College of Charleston launches new micro-credential program

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The College of Charleston is partnering with global online learning platform Coursera to launch a new program to provide industry-branded micro-credentials to students, faculty and staff at no cost. 

Students can earn professional certificates for in-demand workplace skills that will complement their academic credentials. Faculty and staff will also be able to earn professional certificates through online training, according to a news release.  

“This partnership will provide members of the College of Charleston community the opportunity to build skills using resources from some of the world’s leading companies,” said College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu in the news release. “As one of the oldest colleges in the nation, the College of Charleston is setting the blueprint for other liberal arts institutions to follow.” 

Students, faculty and staff now have access to Career Academy on Coursera, which includes more than 45 entry-level professional certificates from companies such as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Salesforce. The program enables individuals to explore a wide range of in-demand career paths, such as Data Analyst, Cyber Security Analyst, UX Designer, Application Developer and Social Media Marketer. Hands-on projects and interactive assessments allow individuals to apply their skills in real-world scenarios and practice using workplace tools, the news release stated.  

“I am very excited about making Coursera’s Career Academy available to our College of Charleston community,” said Suzanne Austin, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “U.S. workforce needs are changing rapidly, and we need to provide resources so that students, faculty and staff can succeed in this environment.” 

“We are excited to partner with the College of Charleston, one of the oldest colleges in the U.S., in its efforts to complement the broad-base liberal arts education that prepare students to be great critical thinkers, with industry micro-credentials that prepare students for in-demand careers,” Scott Shireman, global head of Coursera for Campus, said in the release. “With Career Academy, every Charleston student can earn the skills and credentials needed to give them a competitive edge and unlock opportunities in the rapidly evolving local job market." 

The courses consist of a series of modules with 10-minute video segments, readings, assignments and assessments that can be used to supplement content.  

The College of Charleston is the first university in South Carolina to offer the full suite of Coursera’s Career Academy. According to a recent study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina has 167,000 unfulfilled job openings.  

“Google has called South Carolina home for nearly two decades. We’re proud to invest in the state’s students and future workers by offering our Google Career Certificates program to the College of Charleston,” Amanda Brophy, director of Grow with Google, said in the release. “We’re excited that thousands of students at the college will learn job-ready skills from experts at Google while pursuing a degree.”