Requirements

Specific Admission/Eligibility Requirements

Credit-Bearing Alternative Credentials

Certificate Programs

Students wishing to pursue credit-bearing certificate programs should apply for admission to Miami University (Oxford or Regionals, depending on the administrative home of the certificate) via the regular admission processes for undergraduate or graduate admission (depending on the level of the certificate).  Students must be at least 18 years of age.

Microcredentials Professional Education, & TechCred

Students who have already matriculated into Miami University and are wishing to complete a credit-bearing microcredential, TechCred or Professional Education program should, if required, complete an application form and register for the courses or learning experiences necessary to earn the alternative credential on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals), depending on the administrative home of the credential.

Students who are not matriculated Miami students and wish to complete a credit-bearing microcredential or TechCred and also pursue a Miami degree, should apply for admission to Miami University (Oxford or Regionals) via the regular admission processes for undergraduate or graduate admission on that campus. They should also complete an application form for the specific curricular alternative credential (TechCred, Professional Education, or microcredential) they wish to complete on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals) website.

Students who are not matriculated Miami students and only wish to pursue a curricular (credit-bearing) alternative credential, should apply to Miami as a non-degree seeking student. They should also complete an application form for the specific curricular alternative credential they wish to complete on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals) website.

If a student has completed one or more of the experiences required for the credential and has not applied, he or she may apply following completion of one or more of the required experiences for the credential, provided these experiences were completed in the prior two years.

Important Notes:

1. Students should be informed that if the alternative credential includes credit-bearing components, those credits count toward their maximum time limit toward financial aid and thus may impact their future eligibility for financial aid.
2. Alternative credentials that involve graduate courses require the student to have a bachelor’s degree and either graduate status at Miami University or the completion of the Non-credit Continuing Graduate Status application.

Noncredit-Bearing Alternative Credentials

Students who have already matriculated into Miami University and are wishing to complete a noncredit bearing alternative credential (microcredential, Professional Education, TechCred) should complete an application form on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals) website. 

Students who are not matriculated Miami students and wish to complete a noncredit alternative credential and also pursue a Miami degree, should apply for admission to Miami University via the regular admission processes for undergraduate or graduate admission. They should also complete an application form for the specific curricular alternative credential they wish to complete on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals) website.

Students who are not matriculated Miami students and only wish to pursue a competency alternative credential, should apply to Miami as a non-degree seeking undergraduate student or the non-credit continuing graduate status application (depending on the alternative credential) on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals) website. They should also complete an application form for the specific curricular alternative credential they wish to complete on the appropriate campus (Oxford or Regionals) website.

Program Requirements

All alternative credentials (microcredentials, TechCred, certificates, etc.) will be awarded upon successful completion of the specific requirements for that credential.

Alternative credentials may not be transferable to other universities or colleges.

Unless an approved pathway has been created through the appropriate academic approval processes, non-credit-bearing components of a microcredential may not be converted into academic credit.

Alternative credentials will either be issued when the specific program has ended or may be conferred at other times in January, May, August, and December.

Credit-bearing certificates will be recognized on the student’s transcript.  When completing all other alternative credentials, students will be awarded an online certificate of completion and/or digital badge, which will display the title of the credential. Hard copies or replacement copies can be acquired by the student for a nominal fee.

The University Registrar is responsible for maintaining permanent records of credit-bearing certificate programs.  The Office of the Provost will be responsible for maintaining permanent records of awarded alternative credentials.

Miami’s eLearning Online units will email students their certificate of completion or ensure that they have access to the digitally verifiable badge.

Information Relating to Curricular Microcredentials:

• Alternative credentials can be sequenced with one leading to the other.
• Certificates, Professional Education and microcredentials may also be potentially “stackable,” meaning that when appropriate and planned, they can be combined with other microcredentials or certificates to lead to a larger certificate or degree program.
• Credit-bearing microcredentials and TechCred must contain a minimum of one credit hour and follow the university’s credit hour policy for learning hours (both direct contact hours and other time spent engaged in learning).
• A minimum grade of C- is required in all alternative credential courses. An overall GPA of 2.0 or higher must be maintained for the alternative credential program.
• Credits earned may be used toward minors, majors, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, certificates and/or advanced certificates subject to degree/program requirements and college requirements.

Student Finances

Alternative credentials that are credit-bearing and lead to a recognized academic certificate within an academic division may be eligible for financial aid.

Students must contact the Office of Financial Assistance to determine financial aid status.

In order to receive a refund of tuition on any alternative learning experience, you must drop no later than 12 p.m. the last day before the learning experience begins. You can withdraw by contacting the eLearning Miami Online unit on your campus (eLearning Miami on Oxford campus or eCampus Regionals on Regionals Campus).