Non-Credit Alternative Credential Approval Regulation

Purpose

1. Purpose. The following regulation (“this regulation”) or guideline is designed to provide consistency and clarity regarding implementation of the Policy on Approval of Non-credit Alternative Credentials.

2. Among the goals of the policy and this regulation are to define the appropriate approval pathway for alternative credentials in non-credit learning experiences. Such alternative credentials assist the university in meeting the needs of a diverse constituency of learners.

1. Definitions

   1. Credential – Official recognition by an authorized body of completion of a learning experience that includes measurable learning outcomes, learner engagement, and assessment. Traditional credentials recognized by institutions of higher education such as associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees are awarded for completion of a program of study defined by minimum credit hours and a set curriculum that includes theoretical and practical content and skills. These traditional credentials are typically represented by the conferral of a diploma.

   2. Alternative Credential – Official recognition of learning that results from a learning experience that differs in duration, format, or competency basis than those typical of programs leading to a traditional credential. Alternative credentials can be awarded for credit bearing and non-credit bearing learning experiences, and are represented by certificates, certifications, digital badges, and other physical or virtual tokens. At UNCW examples of alternative credentials include non-credit certificates of completion. This policy applies to non-credit programming only.

   3. Microcredential – Official recognition of completion of learning that results from a learning experience that is shorter in duration than a traditional credential program. Microcredentials can be represented using a variety of physical and digital tokens including certificates, certifications, and digital badges. Microcredentials can be awarded for learning that results from credit-bearing or non-credit bearing programs. This policy applies to non-credit programming only.

   4. Stacking and Stackable Pathway – A process by which a learner can earn multiple microcredentials that lead through accumulation to a higher-level credential.

   5. Digital Badge – A shareable digital representation of an achievement, skill, or competency that can be displayed online, shared on social media, and included in digital portfolios. Digital badges carry metadata that identifies the issuing body, learning experience, and learning outcomes achieved.

   6. Approval Authority – Person or persons charged with reviewing and approving alternative credential program proposals.

   7. Learning Experience – An identifiable unit of structured learning offered by curricular and non-curricular bodies. Structured learning experiences include measurable learning outcomes, standardized content offered in face-to-face, online, or hybrid settings, and assessment of learning outcomes.

   8. Learner – any authorized person (student, faculty, staff, community member) who participates in an approved learning experience and completes the requirements of the alternative credential.

   9. Learning Outcomes – Specific knowledge, skills, or abilities that students are expected to demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience.

   10. Assessment – The process of evaluating learner performance against predefined criteria.

2. Relationship between Traditional, Alternative, and Micro-Credentials

   1. All credentials recognize completion of a learning experience that includes measurable learning outcomes, student engagement, and aligned assessment. Traditional credentials issued by institutions of higher education are the various degrees conferred at the undergraduate and graduate level for completion of a defined curriculum and measured in time by the student credit hour. These traditional degrees are represented by diplomas in paper or digital format.

   2. Alternative credentials and microcredentials are defined by their relationship to the traditional credential. Alternative credentials recognize and validate learning in programs that differ from traditional degree programs in duration, format, or competency basis. Alternative credentials can represent learning in for-credit and not-for-credit programs. Microcredentials are a subset of alternative credentials that recognize learning in programs that are shorter in duration than traditional degree programs or other alternative credentials.

   3. Stackable pathways make it possible to attain higher level credentials from accumulation of multiple lower-level microcredentials.

3. Approval Process

   1. Proposal for a new non-credit alternative credential.

      1. Proposals for alternative credentials can originate in any academic or non-academic unit at UNCW. Proposals should be properly formatted and submitted using the appropriate system of record and approved as described in this regulation.

      2. All proposals for alternative credentials must include a listing of specific learning outcomes, a description of the learning experience (i.e. program), and assessments that are aligned with each learning outcome.

      3. All proposals must also include the duration of the learning experience clock hours, which represent the duration of the program in a synchronous delivery mode or the equivalent required to complete a program offered in an asynchronous delivery modality.

   2. Review and approval.

      Faculty or Staff
      → Unit Approval
      → Supervisor Approval
      → Vice Chancellor Approval
      → Digital Badge and Microcredential Committee (if needed)

      1. Alternative credentials that result from completion of non-credit learning experiences should be flexible and responsive to the needs of programs and learners.

         1. Proposals must be reviewed and approved by the head of the Requesting Program (e.g. Chair, Director, or other unit leader), next level supervisor (Dean, Director, or other unit leader), and by the appropriate Vice-Chancellor (or their designee).

         2. Each approval authority is responsible for ensuring that the proper expertise exists within the requesting program, that the expertise is consistent with the audience, and that all appropriate resources are available for the successful implementation of the learning experience.

         3. Proposals that request the use of a digital badge must be forwarded to the Digital Badging and Microcredential Committee for approval of badge use and initiation of the badging process. Approval of the use of a digital badge to represent an alternative credential is subject to the Digital Badge Issuance Policy.

4. Representation of Alternative Credentials

   1. Alternative credentials that result from non-credit learning experiences should be represented using tokens that are appropriate for their context such as digital badges and certificates of completion.

5. Stackable Pathways

   1. Microcredentials represent knowledge and skills acquired through learning experiences that are shorter in duration than those leading to traditional or alternative credentials. With proper planning and design, it is possible to modularize the curriculum leading to a higher-level credential such that individual modules could be represented by microcredentials. A student would then be able to earn individual microcredentials at their own pace resulting in the granting of the appropriate higher-level credential when all microcredentials are earned.

   2. Stackable Pathways can be designated for non-credit-bearing learning experiences.

   3. The approval process follows that outlined for the approval of non-credit alternative credentials.

   4. If the result of the stacking is a digital badge, then the Digital Badge and Microcredential Committee will create a badge at the appropriate level and establish the learning pathway in the badging system.

   3 Teal Digital Badges → 1 Navy Digital Badge

   2 Navy Digital Badges → 1 Gold Digital Badge