Stackable Credentials: What You Need to Know [Infographic]

You’ve made the decision to take the next step in your education, but you’re still deciding where to start. How can you work toward your future one step at a time? Thanks to the flexibility of online learning and the benefits of stackable credentials, you have the opportunity to set your own personalized education goals.

As you think about your next academic move, consider the following:

• Those with a bachelor’s degree earn an average of nearly 60% more per week than those with a high school diploma.
• Graduates with a master’s degree earn more than twice as much as high school grads.
• 62% of postsecondary students work, and finding a university that supports them can be essential to their success.

This is where stackable programs can come in handy. Whether you’re looking to pursue bigger career plans or gain the knowledge and skills needed to move in a new direction, having a flexible pathway to your goals is important.

With stackable credentials, classes taken in one program stack directly into the next – giving you the opportunity to continue to build your education on your own time without losing any credits. This enables you to start with a more manageable commitment and work your way through your academic goals in a way that fits your life.

The benefits of stackable degree programs include:

• The ability to start with a shorter program and lower initial costs.
• No wasted credit hours.
• The ability to advance your education at your own pace.

With embedded credentials, you begin with your end goal in mind. For example, when you enroll in select bachelor’s degree programs you’ll automatically earn an applicable undergraduate certificate and associate degree once you’ve completed the appropriate courses.

The benefits of embedded degree programs include:

• Earning credentials as you pursue a higher-level undergraduate degree.
• No wasted credit hours.
• Maintaining your momentum with consistent enrollment.

For lifelong learners, professionals looking to advance or change their careers or students balancing life, family and work, a targeted approach can help you achieve your education goals on your schedule, without missing a beat. Some programs even include coursework to help you prepare for industry certifications, so you can hit the ground running after graduation.

Additional perks of stackable and embedded credentials can include:

• No need to repeat courses or take classes that won’t apply toward a future DeVry degree.
• More frequent milestones can motivate you to achieve future goals.
• Add skills and credentials to your resume as you work toward higher-level degrees.
• Pursue your long-term goals with a clear plan in place.
  

A recent study showed that 42% of core skills required to do most jobs will, on average, change by 2022. A stackable approach to education can give you the opportunity to focus on continual skill development, helping you adapt and stay up-to-date in today's ever-changing business world.

Explore just a few of the pathways offered by DeVry University and our Keller Graduate School of Management:

• Stackable Medical Billing & Coding Programs: Earn your certificate now – and stack your credits into a higher-level undergraduate degree program should you choose to continue your education at DeVry. Our Medical Billing & Coding – Health Information Coding Certificate stacks into our Associate in Health Information Technology. From there, you can stack all but one course into our Bachelor’s in Technical Management with a Health Information Management Specialization.
  
  
• Embedded Credentials in IT: Explore a variety of tech topics and earn your certificate and associate degree on your way to a bachelor’s. Enroll in one of four applicable tech bachelor’s degree programs¹ and you’ll earn your Certificate in Information Technology Essentials and Associate in Information Technology and Networking once you’ve accumulated enough credits along the way.
  
  
• Stackable Graduate Programs: Our Keller graduate certificates are designed to stack into an applicable master’s degree program.