{"id":2100,"date":"2022-08-31T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2100"},"modified":"2025-09-18T13:14:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:14:43","slug":"5-lessons-learned-developing-launching-microcredentials-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/5-lessons-learned-developing-launching-microcredentials-online\/","title":{"rendered":"5 lessons learned from developing and launching microcredentials online"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Editor’s note:<\/strong> This post has been excerpted from the WCET Frontiers blog<\/a>.<\/div>\n

Oregon State University launched its first microcredentials in the fall of 2021, with initial offerings available in winter quarter 2022. Currently, all Oregon State microcredentials are offered online<\/a>. They are for-credit and consist of at least three courses and 8 credits that follow OSU\u2019s quarterly term calendar.<\/p>\n

Our centralized online learning division, Ecampus, spearheaded this initiative with our associate provost at the helm. While all internal OSU partners were highly supportive, it was somewhat challenging for a four-year public institution that has offered traditional credentials for more than 150 years.<\/p>\n

Here are five lessons we learned from our early experiences in developing and launching microcredentials.<\/p>\n

1. A better understanding of the audience for microcredentials <\/strong>will be essential for successful recruitment and future enrollment. For example, are microcredentials primarily for current students in your degree programs? New students only interested in a microcredential? Students interested in stacking a microcredential into a degree at some point? These audiences all have different needs and entail different recruitment tactics and support services.<\/p>\n

2. Think through and design an optimal student experience, <\/strong>especially for brand new students starting at your institution with microcredentials. You\u2019ll need to consider what student support looks like. Often, advising isn\u2019t accessible for nondegree students pursuing courses. How will they feel a sense of belonging or connection to your university?<\/p>\n

3. There is low consumer awareness for microcredentials. <\/strong>Building awareness for this type of alternative credential and its benefits needs to happen in tandem with recruitment efforts.<\/p>\n

4. Leveraging established marketing tactics and budget. <\/strong>Marketing individual microcredentials is almost like marketing individual courses, which is not scalable. Better understanding how to leverage marketing\/promotion with current efforts to market your online offerings will be more efficient and scalable.<\/p>\n

5. Is what you\u2019re offering in-demand? <\/strong>Consider collaborating with corporate entities or professional organizations to develop and offer microcredentials that will help upskill and reskill their workforce. Employer recognition and endorsement of microcredentials will also help to boost awareness and recognition of microcredentials.<\/p>\n

\n

Read more insights on microcredential adoption, implementation and evaluation <\/em>from Oregon State\u2019s Jessica DuPont and Sherri Braxton of University of Maryland, Baltimore County on the <\/em>WCET Frontiers blog<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 2<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Oregon State Ecampus spearheaded the university’s initiative to develop and launch microcredentials, which are for-credit sequences that consist of at least three courses and 8 credits. While all internal OSU partners were highly supportive, it was somewhat challenging for a four-year public institution that has offered traditional credentials for more than 150 years. Here are five lessons learned from the experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":2102,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,15,702],"tags":[662,655],"class_list":["post-2100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecampus","category-staff","category-educational-ventures","tag-division-of-educational-ventures","tag-microcredentials"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Thought-leadership-Jessica-blog-post-800x450-220822-v1.B.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-xS","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2690,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/semiconductor-microcredentials\/","url_meta":{"origin":2100,"position":0},"title":"New semiconductor microcredentials enable employee development","author":"Rachel Robertson","date":"November 29, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Editor's note: This article was originally published by Oregon State's College of Engineering in the Semi @ Oregon State newsletter on Nov. 18, 2024. For anyone working in the semiconductor industry in Oregon, it is no surprise that a\u00a0recent report\u00a0estimated a need for a 24% increase in semiconductor-related credentials. Meeting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A person in a full-body suit works on a computer in a clean room.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/stock-cleanroom.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/stock-cleanroom.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/stock-cleanroom.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/stock-cleanroom.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/stock-cleanroom.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2375,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/samaritan-health-services-osu-collaboration\/","url_meta":{"origin":2100,"position":1},"title":"6,000 Samaritan employees eligible for scholarships to learn online thanks to new Oregon State collaboration","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"October 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University is expanding its relationship with Samaritan Health Services to provide thousands of the regional health system\u2019s employees with more affordable access to academic programs and workforce education opportunities online.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A doctor talks with her patient while pointing out information on a clipboard.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/CEU-Samaritan-1280x550-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/CEU-Samaritan-1280x550-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/CEU-Samaritan-1280x550-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/CEU-Samaritan-1280x550-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/CEU-Samaritan-1280x550-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2462,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/microcredential-initiative-podcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":2100,"position":2},"title":"Podcast highlight: Behind the scenes of Oregon State’s successful microcredential initiative","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"January 22, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"On the Modern Campus \"Illumination\" podcast, Lisa L. Templeton \u2014 vice provost of Oregon State\u2019s Division of Educational Ventures \u2014 discusses the expansion of the OSU's microcredential initiative and the importance of access and affordability for today's learners.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scenic image of the black entrance sign to Oregon State University with trees in the background","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/OSU-entrance-sign-2022.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/OSU-entrance-sign-2022.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/OSU-entrance-sign-2022.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/OSU-entrance-sign-2022.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2091,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/business-communications-microcredential-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":2100,"position":3},"title":"3 reasons to earn a business and communications microcredential online","author":"Ali Duerfeldt","date":"September 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The field of business and communications is rapidly evolving. 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