What is a post secondary certificate or diploma

Learn about the most common types of certificates, diplomas, and degrees offered by post-secondary schools.

Consider types of Minnesota State schools and a liberal arts education to see how these awards might match your educational goals. Also check the requirements for each school. You might need a specific degree before being eligible for another.

Undergraduate Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees

These awards usually take four years or less to complete. The actual completion time depends on how much time a student can commit to their studies. Part-time students, for example, may require more than four years for an undergraduate award.

• Certificate. These are academic programs of nine to 30 credits that are completed in a year or less by full-time students. Some programs provide specialized training for people who already have diplomas or degrees. Others are for those who want to quickly complete a program that leads to a specific job.
• Diploma. An academic program generally of 30 to 72 credits intended to provide students with skills leading directly to a specific job.
• Associate Degree. An award that normally requires at least two but less than four years of full-time college work. There are different types of associate degrees with varying transferability.
• Bachelor's Degree. An award that normally requires at least four but not more than six years of full-time college work. Also includes bachelor's degrees that are completed in three years.

Graduate Certificates and Degrees

Entering one of these programs generally requires prior completion of an undergraduate award.

• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate. An award that requires completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours beyond the bachelor's. Designed for those with a bachelor's degree who do not meet the academic requirements of a master's degree.
• Graduate Degree. A degree awarded for education at a level beyond the bachelor's degree. State universities offer graduate certificates, master's degrees, and specialist degrees in various professional and liberal arts fields.
• Master's Degree. An award that requires the completion of a program of study of at least one but not more than two of years of full-time academic work beyond the bachelor's degree.
• Post-Master's Certificate. An award that requires completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctor's level.
• Doctorate Degree. The highest award a student can earn for graduate study. The doctor's degree classification includes such degrees as Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Juridical Science (J.D.), Doctor of Public Health (D.P.H.), and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
• First Professional. An award earned after the completion of a program necessary to practice in a profession. Requires at least two years of college work prior to entering the program and a total of at least six academic years to complete the program. First professional degrees may be awarded in the following 10 fields:
  • Chiropractic
  • Dentistry
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Optometry
  • Osteopathic Medicine
  • Pharmacy
  • Podiatry
  • Theology
  • Veterinary Medicine

Continuing Education Units (CEU)

One CEU is normally defined as 10 contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.

Source: Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, IPEDS Glossary

Overview

A post-secondary credential is a standard of learning. Earning a credential confirms you’ve reached a specific educational standard and have certain:

• knowledge
• skills
• experience

Credentials like an industry certification or a bachelor’s degree can be used to help you build skills to find a job or further study.

Differences between types of credentials can include:

• the length of the program
• specific admission requirements, such as an earned degree
• program outcomes

Every credential offered by an Alberta post-secondary institution must meet certain standards:

• bachelor's, master’s and doctoral programs follow the Canadian Degree Qualifications Framework (PDF, 86 KB)
• certificate, diploma and degree programs are approved by the minister responsible for advanced education

Learn more about post-secondary program standards in Alberta.

Apprenticeship credentials

Journeyman Certificate

You receive a Journeyman Certificate when you complete an apprenticeship program.

You earn a Journeyman Certificate after you complete:

• a specific number of on-the-job training hours provided by an employer
• technical training with an approved technical training provider
• industry examinations

An apprenticeship program lasts 1 to 4 years, depending on the trade. You may also be able to use your certificate to work in other provinces. Read about apprenticeships and industry training.

Undergraduate credentials

Certificate

Certificates offer short-term learning that prepares you for work in specific occupations. Certificates can:

• take one year or less of full-time study to complete
• need some high school studies for admission
• sometimes be transferred as earned credit or used for admission to a diploma program

Diploma

Prepare you to work in a particular field or group of occupations, and

• take up to 2 years of full-time study
• may need high school completion or specific grades and subjects for admission (except in universities)

Bachelor’s degree

Bachelor’s degrees provide theoretical or academic learning:

• usually 4 years of full-time study, though program length can vary by program and post-secondary institution
• programs longer than 4 years often include co-op education or work study
• admission requirements vary by program, though are usually high school graduates with specific grades and subjects
• can lead to direct access to graduate studies

Bachelor's degree programs in Alberta are approved by  the Minister responsible for advanced education (except for degrees in divinity).

Post-diploma or post-baccalaureate certificate

Some institutions offer certificate programs that require a completed diploma or degree for admission. These programs:

• vary in length
• are generally focused on increasing specialized skills

For example, some programs ask for an undergraduate degree and some work experience.

Graduate credentials

Master’s degree

Master’s degree programs build on a student’s undergraduate or graduate degree. They:

• generally need a completed bachelor’s degree for admission
• usually involve 2-4 years of full-time university study
• can be either thesis or course-based

Doctoral degree

When you pursue a doctoral degree, you plan and conduct research about a specific topic. These degrees:

• usually involve 2-4 years of full-time university study and research
• generally need a master’s degree for admission
• need you to prepare and defend a dissertation about an approved topic

Although many programs are research-based, others provide instruction in research methods to prepare students for work in a specialized field.

Graduate certificate or diploma

These programs provide graduate-level study options, without committing to a master’s program:

• certificates are generally 1 year or less, with at least 12 credits
• diplomas are usually 1-2 years, with at least 18 credits
• need a bachelor’s degree and other program-specific pre-requisites for admission

Post-master’s certificate

These certificates help expand your knowledge or skills within a specific discipline. They can also strengthen both your professional and research skills. These programs:

• are 1 year or less, with at least 12 credits
• generally need a master’s degree and other program-specific pre-requisites for admission

Post-master’s diploma

A post-master’s diploma deepens your systematic knowledge in a discipline and fosters professional development. These diplomas:

• are between 1-2 years, with at least 18 credits
• usually need a master’s degree or post-master’s certificate and other program-specific pre-requisites for admission

Post-doctoral certificate or diploma

These programs integrate advanced research competencies with professional skills or knowledge. They can also help you build leadership capacity in a specialized field of study:

• certificates are 1 year or less, with at least 12 credits
• diplomas are 1.5 years or less
• need a doctoral degree for admission

How to choose

The type of credential you need depends on the career you want to pursue, and how you want to learn. For example:

• apprenticeships and certain professions, such as pilots, need industry-specific certification
• university transfer courses and partnerships between institutions can help learners who don’t meet some programs’ admission requirements complete a degree
• you can start your learner pathway by earning a certificate or diploma, and move up the career ladder by pursuing a degree

Learn more about laddering your education.

Admission requirements

The education and experience you need to register in a post-secondary program varies by program and institution.

Use EDinfo to find programs or institutions that match your interests and research admission requirements.

Contact

To connect with the Public Awareness:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-644-6393
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-427-4185
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