Online and Distance Learning

This page is about certificate programs. It helps students who are looking for on-campus and online programs in technical, vocational, continuing and professional education and training.

What is a certificate program

Certificate programs are courses of study that provide a credential after completion to certify your accomplishment.  One of the attractive features of certificate programs is that they are often easy to access - you do not usually need GREs or GMATs for admission into a community college certificate program.  In addition to this, certificate programs are useful for a variety of reasons depending on the type you take.  For example, some people take what Penn Foster Career School calls "career certificates" to start their own business or launch out into a new career

The main types of certification programs are: technical and vocational education; undergraduate certificate programs; continuing and professional education; and, graduate certificate programs.  The following sections give details of each of these. 

Certificate programs in continuing education

Certificate programs in continuing education are ones that are taken at any stage in your life for whatever reason you wish. They can be ones you take for general interest or to prepare you for University study. Such programs may, but are unlikely to give you credit towards a degree program.  Check out the Penn Foster Career School "career certificates" for examples of these programs. And click here to Learn More about Nursing Informatics, and how you can earn CE's in the privacy of your own home.

Certificate programs in continuing professional education

Certificate programs in continuing professional education are ones that are taken to enhance your career, stay up-to-date with the constantly changing professional knowledge, stay abreast of changing legislation, or to facilitate a change in direction. These certificate programs may lead to "certification" or "licensing" in a specific profession, or perhaps be a requirement for continued registration (e.g., in the case of nursing CEUs).

Certificate programs in technical and vocational education

Technical and vocational education usually provides the specific skills required in the workplace, e.g., IT training.  Technical and vocational programs used to be mainly at certificate or diploma level, but there are now an increasing number of associate degrees available.

There are many colleges/schools offering certificate programs on line that provide training in specific skills required in the workplace, for example, certificate programs in TESOL. And there are many campus-based programs, for example, ones in Medical Assisting, Digital Media or Oracle Database Administration at American Career Institute (ACI) - Wheaton, MD or at American Career Institute (Formerly AIC) - Braintree, Cambridge, Framingham, Springfield and Woburn, MA.

You can search for more US Schools by State.

Be careful that you take an accredited program from an accredited institution, such as those listed on this web site.

Undergraduate certificate programs

Undergraduate Certificates are usually designed to be completed in one year. Very often they constitute a sort of "taster" for academic study and so the courses are usually credited towards a Bachelors degree.

Graduate certificate programs

Graduate certificates are usually designed to be completed in one year. They usually require applicants to possess a bachelors degree. Teacher certification licensure can be obtained in this way by taking a teaching certificate after graduating from a bachelors.  

Very often the graduate courses are credited towards a masters degree in the same area.  Some graduate certificate programs actually require a masters degree and lead to a post-masters certificate, e.g.,  post-master's certificate in nursing.

Some of these programs can form part of your continuing professional education to enhance your career, stay up-to-date with the  knowledge in your profession, stay abreast of changing legislation, or to facilitate a change in direction.

For more information

Use the search facility on this site to find more about certificate programs.

Use this link to find certificates and schools.

You can also use this link to search for online programs

Remember to compare the admission requirements and course content of several schools before you choose a program.

Campus Programs

For those students who feel that online learning and distance education is not for them, the web site also has a section on campus programs. 

You can also use this link to search for a program or a school near you.