Credentialling: Educational Pathways in Design

The Future of Design Education described forces influencing degree study in higher education as a credential for design practice. Student debt and the challenges of increasingly diverse learners are two factors that determine college degree attainment. Paired with increasing consumerist interests by students, institutions, and governments for job preparedness and gainful employment, a college degree is viewed by many as a credential. By contrast, alternative credential programs offer design study that is shorter, more flexible, less expensive, and fit-to-purpose rather than one-size-fits-all. As credentials, they vary in standards for competency validation and how employers perceive them. Statistics show that most alternative credential students already hold a degree and are employed, suggesting that reskilling and upskilling are among the primary motivations for enrollment. At the same time, national and state governments show interest in micro-credentialling as the number of non-traditional learners grows and the nature of work changes rapidly. The article argues that although both types of credentialling respond to similar economic and social conditions, they have unique roles as educational pathways to work in design.