Microcredentials

Specific Competencies, Focused Instruction: Specialized programs range from only 2 to 4 courses in length...

A Microcredential certifies that a student has attained a specified competency or skill set, generally by completing a group of 2 to 4 related courses with a grade of B or better. Once the requirements of a Microcredential are completed, the student is issued a digital icon from Credly’s Acclaim Microcredential platform that can be embedded in social media (e.g. LinkedIn) or an electronic résumé. These icons are linked to pages with validating information about the Microcredential that prospective employers and educational programs can click through to.

why would i want one?

Microcredentials offer several benefits:

  1. They can help you get a job or move to the next level of your education. By certifying specific competencies you have gained through coursework and activities, they highlight strengths and accomplishments that can help distinguish you to potential employers and post-graduate programs. Not only can you post them online, but also you can use links from them to related job listings, and they are searchable online, so employers looking for people with your skills can actually find you!

  2. They can be the first step toward a larger credential. Microcredentials are “stackable,” which means that the classes you take toward a Micro can also be counted later toward a Certificate program, the major or minor in a Bachelors program, or a Masters degree.

  3. They reward you for studying topics that broaden your horizons and expand your skill sets. They present tangible evidence of what you have accomplished when you take a small group of courses outside of your primary field of study, which can lead you to discover interests and ability you may never have thought of, and to cultivate talents that supplement your main strengths in ways you never dreamed.

Microcredentials Offered
who can earn a Microcredential?
  • Students who are currently enrolled in an Old Westbury degree program.
  • Students who are not currently enrolled, but are accepted as non-degree students.
  • Note: To pursue a graduate level Microcredential, students must have a bachelor’s degree.
how do i get one?

To begin your pursuit of a Microcredential:

1. Select your student type from the following list and follow the instructions.

  • Currently enrolled or recently enrolled SUNY Old Westbury students: Login to connect.oldwestbury.edu.  and then click the “Application for Microcredential” link in the "Registrar Forms" Card to fill out and submit a “Microcredential Application Form”.
  • Students who have attended SUNY Old Westbury but have stopped out for one or more years:  Complete a Readmission form, and then follow the instruction above.
  • Non-Degree/Non-matriculated Students:  Students interested in pursuing a Microcredential without being enrolled in a degree program at Old Westbury should fill out and submit the "Request Information" form on this page. You will be contacted with instructions on how to proceed. DO NOT simply apply for admission as a non-degree student on your own, for there are restrictions on non-matriculated students’ ability to take courses you will need an adviser’s help with.

2. Take the classes that fulfill the Microcredential’s requirements. In doing so, note that:

  • No more than one third of the total courses required for a Microcredential are transferred from another institution.
  • Courses ​that fulfill Microcredential requirements must be taken within five years of awarding.
  • You must satisfy the prerequisite requirements for each course in a Micro in order to sign up for the course. Non-degree students may need the assistance of an adviser to ensure compliance.

3. Once you have satisfied all the requirements of the Microcredential, you will be contacted with instructions on how to obtain your digital icon and utilize it online.

Request Information on Microcredentials

Call 516-628-5625

or fill out the form below.

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