:

1) Earning required certifications and/or licenses (e.g. PE, CPA, etc)

2) Formally taking on significant new responsibilities at work that can be added to your resume

3) Earning a graduate or professional degree

4) Earning a widely recognized, but not required certification (e.g. PMP, CCIE, ec)

5) Earning a less widely recognized, or college specific certification

6) Other self learning

#5 is better than #6 because you at least have someone else attesting to your achievement. I put #2 as high as I did because you're presumably getting paid to do it, and it makes you worth more to your current employer, at least. Some might argue #3 is more important then #2. That's possible, depending on the degree.

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Does anyone really care about "Graduate Certificates"?

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