What is a microcredential?

Oregon State’s microcredentials are high-quality educational opportunities that can help advance your career with less time and financial commitment than a formalized degree or certificate program.

All Oregon State microcredentials consist of at least three courses and 8 credits that follow Oregon State’s quarterly term calendar.

Explore microcredentials

Read our essential guide to microcredentials to learn more about these unique offerings and find answers to all of your burning questions.

Proudly display your digital badge

Once you complete the microcredential requirements, you’ll receive a digital badge that demonstrates evidence of your discipline-specific knowledge to employers. Oregon State's Office of the Registrar will upload your information to Credly, the world's largest digital credential network, within three weeks of completing your final class.

Though the microcredential badge will not appear on your university transcript, academic courses will appear on your transcript, and the badge can be placed on your résumé and on LinkedIn or other social media platforms.

Who can enroll?

Microcredentials are available to nondegree-seeking students, undergraduates, graduates, nontraditional students and working professionals. With the exception of graduate-level microcredentials which require a bachelor’s degree, it’s not necessary to have a college degree in order to apply, but some microcredential courses have prerequisites.

All course credits used to complete a microcredential must be completed at Oregon State. If you are a current OSU student, you must complete at least one of the microcredential courses after having been accepted into the microcredential. Transfer credit and placement tests may not be used toward microcredential course credits.

Visit the webpage of your microcredential(s) of interest to learn more about courses and prerequisites. Courses are linked to the Ecampus schedule of classes, which will show any applicable prerequisites and term offerings.

Introductory and advanced offerings

Oregon State delivers microcredentials in two distinct levels – introductory and advanced.

Introductory microcredentials will teach you fundamental concepts and skills, with few or no prerequisite courses. These are ideal if you want to gain brand new skills or explore a new subject, regardless of your previous college experience.

Advanced microcredentials are designed for those with previous experience in a subject. They offer in-depth training, so you can build specialized skills that will help you excel in your field. Often, advanced microcredentials require some prerequisite college courses and include graduate-level offerings.

Here's how to apply

You can apply to Oregon State as a nondegree student if you are not currently enrolled at OSU. Find more details about the online learning experience for Oregon State’s nondegree students.

Receive support from start to finish

Even as a nondegree-seeking student, you’ll have access to the same support resources as all other Oregon State students. The OSU Ecampus student services team is here to support you, and you can tap into resources like free online tutoring, OSU’s Disability Access Services, OSU Libraries and Canvas support.

Start on a pathway to a degree or certificate

Acceptance into a microcredential does not guarantee acceptance into a degree or certificate program. However, credits you earn toward a microcredential may apply to an Oregon State bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or graduate certificate. If you are planning to pursue a degree or certificate, we encourage you to reach out to your academic program of interest first to learn about those requirements.

If you are interested in stacking an undergraduate microcredential(s) into a bachelor’s degree program, at least 45 of your last 75 credits must be completed as a degree-seeking student in an OSU program. Also, a maximum of 36 credits earned as a nondegree-seeking student can be applied toward a bachelor's degree.

If you are interested in stacking a graduate microcredential(s) into a graduate program, please review policies governing all graduate programs. Specifically, up to 22 graduate credits may be transferred toward a 45-credit master's degree. Up to 9 graduate credits may be transferred toward an 18-credit graduate certificate.

Questions?

If you’d like to learn more about Oregon State Ecampus online microcredentials, please contact our enrollment services team. We’re eager to help you gather information and take the next step in your academic and professional journey.

Are you a current Oregon State student?

If you are a current OSU student interested in pursuing a microcredential online, please submit this form. Note: You must complete at least one of the microcredential courses after having been accepted into the microcredential.