Micro-Credential Administration

About Micro-Credentials & Digital Badges

Micro-credentials may...
  • Complement traditional degrees or certificate programs
  • Be offered as stand-alone credentials for students, faculty, staff, community members or corporations
  • Be for-credit or noncredit
  • Be offered on flexible timeframes
  • Be highly focused
  • Serve as a pathway to success by allowing the learner to meet academic or employer requirements

To learn more, review the resources in the right sidebar.

While traditional degrees and certificate programs recognize more robust programs of academic study, micro-credentials provide a way to recognize and document the acquisition of specific skills or competencies.

Upon successful completion of a micro-credential program, learners are issued a digital badge that allows achievements to be displayed and shared. Just as diplomas serve to recognize degrees, digital badges are artifacts that offer recognition and storytelling about micro-credentials. 

Because they're digital, badges contain metadata about the program's requirements and learning objectives, as well as links to educational artifacts. This makes them independently verifiable and portable, empowering learners to use, share and display their credentials however they see fit.

Micro-Credentials at CU Boulder 

CU Boulder's micro-credential program initiative was prioritized and sponsored by Financial Futures, and its policies informed by a universitywide Micro-credentials Advisory Committee (MAC).

This committee includes representatives from academic colleges, Continuing Education, Student Affairs, OIT, the Center for Teaching and Learning, University Libraries and the Office of the Registrar, and is responsible for:

  • Formalizing micro-credential structures and frameworks
  • Exploring new learning opportunities
  • Creating clarity and meaning for stakeholders
  • Fostering inclusivity in learner recognition at CU Boulder

Proposing & Managing Micro-Credentials

Propose a New Micro-Credential Issue a Digital Badge Review Digital Badge Analytics
Propose a New Micro-Credential

Units and divisions may propose both for-credit and noncredit micro-credentials. The MAC reviews each proposal for consistency, meaningfulness and worthiness of CU Boulder's endorsement. Final approval relies on adherence to established campus standards and local unit/division governance processes.

Please also see the online support resources (coming soon) and contact the micro-credentials program manager with questions or support requests.

To propose a new micro-credential:

  1. .
  2. After reviewing your intent form, the micro-credentials program manager will contact you to provide customized intent-stage support.
  3. Complete and submit the micro-credential proposal form (you'll receive a link from the program manager).
  4. The MAC will review the proposal and either approve or request changes prior to resubmission.
  5. The unit or division in which the micro-credential is being proposed will provide final approval.

Once a new micro-credential is approved, the micro-credentials program manager will create the new digital badge, offer support to develop an issuing process, and train users on how to issue digital badges and access their digital badge analytics.

Once a student completes the requirements for a badge, departments should notify the Office of the Registrar by submitting a badge issuance form (link coming soon). You'll need to provide the student's name and email address.

The Office of the Registrar will update Credly, and the student will receive an email with instructions for claiming their badge and setting up their account.

Through the Credly platform, you'll have access to the following analytics for your badges:

  • Acceptance rate
  • Email open and click-through rates
  • Geographic data by country
  • Share rate (overall and by destination)
  • Views (per share and total)

You will also be able to see how many active job postings require the credentials you offer, view the locations where your skill sets and certifications are most in demand, and find the top employers and view salary ranges for job titles related to your credentials.

Contact Us

    Noah Geisel, micro-credentials program manager

Live Training & Events

Micro-Credentials & Digital Badges Info Sessions

Attend an upcoming session to learn more about proposing micro-credentials and what to expect from the process, with time at the end for attendees' questions.

No upcoming sessions scheduled

Check back for future information sessions. Trainings for units also available by request, email Noah.geisel@colorado.edu to schedule.

Resources

CU Boulder Micro-Credentials

About Micro-Credentials

  •  (Educause)
  •  (The Chronicle)
  •  (PBS Newshour)