5 Benefits to Study Micro-Credentials at UNITAR International University

Choosing to study for a degree means investing in knowledge building and getting the career you wanted. Needless to say, higher education demands more time and energy to successfully complete a degree programme. 

This is where micro-credential programmes come in. There are micro-credentials offered at universities in Malaysia for those who cannot commit to a full-time programme, are looking for time flexibility and working adults who want to study specialised courses for career advancement.

What Is Micro-Credential?

Basically, micro-credentials are designed with a specific education path in an online environment.

In most cases, students pursue a micro-credential programme because it offers the flexibility for you to study at your own pace which allows you to complete a programme in your own time.

Are micro-credentials worth it? Read on for a better understanding of these short yet practical university programmes, and why UNITAR’s micro-credential programmes may be just what you’re currently looking for.

Here are the 5 benefits of micro-credentials you may want to consider: 

1.Shorter than your usual university degree course

Micro-credentials are university courses taken from degree programmes and broken down into a modular format. For instance, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme has 10 subjects. With micro-credentials, you can take each subject one at a time. Essentially, a micro-credential course is shorter than your usual degree programme. It can either be a small part of an accredited programme or a stand-alone course.

2.Helps students to demonstrate the development of knowledge, skills and competencies

Knowledge expertise alone isn’t enough to enter the workforce. Part of the syllabus in a micro-credential includes demonstrating the practical application of what you’ve learned in class. Candidates are required to showcase their development of knowledge, skills and competencies in a specified area. In doing so, candidates will be developing clear evidence or artefacts of learning “in-action” instead of just knowing things in theory. 

3.An MQA-approved academic course

Micro-credentials are worth it because they’re components of the accredited programme of the university. All course credits including credit transfers go toward the completion of the programme. Upon successfully completing a micro-credential course, candidates are awarded a digital certification. This can be in the form of a digital badge or a certificate.

4.Stack your micro-credentials to apply for a higher accredited qualification

Micro-credentials can be stacked toward a larger unit of competencies which are developed via a range of education pathways. In other words, a candidate may complete various micro-credential courses offered by one or many education providers based on their own needs and at their own pace. The students can then use them to apply for credit towards a higher accredited qualification such as a bachelor’s degree. Examples of micro-credentials include Micro-Credential in Accounting & Finance for Decision Making and Micro-Credential in Graphics Software (Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop) which are available at UNITAR. 

5.Flexible learning 

Alongside micro-credentials, a candidate’s prior skills and work or life experiences may also be taken as credits toward an accredited programme. This means that it’s possible to use non-formal learning such as your work experiences or completion of a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) to pursue academic qualifications.

Now that you know what a micro-credential is and how it may benefit you, consider this academic course as one of your alternative tertiary pathways to obtain a university-level qualification. UNITAR International University is one of Malaysia’s higher education institutions that offers micro-credentials alongside pre-university, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Reach out to us today!