Skip to main content

Three students on the value of college certificate programs

Boise State Online extends education beyond traditional boundaries to meet your academic needs anytime and anywhere. Through dozens of accredited college certificate programs in healthcare, business, technology and more, Boise State Online makes education accessible and feasible. Whether it’s an undergraduate certificate in business creation, a graduate certificate in accounting foundations or one of our many other online certifications, we have relevant options for you. 

Online College Certificate Programs for Working Students

Most certificate programs offer subject-specific courses without general education requirements, ideal for working professionals seeking specific skill sets, credentials or training. Boise State Online’s condensed certificate programs provide an accessible pathway to a bachelor’s degree and many other higher education opportunities. Stackable degrees, including the online Bachelor of Arts in Digital Innovation and Design and the online Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience, offer certificate milestones so you can specialize in topics of interest. 

What is the value of college certificate programs? Certificates signal to your employer that you have skills and training that can benefit your team and organization. Showing formal education on your resume and experience applying it in the workplace can add value to an employment application. 

Three Boise State students have benefited from online certificate programs within their career fields, leading to new businesses, job opportunities and future promotions.  

A photo illustration of a person working on a business project at a desk

 

Cody Shepherd Prepares for the Future with Online Technology Certificates

Cody Shepard enrolled in the online graduate Certificate in Analyst and Threat Intelligence and Certificate in Resiliency Engineering — both built into the Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience. The cybersecurity graduate certificates are 100% online, offer full- and part-time options and include seven-week courses. Whether as a stand-alone credential or as part of a master’s degree, cyber certificate programs are designed to help students like Shepherd who want to advance their careers within the cyber workforce. 

“It has made a tremendous difference to me, my positions, my opportunities and my overall life,” Shepherd  said. “I understand the world around me more and can speak the language. The cyber operations and resilience program has made me so much better at my job and given me the tools I need to drive change in IT. This benefits my company tremendously.”

Explore more technology-related online certifications from Boise State: 

Certificate in Cyber Operations
Certificate in Cyber Operations and Resilience Governance and Policy Administration

This video is available with captions and a video transcript.

Online Certificate helps Jessi Boyer Start a New Business

Jessi Boyer is a Boise State alum and graduate of the interdisciplinary professional studies program. This uniquely customizable bachelor’s degree allowed her to earn a certificate in the Certificate in User Experience (UX) Research before graduating with her bachelor’s degree. Using the skills and knowledge she gained through her online certificate program, she changed careers and started a new UX-related business. 

“I completed the UX certificate and took it and the skills I gained to start a career in UX immediately. After I graduate, I’ll build on that career. But, it’s given me the ability to start right away,” Boyer said. 

After graduating with her certificate and bachelor’s degree in summer 2022, Boyer is ready for the next step. 

“I will immediately begin grad school — the Master of Arts in Anthropology and the User Research Graduate Certificate,” she said. Boyer also recently accepted a graduate assistantship in the Boise State anthropology department.

Boise State Online offers several certifications to help you launch a business or change careers. Explore our online offerings:

Certificate in Business Creation
Certificate in Business Preparation
Certificate in Professional Readiness
Certificate in Resort Operations and Hospitality Management
Certificate in Accounting Foundations

Clara Adams Launches Into a Creative Career with Online Certificate

Like many students, Clara Adams struggled to apply her passions in college and plan for a future career.

“I have always been an artist at heart. It is what I love to do, and it is my passion, but I didn’t know what to do with it,” Adams explained. “It’s sometimes hard to know what creativity or art will look like in a career setting.” 

Clara Adams discovered the College of Innovation + Design at Boise State last year. She started exploring their many certificate programs aimed at job or career readiness to add to her graphic design bachelor’s degree. She eventually chose the User Experience Design Certificate, knowing that user experience design is in the country’s top ten most sought-after job skills (Indeed.com).

“The series of user experience courses transformed how I design, how I look at design in the world, how I think about communicating and how I approach solving a problem,” Adams said.

User Experience Design is one of many certificate options that you can stack together to form a bachelor’s degree through Boise State’s newest online program, digital innovation and design. Individual certificates indicate your mastery of a variety of skills and give you immediately applicable knowledge. This degree program merges technology and creativity, equipping you with new ways of thinking, helping you solve real-world problems and foster innovation.

Certificates for Everyone

Certificates related to technology, business, creative fields, healthcare and more prepare you for the next step. Sample higher education without having to commit to the cost and time of a traditional four-year degree. Start exploring with a Student Success Coach, an online program expert who wants to find the program that works best for you.

Contact a Student Success Coach

Attend a Live, Virtual Information Session