New Playbook: Incremental Credentialing in Graduate Education

Participant Profile

CREDENTIAL AS YOU GO PARTICIPANT

University of Hawaii System

WEBSITE

LOCATION

Honolulu, Hawaii

COHORT

2023

Implementation stage & efforts to date Design stage

  • Policy-setting at the state and/or institutional level 
  • Pathway efforts for learners 
  • Prior learning assessment developments
  • Integration or restructuring efforts between noncredit and credit units
  • Data collection to incorporate non-degree data into campus and/or state data systems
  • Planning efforts to move into incremental credentialing (convened systemwide Microcredentials Work Group  in February 2022) 
  • Participating in projects addressing alternative credentialing 
  • Participating in efforts to embed industry certification into traditional degree program
  • Working with third party groups or intermediaries 
Goals for 

participation 

  • Use CAYG Framework to guide next steps in policy and procedural development at the system. This will include development of systemwide policy to govern incremental credentials (cogent system definition of incremental credentials; taxonomy that identifies “levels” of incremental credentials awarded by UH to as a common framework, providing coherence across the system – with taxonomy to address criteria such as: complexity of the skills/competencies; time spent learn the skill, breadth or range of application; validation by employers or other subject matter experts; whether the learning activities and credit-based, non-credit, co-/extra-curricular, and/or based on experience (credit for prior learning); and authority to create and approve incremental credentials; and a policy that supports learning, innovation, and quality.
  • Collaboratively work with CAYG, and other members of the cohort, to collectively advance the efforts in transitioning from a degree-centric orientation toward an equitable and innovative approach to incremental credentialing.

Associated Case Studies

Improving Education and Employment Outcomes