What is a Graduate Certificate and What Are Its Benefits?

While it doesn't replace a master's degree, a graduate certificate can prove competence in a certain area, be featured on your resume and count toward a master's in a related field.

"A graduate certificate is a short, specialized credential earned after a bachelor's degree that helps students gain advanced skills without committing to a full master's program," said Christopher Couture, an assistant director of training who has worked as a trainer for the student financial services team at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) for over a decade.

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. At SNHU, for instance, you could earn a graduate certificate in:

• Accounting
• Advanced counterterrorism and homeland security
• Human resources management
• Leadership of nonprofit organizations
• Operations and supply chain management

These programs, along with other graduate certificate options, can develop your skills and broaden your industry knowledge.

Is a Graduate Certificate Worth It?

If you want to stay relevant in your field, grow your knowledge or sample the course load of a master's degree program, then you may benefit from completing a graduate certificate.

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 SNHU.

Here are 5 potential benefits to earning a graduate certificate: 

Learn to Adapt

Amidst significant advances in technology and the rise of remote work, the workforce has experienced many changes over the past decade.

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

While your work experience may propel you forward, a graduate certificate will give you a credential. And if you're interested in pursuing a master's degree later, you may be able to transfer credits from your graduate certificate program to help shorten the time needed to complete your degree.

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 the World Economic Forum (WEF), include creative thinking, analytical thinking and technological literacy.

Demonstrate Professional Development

Even if you’re satisfied in your current role, enrolling in a certificate program is a form of professional development that may boost your confidence and show your growth mindset and commitment to your role.

Specialize in Your Field

Couture noted that a graduate certificate can also help you specialize in your field. If you're in accounting, for instance, you might choose a specialized accounting graduate certificate in:

• Business analysis and reporting for accounting
• Forensic accounting and fraud examination
• Management accounting
• Tax compliance and planning

Certain programs may even help prepare you for certification exams.

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.

Which is Better? Graduate Certificate vs. Master's Degree

A master's degree is a higher-level credential of the two options, meaning it offers a greater level of expertise. However, a graduate certificate will make more sense for certain students — especially those looking for a faster credential on the road toward 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

Master’s degree programs often require 30 credits or more and typically take two years to complete.

In contrast, graduate certificates typically range from 12-21 credits and can be finished in as soon as four or five months, depending on the program.

Cost

Since a certificate program takes fewer credits to complete, it’s more affordable and more accessible to pay out of pocket than a master’s program. Some employers may also offer tuition reimbursement benefits to help with the cost of a certificate.

And while federal financial aid doesn't cover the cost of all certificates, certain academic certificate programs do qualify for Title IV student financial aid, according to Couture.

For example, SNHU offers Title IV eligible graduate certificates in:

• Accounting
• Dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities
• Human resource management
• Project management

You can speak with an admission counselor at the school you plan to attend to learn more about which certificate offerings are Title IV eligible.

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."

Find Out More

Couture recommends reaching out to the school where you plan to earn a graduate certificate to ask any questions you may have.

"If anyone is on the fence or curious, I suggest giving SNHU admission a call to learn about certificates that may suit their needs," he said.

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette '18 '22G 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.