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Micro-credentials.
Small but mighty.

What's a micro-credential?

Micro-credentials are smaller, shorter programs of study (3 or 4 designated courses) that are narrowly focused so that you can get specific skills in your chosen field. You'll earn a digital badge and official credit — it even goes on your transcript.

A lot
for a little.

Micro-credentials are a flexible, affordable way to start or continue your educational journey. You'll only pay for a few classes, and you can even connect them to a degree in the future.

View Tuition Details

We offer micro-credentials in 18 areas of study:

A truly more rewarding experience.

With micro-credentials, you'll get the credit you deserve during your educational journey! Imagine you just ran a marathon and sunk your teeth into that shiny medal — your glorious prize for crossing the finish line. What if you were also rewarded for all the hard work that led to that moment; those painful 5 am runs, the heavenly doughnuts you resisted and the workout plan you worshiped? That’s what a micro-credential is — credit for all of your hard work, not just the outcome.

How Micro-credentials work.

Not ready to take the leap?

If you're not ready to start a bachelor's or graduate program, micro-credentials are for you. Not only will you get specific skills in your chosen field, but you can also connect them to future degrees or certificates. It's another way we're removing barriers and giving you the ultimate flexibility to create your own educational journey.

Stay current in your field.

In the digital age, fields of study are constantly changing and creating a need for continual education. Micro-credentials are a tangible way you can stay one step ahead. They're narrowly focused, so you get in-demand skills — both soft and technical — that employers need and your field demands.

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Tuition

Micro-credentials

Master's Level Micro-credentials

Total Tuition

$2,115

Fees

$50 Application Fee

$360 Technology & Library Fee

$50 Program Conferral Fee

$460

Total Program Cost*

$2,575

Bachelor's Level Micro-credentials

Total Tuition

$1,935

Fees

$50 Application Fee

$405 Technology & Library Fee

$50 Program Conferral Fee

$505

Total Program Cost*

$2,440

¹This is an estimated value of the cost for tuition and fees. Amounts may vary depending on number of transfer credits applied to the selected program hours or program pathway credit hours, the pace and satisfactory completion of the selected program or program pathway credit hours, receipt of, or eligibility for, institutional or non-institutional scholarship and/or grant amounts, and adjustments to tuition or fees as described in the Catalog Right to Modify Tuition section.

State of California Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF)

It is a state of California requirement that a student who pays his or her tuition is required to pay a state-imposed assessment fifty cents ($0.50) per one thousand dollars ($1,000) of institutional charges, rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, for the California Student Tuition Recovery Fund. For more information and to see if you must pay the state-imposed assessment for Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) click here.

Home / Professional Development / Micro-credentials

ACE General Admission Requirements

Complete and submit all application components including the admission application, enrollment agreement, and payment agreement.
Submit the nonrefundable application fee.*
Provide official transcripts indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program.**

*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.

Bachelor’s Level Micro-Credential Requirements

At least 30 semester credits
Minimum GPA of 1.75
Earned at an institution recognized by the US Department of Education

Master's Level Micro-Credential Requirements

Bachelor’s or Highest Post-Baccalaureate degree earned
Minimum Grade Point Average 2.5
Earned at a regionally accredited institution

International Transcript Requirements

All applicants must submit to the Admissions Office official, sealed evaluation of international credits.

Transcripts that are international and/or not in English must be evaluated through an NACES-approved agency.
Texas applicants may only submit evaluations from agencies approved by the Texas Education Agency.
International applicants must request the course-by-course evaluation. The evaluation report must show that the non-U.S. education is equivalent to the education/accreditation level required for the program.

English as a Second Language Applicants

All applicants whose degree was earned from a country where English is not the official language must demonstrate competence in the English language in one of the following ways:

Submission of an official transcript showing a degree from a United States secondary school or regionally accredited college/university.

Submission of an official minimum score on the paper or internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams.
- The minimum TOEFL score required for the internet-based version is 80, and the paper-based version requires a minimum TOEFL score of 20 for each of the three skills: Reading, Listening, and, Writing.
- The minimum IELTS score required is 6.5. Note: IELTS is not acceptable for Texas programs leading to certification.
- The testing agency must send test scores directly to American College of Education.