What is a Graduate Certificate and What Are Its Benefits?

A graduate certificate is a credential that equips you with foundational knowledge and skills in a particular field. Although it doesn't replace a master's degree, it can still prove competence in an area and be featured on your resume. 

Campus and online certificate programs are geared toward those who wish to advance their skills to remain competitive in the workforce, according to Christina Dumeng, an associate dean of the functional and academic effectiveness team at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). 

Anyone with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree can apply for a graduate certificate program. Whether you’d like to delve deeper into your current field or learn about something new, there's a broad range of programs to choose from. Some include:

• Athletic Administration
• Forensic Accounting
• Nonprofit Management
• Project Management
• Social Media

These programs can supply you with skills and broaden your industry knowledge. “It’s a constant sign to your employer that you’re available and learning,” said Clare Greenlaw, an adjunct instructor at SNHU.

More employers are covering the cost of certificates now, too, because they reap benefits for the workplace, Greenlaw said. According to the 2023 Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), 81% of companies are prioritizing learning and on-the-job training as a business strategy (WEF PDF source). Universities and other educational institutions, in particular, make up 10% of the training, the survey found.

"A certificate is often experiential learning, and it covers theory, but it moves quickly from academic study to application and use," Greenlaw said. This hands-on experience may appeal to employers who believe you'll be able to put your new skills to work right away.

Is a Graduate Certificate Worth It?

If you want the ability to stay relevant in your field, validate your skill set, earn professional development or sample the courseload of a master's degree program, then you may benefit from completing a graduate certificate. You can even transfer the credits you earn from your graduate certificate program toward a related master's degree.

Adapt to Change

Between the significant advances in technology and shifts related to the global pandemic, the workforce has experienced many changes over the past five years.

With a graduate certificate, you can gain up-to-date expertise and get an edge on the competition, even if it’s been a while since you earned your degree. This could be especially beneficial to keep up with industries that are constantly evolving, such as technology.

Validate Your Skill Set

Based on a 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employee Tenure Summary, workers have been with their current employer for a median of 4.1 years. This means it's likely you will work in a number of roles throughout your career. While your work experience may propel you forward, a graduate certificate will give you a credential.

“Let’s say you’ve been doing something for... six years, but you don’t have a formal degree in it because you’ve evolved into that role in your workplace,” Greenlaw said. “How do you transfer to a new employer and show with some immediate validity … that you have those skills?”

One solution may be to earn a graduate certificate, especially if you are interested in pursuing a master's degree later. And you may be able to transfer credits from your graduate certificate program into your master's degree program to help shorten the time needed to complete your degree.

BLS reported that there were 8.2 million job openings at the end of June 2024, and a skill gap may contribute to that growing number. Jobs are continuing to change, and there is a perceived barrier when it comes to workers adapting to new technologies. According to the 2023 WEF survey, 59.7% of companies believe a skill gap in the local labor market will hinder business transformation over the next few years.

Dumeng said enrolling in a graduate certificate program is a way to develop some of the skills employers are seeking. “They are hands-on, they’re immediate and (they) can help to bridge that gap,” she said. The top skills, according to WEF, include creative thinking, analytical thinking and technological literacy.

Demonstrate Professional Development

"You’re demonstrating an additional grit and an additional interest in furthering your own capabilities," Greenlaw said.

Jumpstart Your Master's Degree

If you enroll in a graduate certificate program, you will often find yourself in the same courses as those pursuing a master's degree, completing the same tasks and objectives. Because of this, many of the credits are transferable, and you may use a certificate program as a stepping stone to a full-fledged master's degree.

Earning a certificate first may give you the confidence to pursue a degree and allow you to explore program options if you're not quite sure where you'd like to focus your graduate studies. 

Sometimes, colleges will even bundle a certificate with a master’s degree program, and graduates will leave school with two new credentials. That's what happened when Dumeng pursued her master's in organizational leadership. Some of the required courses and electives she took amounted to a human resources management certificate. Now, she can boast both credentials on her resume.

Is a Graduate Certificate the Same as a Master's Degree?

Although the two graduate programs share rigorous course loads, there are several differences between graduate degrees and certificates, including time, cost and skills. 

Time

A graduate certificate can be earned in less time than it would take to earn a master's degree, allowing you to move quickly from theory to application. They typically range from 12-21 credits and can be finished in as soon as four or five months, depending on the certificate program. Master’s degree programs often require 36 credits or more and typically take two years to complete.

Cost

Since a certificate program takes less time to complete, it’s also more affordable and more accessible to pay out of pocket than a master’s program. While federal financial aid generally does not cover the cost of a certificate, employers sometimes will.

Skills

Learners who complete a certificate can expect to become equipped with concrete skills in a particular field, while those who earn a master’s degree can demonstrate mastery.

“A graduate certificate does carry less weight than a full graduate degree and therefore would be considered a lesser credential comparatively,” Dumeng said. “However, both a graduate certificate and a graduate degree have a place in the workforce and are used for professional growth.”

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University, where she fulfills her love of learning daily through conversations with professionals across a range of fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and followed her love of storytelling into the online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing at SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.