Technology is a fundamental part of our modern society — reshaping industries, driving innovation, and transforming our lives. Do you have the tools you need to thrive in this ever-evolving professional landscape?
Designed to deepen your knowledge and strengthen your skills in technology applications, toolsets, and systems, our 2-course technology microcertificates include:
Spring Course Registration Is Open
To get started, explore your microcertificate courses below and register for your first course — no application required. Learn more about starting your microcertificate.
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Accelerated. Earn a Harvard credential in 2 courses.
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Stackable. Apply courses toward a graduate certificate — or degree.
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Actionable. Gain a new skill set for real-world impact.
Database Management Microcertificate
Whether you’re interested in launching your career as a database developer, administrator, analyst, or architect, or whether you want to enhance your existing skills, this microcertificate is for you.
The Database Management Microcertificate covers the fundamentals of designing, developing, and managing modern database systems, including relational and NoSQL databases.
Courses
- CSCI 151 Introduction to Databases with SQL
- CSCI 59 Designing and Developing Relational and NoSQL Databases
Stackable Pathway
The microcertificate courses can stack toward Back End Web Development, a 4-course graduate certificate.
Skills and Outcomes
After earning this microcertifiate, you’ll understand:
- The underlying principles of database design, normalization, indexing, data modeling, and query optimization.
- The basics of SQL, including creating, querying, and modifying databases and writing complex queries.
- How to connect SQL with other programming languages like Python and Java.
- NoSQL databases and their benefits and limitations and learn how to design, develop, and deploy a NoSQL database.
Upon completing the courses, you will be able to design, develop, and manage database systems and troubleshoot common issues that may arise.
You will gain the skills required to pursue a variety of careers in the tech industry, including database administrator, data analyst, data architect, and business intelligence analyst.
Data Modeling and Ethics Microcertificate
Data science isn’t just about numbers. Data represents people, societies, cultural trends, and more. This microcertificate will explore the ethics, governance, and laws relevant to data science and artificial intelligence, including privacy, fairness, accountability, and transparency.
Courses
- CSCI E-101 Foundations of Data Science and Engineering
- CSCI E-184 Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Governance, and Laws
Stackable Pathway
The Data Modeling and Ethics microcertificate courses can stack toward the 4-course Data Science and Data Analytics graduate certificates.
Skills and Outcomes
In courses for the microcertificate, you will:
- Learn to integrate features of Python, MySQL, and Tableau as you gain foundational knowledge of data science and engineering.
- Learn the principles of statistical thinking, data structures, data manipulation, and data visualization.
- Practice applying the skills of data management, cleaning, modeling, machine learning, and natural language processing.
- Explore the ethics, governance, and laws relevant to data science and artificial intelligence, including privacy, fairness, accountability, and transparency.
- Understand the regulatory framework for data science, including data protection laws, intellectual property rights, and ethical codes of conduct.
By completing the Data Modeling and Ethics Microcertificate, you will gain the skills required to pursue various data analytics, engineering, and science careers, including data analyst, data engineer, and machine learning engineer.
UX/UI Design
Looking to start a career in UX/UI or enhance your existing skills? The UX/UI Microcertificate will give you a solid foundation in user-centered design and introduce you to the latest tools and techniques for creating effective digital products.
You will also gain skills in wireframing, prototyping, interface design, typography, and digital product color design and explore the importance of research and user stories in creating effective, accessible digital products.
Courses
Stackable Pathway
The microcertificate courses can stack toward the Front End Web Development 4-course graduate certificate.
Skills and Outcomes
Upon the completion of the UX/UI Microcertificate, you will be able to design, develop, and manage user interfaces and user experiences, as well as troubleshoot common issues that may arise.
Course Eligibility
This new microcertificate is available starting fall 2024. Courses taken before the spring 2024 semester are outside of the one-year required timeframe and cannot be applied toward this credential.
Web Application Development Microcertificate
In this microcertificate you’ll gain the fundamental skills needed to create and maintain modern web applications. You’ll learn the basics of web programming and explore how to manage complex operations.
Courses
- Required: CSCI E-3 Intro to Web Programming using JavaScript
- Choose 1 of the following:
- CSCI E-114 Web App Development with Jamstack
- CSCI E-31 Web App Development using Node.js
Stackable Pathway
The microcertificate courses can stack toward Front End Web Development, a 4-course graduate certificate.
Skills and Outcomes
Through the courses for this microcertificate, you will become adept at:
- The basics of web programming using JavaScript.
- Manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM), handling events, and building interactive web applications.
- Working with databases, APIs, and server-side programming.
- Understanding authentication, security deployment, and scaling.
- Using either the Jamstack architecture or Node.js to build complex web applications.
You will gain the skills needed to pursue a range of web development careers, including front-end developer, back-end developer, and full-stack developer.
Cost of a Microcertificate
Learning on a budget doesn’t have to mean compromising on your goals. Our 2-course microcertificates cost $6,680 ($3,340 per course), offering an affordable alternative or stepping stone to a longer academic program.
Starting and Completing a Microcertificate
To begin, you simply register for your first course for the microcertificate — no application required. Learn how to register.
To earn the microcertificate, you will complete 2 microcertificates courses at the graduate level and with a grade of B or higher, within 1 year. This short timeline will support momentum and reinforce the learning between the 2 related courses.
To request your microcertificate, log in to MyDCE and complete the Certificate Course Tracker and Request Form. You must request your certificate within 30 days of the release of your final grade in your last microcertificate course (see calendar for dates). If you do not request your microcertificate after this deadline, it won’t be awarded until the next awarding cycle, which is at the end of the subsequent semester.
FAQs
What is a technology microcertificate?
A technology microcertificate is a set of short, competency-based courses that demonstrate mastery of specialized technical skills.
Microcertificates offer:
- A short timeline. Other continuing education options like master’s degrees can be a significant time commitment and may not fit life or your goals. Microcertificates allow you delve into highly focused topic and earn a graduate-level credential with only 2 courses.
- Stackability. Our technology microcertificates are designed to stack with at least one graduate certificate. They are also stackable toward certain master’s degrees.
- A verified Harvard credential. Harvard confers CeCertificates, an official, secure, and verifiable PDF version of your accomplishment. You can share it with your colleagues, employers, or friends and family. You also have the option to provide your Certified Electronic Document Identifier and validation URL on your resume for easy access.
Who should pursue a technology microcertificate?
Microcertificates cater to ambitious individuals seeking to accelerate their careers by developing a targeted skill set within a condensed timeframe.
Technology industries are constantly changing. Microcertificates offer the opportunity to address potential skill gaps and help you gain confidence in your current field, or even explore a new one.
Who teaches the technology microcertificate courses at Harvard?
The courses featured in the microcertificates are taught by Harvard Extension School instructors, who teach across Harvard as experts in database management, programming, cybersecurity, and web development.
Visit our faculty page to meet some of them.
How will a microcertificate in technology help me improve my career or company?
Completion of a technology microcertificate shows proficiency in specific industry competencies — including web development, database management, data modeling and ethics — while earning academic credit. In a semester or two, you can upskill or reskill to demonstrate initiative and develop new skills in your place of business.
How many hours will I spend on a technology microcertificate each week?
The amount of time you’ll spend on a technology microcertificate varies from class to class and student to student. Generally, outside of the time spent in class, students spend 8 to 10 hours doing work for a HES class.
Who do I contact with questions?
We are here to help. Send us an email at Microcredentials@Extension.Harvard.edu.