The Office of Professional Studies offers micro-credentials!
WHAT IS A MICRO-CREDENTIAL?
A micro-credential requires evidence of practice or implementation of a skill. At the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), it is a non-degree and non-credit credential. It can be earned through specific small classes, internships, workshops, short courses, or proven skills derived from a course or series of courses. These opportunities are provided at UMCES to elevate skills needed for today’s workforce.
The UMCES digital badges help students showcase their new competencies.
WHAT IS A DIGITAL BADGE?
A digital badge is an online representation of your micro-credential showcasing your learning achievements: is the visual representation of having earned a micro-credential.
- Badges fulfill unique needs of students, programs and employers by providing portable, verifiable digital records of achievement.
- Badges offer flexibility to acknowledge both accomplishments at the micro-credential level and progress in stackable learning pathways.
- Badges allow recipients to highlight competencies that are not otherwise readily apparent.
- Badges can be shared on various online platforms to showcase the earner’s achievement
SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLS
Badges can be posted to highlight or bolster your skillset on social media, career profiles, job applications, resumes and more.
SHARE A VERIFIABLE CREDENTIAL
Employers and learning institutions can click on the badge to reveal the unique embedded data that validates the UMCES education.
BUILD A PORTFOLIO
Students can earn multiple badges to demonstrate their knowledge and professional development as they continue learning.
WHAT’S EMBEDDED IN A DIGITAL BADGE?
UMCES digital badges are part of the Open Badges network. Our badges include data and information about the specific program, including when the badge was issued and a digital signature verifying that it was earned through the UMCES program.
HOW DO YOU ADD YOUR DIGITAL BADGE TO YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE?
Please follow this link to a list of instructions: Adding UMCES Digital Badge to LinkedIn Profile
Go to the UMCES Badges Main Website to see the full list of our available badges!
For further information, to make a suggestion for future micro-credentials, to fill out an application to be awarded a credential,
or to partner with UMCES in our micro-credential offerings, please send an email: professionalstudies@umces.edu