Online Certifications

Earning an online certificate is an ideal way to progress within a professional field without having to take time off of work. In essence, a professional certificate is a way to receive specialized knowledge without having to work for months or years toward an entire degree. Some certificates are intended for professionals with a degree, while others are intended for those without a degree.

Certificates intended for those without a degree are considered undergraduate certificate programs. These are recognized only by the field of work in which they are intended to be used. Students pursuing an undergraduate certificate are required to hold a high school diploma or GED. An undergraduate degree cannot be used to transfer to a college or university like an associate's degree can. Graduate certificates are meant for professionals with a degree, and they are meant to advance the person's career.

Some of the more popular online certificate programs, both at the undergraduate and graduate level, include certificates in the fields of machinery driving, business management, finance, alternative health medicine, education, information technology, and paralegal studies. Most of these online certificate programs take a number of months to complete.