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INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning

Class seminar with three students and Dr. Bonny Ibhawoh

Microcredentials

Philosophy and Approach

A Message from Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning Kim Dej

Over the past five years, the number of microcredential offerings across the McMaster campus has risen steadily, in response to increased demand for professional development and skills enhancement from non-traditional learners and employers.

These flexible learning opportunities can provide opportunities for growth and specialization for our current undergraduate and graduate students, but may also take the form of upskilling and continuing education for individuals already in the workforce, transition training for recent immigrants and those returning to the workforce, skills development to meet the needs of emerging labour sectors, and much more.

Microcredentials at McMaster

McMaster University defines a microcredential as a “designation of achievement of a coherent set of skills, competencies, or knowledge, specified by a statement of purpose, learning outcomes, and potential need by employers and/or in the community”? Microcredentials typically consist of one or more short courses focused on retraining, upskilling or expanding learners’ education, with each course typically between 6-18 hours in length.

What’s Next?

As the number of microcredentials offered by Faculties, the Inspire Office of Flexible Learning, and McMaster Continuing Education continue to increase, the Office of the Provost recognizes the importance of providing support for these initiatives. We have heard from many groups that there is a need for more guidance on the development, structures, and delivery of these opportunities. There is great interest in increasing our microcredential offerings, but there is also much confusion about how to get started.

The Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning is convening a task force of experts, who will meet regularly during the Summer and Fall of 2024 to:

  • refine language around what a microcredential is, and what it contains
  • determine platforms for hosting, tracking, and advertising microcredentials
  • implement structures to increase support for enrolment, payment, and credentialling processes
  • create a recommended workflow for instructors interested in creating new microcredentials

We look forward to updating you on their progress, and working with partners across campus to enhance the resources available to educators seeking to offer these flexible learning opportunities.

Types of Microcredentials

McMaster University defines a microcredential as a “designation of achievement of a coherent set of skills, competencies, or knowledge, specified by a statement of purpose, learning outcomes, and potential need by employers and/or in the community”. Microcredentials typically consist of one or more short courses focused on retraining, upskilling or expanding learners’ education, with each course typically between 6-18 hours in length. McMaster offers Academic and Non-Academic Microcredentials, each with different requirements. Academic Microcredentials are further divided into Graduate and Undergraduate Academic Microcredentials. More details can be found below and in McMaster’s Certificates, Diplomas and Microcredentials Policy (2023). 

Academic and Non-Academic Microcredentials

McMaster offers two distinct types of microcredentials—academic and non-academic. Non-academic microcredentials can also be stacked toward a Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Attendance.

 

Academic Microcredentials  

Non-Academic Microcredentials 

Academic requirements 
  • Meet the same standards as academic coursework but do not have minimum credit hours that the coursework must be completed within. 
  • They have designated credits typically not exceeding one unit level. 
  • Do not meet the requirements for academic coursework, and rather demonstrate that an individual has completed learning activities related to a coherent set of skills, competencies, or knowledge. 

Assessment  
  • Typically letter graded (have traditional evaluative components such as projects and exams). 
  • Typically graded as Pass/Fail. 

 

Admission requirements 
  • Have specified admission requirements. 
  • No specific admission requirements. 

Student and learner supports 
  • Within the Certificates, Diplomas, and Microcredentials policy, individuals taking academic microcredentials are referred to as “Students” and have access to a wider range of University resources (e.g., Learning Management Systems) and services than those taking non-academic microcredentials. 

 
  • Within the Certificates, Diplomas, and Microcredentials policy, individuals taking non-academic microcredentials are referred to as “Learners” and do not have access to certain University resources (e.g., Learning Management Systems) and services.

 

Stacking and transfer of credentials 
  • May stack together for credit toward another credential in specific contexts. 
  • In some specific cases, academic microcredentials taken as part of a graduate diploma program may be considered for credit toward a subsequent Master’s degree program. 
  • These credentials cannot transferred to an academic microcredential or be used as credit toward any academic credential, though they may be stacked to achieve a Certificate of Completion. 

 

Differences between certificates of completion and attendance

Non-academic microcredentials can be stacked toward a Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Attendance. Certificates of Completion involve programming with a minimum of 30 contact hours and with learner assessment. Certificates of Attendance do not involve learner evaluation. They cannot be stacked towards a Certificate of Completion. Further similarities and differences between the two types of certificates are outlined below:  

 

Certificate of Completion  

Certificate of Attendance 
Academic requirements 
  • Acknowledges that an individual has completed a course or program at McMaster that does not meet the requirements of an academic program. 
  • A Certificate of Completion can be issued when a non-academic course or program includes a minimum of 30 contact hours and evaluation of the Learner’s learning. Certificates of Completion may include academic content if the course or courses have been approved for credit toward another credential. 
  • Acknowledges that an individual has participated in a set of activities at McMaster that does not meet the requirements of an academic program. 
Purpose 
  • Suitable for various types of life-long learning and career-related courses and programs. 
  • Certificate activities are designed to meet the interests and objectives of participants who may want to acquire general knowledge or training for career related purposes, but who neither require nor seek any form of professional or academic recognition. 
Assessment 
  • Learning is evaluated.  
  • No evaluation of learning. 
Admission requirements 
  • Normally, there are no specific admission requirements. 
  • Normally, there are no specific admission requirements. 
Credit toward degree or other program studies 
  • Normally, there is no credit granted towards degree program studies, unless the course or courses making up the Certificate of Completion have been approved for credit as part of a degree, diploma or certificate. 
  • There is no credit granted toward additional credentials. 
  • Cannot be stacked toward a Certificate of Attendance. 

Microcredential Examples Across McMaster

The following examples give a sense of the different ways that McMaster is delivering microcredentials.

Certificate of Completion in Sustainability Learn More

Type: Non-Academic Certificate of Completion

Description: Whether you want to launch a career in Sustainability or expand your knowledge of sustainable environment, economic and societal best practices, our online program can help.

Lead: McMaster Continuing Education

MMRI Industrial Training Program Learn More

Type: Non-Academic Microcredential or Certificate?

Description: This program is designed for industry professionals, whether you entered the working world with a college diploma or earned a PhD. As a specialized, skill-building further education opportunity in advanced manufacturing, the program will complement your prior experience and education, and challenge you to find solutions to today’s problems.

Lead: Faculty of Engineering – McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute

Outdoor Leader Training Learn More

Type: Non-academic Certificate of Completion

This workshop is designed to help trip leaders recognize, assess, manage, and avoid situations of potential risk in remote settings.  Program learning includes a review of the importance of establishing and maintaining a healthy group atmosphere, techniques for establishing clear goals and expectations within a trip group, and the subtleties of group dynamics.

Lead: Athletics & Recreation

Current Offerings

Microcredentials are offered by various Faculties and central units across campus. This page provides a comprehensive list of resources to further explore all microcredential offerings at McMaster.  

If you oversee microcredential offerings, and do not see them listed here, please contact/complete the form here:  

Guidance and Resources

How to Propose a New Microcredential At McMaster

To launch a microcredential at McMaster, a proposal must be put forward and approved according to the following general process:

  1. Develop Concept: A group interested in developing new microcredential(s) must develop a comprehensive proposal including well-defined objectives, learning outcomes, curriculum and admission requirements (if applicable).  
  2. Identifying Microcredential Host Partner: Individuals interested in offering a new microcredential should identify the body (Faculty, INSPIRE Office or McMaster Continuing Education) responsible for its initial review and for taking the proposal forward to the CDM Committee.
  3. Proposal Submission to CDM Committee: A Faculty, the INSPIRE Office or McMaster Continuing Education (MCE) take new proposals forward for review by the CDM committee. Individuals should first identify the appropriate body to work with during the development of their microcredential(s). With the exception of McMaster Continuing Education, groups that are not academic departments or Faculty-based units should contact and work with the INSPIRE Office. 
  4. Proposal Submission to Undergraduate or Graduate Council: Proposals make a recommendation to Undergraduate or Graduate Council.    
Download Proposal Template

Proposal and Approval Criteria for New Microcredentials

Criteria for All Proposals

The CDM Committee and Undergraduate/Graduate Council will look for:  

  • Well-defined objective(s) 
  • Well-defined learning outcomes 
  • Curriculum to meet learning outcomes 
  • Admission requirements (if applicable) 

Additional Criteria for Academic Microcredentials

Academic microcredentials must:

  • Be at a level of intellectual rigour comparable to undergraduate or graduate degree programs in similar fields (this will be assessed by the Faculty most relevant to the content of the microcredential) 
  • Include a systematic evaluation of Student performance by methods usually used in degree courses, such as tests, essays, reports, narrative responses, interviews and/or other assignments. 

Selecting a Partner to Host Your Microcredential

Microcredentials can be hosted with Faculties, McMaster Continuing Education (MCE), or the INSPIRE Office. Whether a course is brought forward and delivered through a Faculty, MCE or INSPIRE could depend on the target audience (e.g., internal or external learners, students or professionals) and the content (e.g., level of interdisciplinarity) of the micro-credential.

Faculties Learn More

McMaster Continuing Education (MCE) Learn More

INSPIRE Learn More

Additional Information on Proposing A Microcredential

Microcredentials typically tend to be 6-18 hours in length. For academic microcredentials, one academic unit typically corresponds to 10-15 academic contact hours.  

Certificates of Completion require a minimum of 30 contact hours whereas Certificates of Attendance have no minimum contact hours.

For Academic Microcredentials, any changes to the course description or requirements must be approved by the CDM committee and Undergraduate or Graduate Council.  

For non-academic microcredentials, the phrase Non-Academic Microcredential must appear in the credential name (e.g. Non-Academic Microcredential in Outdoor Leader Training).  

For academic microcredentials, the phrase Microcredential must appear in the credential name (e.g., Microcredential in Project Management) 

For Certificates of Completion, the phrase Certificate of Completion must be included in the credential name (for example, the Teaching and Learning Foundations Certificate of Completion).  

For Certificates of Attedance, the phrase Certificate of Attendance must appear in the credential name (for example, the Medical Acupuncture Program Certificate of Attendance) 

Learner Experience and Recognition

Services and Learning Infrastructure Available to Students Learn More

Access to McMaster services and learning management systems (e.g., Microsoft 365 and Teams) vary depending on whether learners are enrolled in academic or non-academic microcredentials

Issuing Parchments Learn More about Who Can Issue Parchments

A parchment is documentation provided to a Student or Learner attesting to the successful completion of a credential, whether electronic or paper-based. 

Transcripts Learn More

Recognition of microcredentials on student transcripts varies by the type of microcredential

Review of Student Evaluations Learn More

Students enrolled in academic microcredentials have access to existing Student appeal procedures while students enrolled in non-academic microcredentials must request a review from the Faculty Standing Committee on Microcredentials or McMaster Continuing Education. 

Charging Student Fees

Microcredentials charging a fee must submit fee proposals to the University Student Fees Committee (USFC) for approval. This approval should be sought before submission of the microcredential proposal to Undergraduate or Graduate Council.  

Issuing Tax Forms to Learners Learn More

Tax forms should be issued to students in accordance with CRA guidelines.

Resources and Supports for Developing Microcredentials

INSPIRE Office Contact INSPIRE

INSPIRE offers proposal support and issues microcrentials to those looking to host a microcredential through INSPIRE. INSPIRE also offers consultation for those in the initial processes of developing a microcredential and identifying which group (INSPIRE, MCE or Faculty) to house the microcredential in.  

Key supports: Advice on concepts; guidance on governance and approvals; information on upcoming grants 

MacPherson Institute

The MacPherson Institute offers a range of supports and resources to relevant to teaching and learning scholarship, including education and course design.  

Key supports: curriculum and course development supports, professional development programming for teaching excellence

McMaster Continuing Education Contact MCE

McMaster Continuing Education (MCE) hosts a range of microcredential programs across areas such as business, health, technology, and professional development.

Key supports: guidance on proposing and hosting microcredentials through MCE 

Office of Community Engagement Visit the OCE

To promote alignment of a microcredential with real-world needs, consultation and collaboration is encouraged with community partners and/or employers. The Office of Community Engagement (OCE) may be able to connect educators with relevant community partners. 

Key supports: facilitating connections with local employers, community organizations, and community-engaged campus groups

Expandable List

The eCampus Ontario Micro-credential Framework was developed by post-secondary institutions, employers, and public agencies and encourages alignment with the following principles when designing microcredentials:  

  • Relevance: Micro-credentials will only be issued for competencies that are currently relevant to the labour market. Relevance is achieved through consultation and partnership between employers, community partners and post-secondary institutions in the development and delivery of the course. 
  • Verifiability: Micro-credentials will be verifiable, and integrity will be maintained. 
  • Ownership: Once awarded, micro-credentials and associated data will be the property of the earner 
  • Extensibility: Micro-credentials will be designed to facilitate continuous pathway for lifelong learning, where possible. 

Explore the eCampus Ontario Micro-credential Principles and Framework here.

Get Started

Learn about upcoming deadlines, who to connect with, and resources that can help you get started.

Click here to download the Guide to Developing a Microcredential at McMaster,  a comprehensive PDF document that provides you with guidance on the entire process.

Upcoming Approval Cycles

Moving your microcredential proposal through McMaster’s microcredential governance and approval processes usually takes about 4 months from approval at the Faculty level. The following scenarios and timelines have been created to help you determine when to move your concept into the approval process. Please note that the dates and timelines provided are for demonstration purposes; please reach out to the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning (see below) for the most up-to-date guidance on timing based upon where you’re currently at.

Fall 2025 Launch Click here for Fall 2025 approvals timeline

If you are aiming to launch a new microcredential in Fall 2025, following the timeline framed in this pop-up window will help you to get approval as early as possible. Please note that you are not able to advertise a microcredential until it has been approved at the Board of Governors.

Winter 2026 Launch Click here for Winter 2026 approvals timeline

If you are aiming to launch a new microcredential in Winter 2026, following the timeline framed in this pop-up window will help you to get approval as early as possible. Please note that you are not able to advertise a microcredential until it has been approved at the Board of Governors.

Spring 2026 Click here for Spring 2026 approvals timeline

If you are aiming to launch a new microcredential in Spring 2026, following the timeline framed in this pop-up window will help you to get approval as early as possible. Please note that you are not able to advertise a microcredential until it has been approved at the Board of Governors.

Information Box Group

If you have questions about creating or delivering microcredentials at McMaster, contact the INSPIRE Office below.

Photo Dave Heidebrecht

Dave Heidebrecht

Manager

1 (905) 525-9140 dheide@mcmaster.ca
PGCLL M04