Stackable Certificates
Stackable certificates are an innovative solution to facilitate the completion of a master’s degree or earn a precision credential on its own. Stackable certificates were developed as an outcome of the University of Arizona 21st Century Masters’ Program initiative.
A stackable certificate program offers students the opportunity to complete courses in an individual, or series of, participating graduate certificates and apply those courses toward the master’s degree in that stack.
Stackable certificates give students the flexibility to complete a master’s degree in small steps; the student completes one or more stackable certificates. Upon admission to the master’s program the student completes any remaining master’s requirements. This allows students to earn and stack graduate credentials along their route to a master’s degree or exit any time with graduate credentials.
Benefits of completing stackable certificates
- Stackable certificates allow students to earn credentials as they advance in their studies toward a master’s degree. Certificates also offer a pathway for individuals looking for opportunities to advance their precision knowledge through graduate-level coursework without committing to a full master’s program. We anticipate that this feature will be especially attractive to students in the workforce.
- Stackable certificates reduce student courseload commitment at any given time – a certificate can require as few as 9 units whereas a master’s degree requires a minimum of 30 units.
- Stackable certificates offer students flexibility in determining the course and the destination of their studies: Some certificates stack to multiple master’s degrees in different disciplines. Students gain exposure to graduate work in this discipline before deciding which master’s in the stack they will pursue.
- These programs also offer students flexible entry into graduate programs – a student might take a break after completing one graduate certificate before applying to the next certificate or the master’s in that stack. Students who do take a break from their graduate studies should bear in mind the masters time limitation policy.
- These programs also offer flexible exit options - a student in a stackable certificate can choose to simply complete one or more certificates with no obligation to pursue the master’s in that stackable program.
How does a stackable certificate differ from a stand-alone certificate?
Stackables are pre-approved programs of study with a coherent set of linking coursework. Stackable certificates are specifically designed to allow students to complete some of the master’s coursework prior to being admitted to the masters. This gives the student a chance to gage their interest in and demonstrate their aptitude for graduate study in a given field.
Stand-alone certificates still offer students the opportunity to complete graduate work and earn a precision graduate credential. However, because they are “stand-alone” they may not contribute toward the completion of a degree. Moreover, students will have to pay and apply to each certificate or degree program that is not already pre-approved.
Types of Stackable Certificates
Vertical stack
A vertical stack refers to a stackable program in which the certificate(s) leads to a master’s in the same discipline.
Horizontal stack
A horizontal stack refers to a stackable program in which the certificate(s) leads to a master’s in a different discipline – stacking across disciplines.
Steps to completing a master’s via stackable certificates
- Students apply to a graduate certificate that is part of an approved stack in GradApp.
- Students complete the 9 units or more of that certificate.
- Students either add a second graduate certificate in the approved stack or add the masters in the approved stack; alternatively students take break from their studies and apply to the second certificate or the masters in stack at a later date. When adding an additional certificate or Master’s to a stack, students will do so in the Program Addition & Changes form, rather than GradApp.
- Students in an approved stack do not have to pay an application fee to add to their stack.
- Students complete a second or subsequent certificate in the stack, or complete the masters in that stack.