What is the difference between Academic and Professional Credit?
You may see the terms "professional credit" and "academic credit" used to describe our different program offerings. While all of our programs are designed to give you a leg-up in your current or future career, whether or not our programs offer academic or professional credit will decide what credentials you might receive after graduation or course completion.
Academic Credit
Academic credit is certification of a student’s successful completion of a unit of a course of study leading to a formal award such as a graduate certificate, bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree.
Professional Credit
Professional credit is a term used for our non-academic-credit programs. These allow a professional to maintain their license in their profession or to recharge or change their skills.
A professional-credit course can provide fresh material and insight as well as feedback and direction from industry leaders and instructors. You can earn continuing education credits in some courses or complete a professional certificate to add to your resume or use toward certifications.
Many professional organizations require their members to participate in defined amounts of continuing education credits to maintain their licenses or certifications each year. Here are some of the organizations that require continuing education credits for their members.
| Organization | Credit Abbreviation | Can be used by individuals who hold the following credentials: |
|---|---|---|
| Association for Talent Development (ATD) Certification Institute | ATD CI |
|
| NC State Bar Board of Continuing Legal Education | CLE |
|
| CMP provider by Events Industry Council (EIC) | CE |
|
| National Assoc. of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) | CPE |
|
| HR Certification Institute | HRCI |
|
| Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) | PDC |
|
| NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors | PDH |
|
| Project Management Institute (PMI) | PDU |
|
| American Payroll Association (APA) | RCH |
|