Tuition costs at many institutions across the United States have been on an upward trend for the last two decades. The Education Data Initiative states that the average national cost of undergraduate college tuition is $38,270, and a master’s degree is $59,684. These high sums can present a barrier for many individuals pursuing their education.
Today, many working professionals question the costs of a traditional degree and seek flexible, short-term alternatives. With a mission to provide higher education that is accessible, affordable and achievable, UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) offers a wide range of professional certificates that can strengthen your knowledge in a certain area, help you stay current in your field, prepare you for a certification assessment, and assist you with a career transition.
SCPS certificate programs are designed for working adults at various stages in their careers and educational journeys. They require less time and monetary investment than degree programs; most require fewer than two years of coursework and offer opportunities to propel careers or break into new industries.
Students today are realizing that a professional certificate has the potential to go beyond just another line on a resume. The experience can expand horizons and open doors never imagined. SCPS alumni have used their experience at UVA as a springboard to new ventures, from launching a creative consulting business and defeating corporate cybersecurity attacks, to establishing a career as an entrepreneurial coach and improving relations between a police department and its local community.
What is a Certificate?
According to Kai Degner, Director of Certificates at SCPS, “Certificates are high-impact, affordable and convenient online learning opportunities. Not only do they help with long term career progression, a professional certificate allows you to learn skills and knowledge that you can apply immediately in your current role.”
UVA SCPS certificates are offered as a series of courses taught by faculty who are subject matter experts and practitioners with a long history of working in the field and applying the concepts and skills in day-to-day work. SCPS offers a range of professional certificates for a variety of interests and career levels. Certificates require 15-18 undergraduate or graduate credits and typically entail 1-2 classes per semester.
Undergraduate Certificates
Cloud Computing
Cybersecurity Analysis
Information Technology
National Criminal Justice Command College
Graduate Certificates
Cybersecurity Management
Leadership
Leadership in Human Resources Management
National Criminal Justice Command College
Procurement and Contracts Management
Project Management
Public Administration
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (requires a bachelor’s degree)
Accounting
Non-Credit Certificate
Certified Financial Planning
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Can a Certificate Make a Degree More Afforable?
If you’re looking to transition or advance quickly and at a low price point, a professional certificate can be a great choice. A certificate is significantly more affordable than a full degree since most entail just 5-6 classes (15-18 credits) over the course of a couple years. SCPS courses are taught online, providing working professionals the flexibility to take courses in the evening, outside of their normal working hours. Some of SCPS’s professional certificates additionally serve as elective and concentration options for the SCPS Master of Public Safety, allowing you to progress toward a master’s degree while earning your certificate.
What's the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?
Earning a certificate is a way for you to earn credits in a structured, discipline-specific way. A certificate can help you progress in your career and stay up-to-date in your field. In many fields, professional certifications that may be recommended or required (e.g., certified financial planning, project management and accounting). A certificate program does not lead to a professional certification. The courses you take in a certificate program can help you prepare to earn a professional field-specific certification, but earning a certificate is not the same as becoming certified.
Benefits for Every Phase of Your Career
Earning a professional certificate can be the first step in a new career path, an opportunity to upskill to meet your current career demands and an avenue to build confidence. Some of the many benefits include:
Advancing your career in a flexible and affordable format
Acquiring skills that will make you better at your job
Gaining a competitive advantage in your field
Staying current through increased industry knowledge and access to industry experts
Increasing your earning potential
Building your professional network
Widening your career prospects and options
Getting up to speed on emerging and evolving industries
Developing specialized expertise to begin a new career
Preparing for a professional certification
Whether you’re looking to build project management skills, break into the tech field, transition mid-career or prepare for the CPA exam or the SHRM certification, a professional certificate can be the next step in your career progression. A professional certificate offers something for almost everyone in every career phase. UVA welcomes students from all backgrounds, and believes this is what makes the SCPS educational experience stronger and more meaningful.
Entry-Level Positions
In some fields, a certificate is a short-term way to build your skills and enter into a role that requires specialized expertise. For example, a Project Management (PM) Certificate can open the door for you to qualify for a formal PM role. The Cloud Computing Certificate provides you with the knowledge and skills to begin a career as a cloud SysOps Administrator or Solutions Architect by giving you the conceptual understanding, technical knowledge and human skills required for success in the workplace.
“I tried applying for tech jobs, but I didn’t get any callbacks, because I didn’t have any experience to put on my resume. After completing the certificate, I got picked up for a Business Systems Analyst job after only a few weeks of applying – and now I make 40% more than I did before.”
- M. Effron, Cloud Computing Certificate graduate
Career Progression
A certificate can be a flexible and convenient way to acquire skills that will differentiate you from your peers, make you better at your job and more marketable in your industry. For example, as a leader in IT, you may elect to pursue a Cybersecurity Management Certificate in order to increase your cybersecurity knowledge and make more informed strategic decisions and investments for your organization.
Earning a certificate is a credential that demonstrates your expertise and shows your commitment to education and professional development. Many former SCPS students share that their certificate made the difference in helping them attain a higher pay scale, a promotion or a new position at another organization
Maintaining Skill Sets
A certificate can allow you to gain a competitive advantage by staying current in your field through increased industry knowledge and access to industry experts. Many professions, like project management and human resources, are constantly evolving and a certificate program will help you keep up with the latest trends and technology applicable to your role.
Career Transition
Many students pursuing a certificate are well into their career and are contemplating a career change. Maybe you’re in the military and looking to start a new career in financial planning; a teacher who wants to move into Human Resources; or you want to transition from the private sector into government. SCPS offers a range of professional certificates that serve as an excellent starting point as you approach career transition or re-entry into the workforce.
“I was apprehensive that I would be the only person in my classes who was new to the field. In fact, that was the rule—and every student brought experiences to our classes and group projects that enhanced learning.”
-Julia McDonald, Human Resources Certificate student
Value of a Certificate Across Industries
UVA SCPS certificates are available in a range of disciplines in tech, business, leadership and more. While the value of a professional certificate can vary depending on your industry, many programs, such as leadership and project management, offer the ability to learn skills that can transition to a number of different industries. In many industries, earning a certificate itself is a differentiator, demonstrating your commitment to professional development and the acquisition of new industry knowledge and skills.
In others, a certificate both prepares you for and complements third-party certifications that are necessary to advance in your field. For example:
The SCPS HR Leadership Certificate is informed by the Society of Human Resources Management SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP
The Procurement and Contracts Management Certificate is aligned with the National Contract Management Association's credentials
The Cloud Computing Certificate prepares you for select Amazon AWS credentials
The Accounting Certificate is specifically designed to allow students to meet education requirements to sit for a Certified Public Accountant exam
Diverse and Rich Class Experiences
One of the strengths of SCPS programs is that the student body is diverse in age, ethnicity, race and gender, and comes from a wide range of industries and stages in their career. All of this lends to rich discussions, pulling you and your classmates beyond your day-to-day work and allowing you the unique opportunity to learn from your peers’ varied experiences and perspectives
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"I get to make an impact on my students and their professional careers, as well as teams and organizations. One of my favorite classes to teach is a leadership course that typically includes students who are undergraduate UVA football players, as well as police chiefs, federal employees and others at various stages in their careers. The discussions and exchange of ideas are always memorable, and the shared experience allows people to grow as leaders."
-Kai Degner, SCPS Senior Director of Certificate Programs
Working Hand-in-Hand with Industry Experts
In your SCPS certificate program, you will learn from faculty who are experts in their industries and are experts at teaching. They understand the demands adult learners need to juggle and structure courses so you can balance your personal and professional life while learning. SCPS instructors have a combination of industry credentials, advanced degrees and applied experience. They all have a passion to educate and advise professionals in their industry or domain. SCPS instructors regularly inject real-life scenarios into courses, bringing theories to life and offering unparalleled insight.
Harvey A. Hutchinson III, an Accounting and Certified Financial Planning (CFP) instructor, has had a 20+ year career serving high-net worth individuals as assistant counsel, personal trust officer, tax attorney and senior wealth strategist. He draws on his own industry experience to find creative ways to ensure his classes stay interesting and relevant. “With my background in law, I can add an additional lens to the field of taxation. We study current issues Congress is facing and have some fun with celebrity case studies.” He also weaves in current issues his clients have encountered, finding that because he serves high-net-worth families and collaborates with their professional advisers, he is offered greater insight into both opportunities and challenges.
Real-Life Applications
One of the most rewarding aspects of earning a professional certificate is the ability to put class learning into use in real time. Concepts learned in class often have immediate impact in your day-to-day life. As an example, students in the Foundations of Leadership course share that they have used what they’ve learned to “build morale across fire station crews, influence the military's culture around suicide prevention and mental health, improve efficiencies in corporate billing procedures and build a shared vision for a football team.”
Navigating the Choice Between Certificates, Degrees and Non-Credit Programs
SCPS offers a variety of programs to help working adults advance their careers, including bachelor’s degree completion programs, professional certificates, a master’s degree and customized, noncredit programs. When choosing which path to pursue, you should ask yourself the following questions:
How much time do you have to invest?
How much depth do you want from your coursework?
What do your employer tuition reimbursement benefits cover?
What are your goals (are you preparing for an industry certification, or to earn a promotion, for example)?
What subject or area interests you most, or would impact your career most?
Alexa Jeffress, UVA SCPS Director of Professional Programs says, “I always encourage prospective students to talk to their supervisor and employer about the most common pathways to advancement within their organization. Do you need to complete an undergraduate or graduate-level certificate? Do you need to pursue an undergraduate degree completion program? Or are noncredit professional development programs also an option? Understanding what is needed to reach your goals will guide you in your decision making.”
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Looking to the Future
The professional certificate landscape at UVA continues to evolve to meet students’ needs and to fill gaps in the current marketplace.
Emerging Job Markets
The number of jobs in cybersecurity and cloud computing is expected to grow by over 20% in the next 10 years. As a result, SCPS has expanded its programming with a Cloud Computing Certificate option, and received congressional funding to help fill the cybersecurity and IT job pipeline. The recent addition of a career coach helps SCPS students make the most of their learning achievements and translate that into career opportunities.
Customized Programs for Employers
UVA offers cohort-based academies that can be tailored specifically to an employer’s professional development needs. These programs can be online or in-person, and can touch on a variety of leadership, team building and project management areas. An increasing number of employers are turning to this option to address their unique needs. Jeffress notes, “We work with our client organizations to discuss what leadership challenges they are currently facing and use this knowledge to help develop courses tailored for each organization. For example, we developed a series of five-day in person academies for one of our federal government clients that includes four tracks for leaders at various levels – Emerging Leaders, Front Line Leaders, Senior Leaders and Senior Executive Leaders.”
Many SCPS professional courses are informed by current trends partner organizations have identified in the workplace:
Understanding and Leading Multiple Generations in the Workplace
Managing Stress and Practicing Self Care
Building Resiliency
Building and Supporting Effective Teams
21st Century and Human-Centered Leadership
Pathways for Students to Stack Degrees and Tailor Their Experiences
UVA’s graduate certificates serve as concentration options in the SCPS Master of Public Safety degree, allowing students to earn both credentials at the same time. Through partnerships with the University of Maryland and Old Dominion University, some students are also able to stack SCPS certificates into a Procurement and Contracts Management degree or a Public Administration degree. This offers an economical way for students to enhance skills and grow credentials.
SCPS has broken down the silos between graduate certificates to provide greater options for students. Students choose one primary certificate and have the ability to take 1-2 courses in a different certificate as desired to meet elective options. The result is a powerful opportunity for students to tailor their certificate and learning to their interests and goals.
Whether you want to strengthen your knowledge in a specific area, stay current in your field, prepare for a certification assessment or facilitate a career transition, a certificate from UVA SCPS can help you achieve your goals.
