Third-Party Non-Credit Credentials
ACADEMIC PROGRAM PLANNING
UNC Regulation 400.1.9[R], Regulation on Non-Credit Programs, Certificates, and Credentials, establishes requirements for UNC System institutions offering non-credit programs and credentials. The regulation applies to structured, non-credit educational offerings that result in a certificate, microcredential, badge, digital credential, CEU, or other formal recognition and are marketed as University-sponsored credentials. Learn more about academic program planning policies.
Non-credit credential delivered with a third-party vendor
A non-credit program or credential for which the institution contracts with an external vendor to participate in its delivery requires prior approval from the UNC System Office before the institution executes the third-party contract.
The institution should first complete its own review and approval of the proposed non-credit program or credential in accordance with institutional policy. Regulation 400.1.9[R] requires institutional review by the sponsoring unit and the appropriate dean, vice chancellor, or equivalent continuing education official, as well as approval by the chancellor or chancellor’s designee.
Following institutional approval, the institution should submit the Third-Party Non-Credit Credential Approval Form before executing the vendor contract. The form requests the proposed contract, certification that the arrangement complies with Regulation 400.1.9[R], and a brief justification for the partnership.
The UNC System Office will review the submission for compliance with the regulation and the requirements applicable to third-party arrangements. Approval is granted on a per-program basis unless otherwise specified. The institution must receive System Office approval before executing the third-party contract.
Institution-delivered non-credit microcredential
A non-credit microcredential is a focused credential awarded for attainment of specified skills, competencies, or knowledge in a discrete area. It may stand alone or stack into a larger non-credit credential pathway.
What is the process for an institution-delivered non-credit microcredential?
If a non-credit microcredential is developed and delivered by the institution without a third-party vendor, System Office approval under the third-party approval process is not required. Instead, the institution must review and approve the credential according to its own policy and procedures established pursuant to Regulation 400.1.9[R].
The institution’s process must provide appropriate oversight of the credential, including its purpose, intended audience, completion requirements, assessment where applicable, records, and defined learning outcomes or competencies for competency-based credentials. The chancellor or chancellor’s designee is responsible for institutional approval.
Institutions must also periodically review non-credit programs and credentials for quality, demand, learner outcomes, operational viability, and continued alignment with institutional mission, at least once every five years.
Academic certificate reported in the Academic Program Inventory (API)
An academic certificate is distinct from the non-credit credentials governed by Regulation 400.1.1[R], which requires institutions to notify the UNC System Office of their intent to establish or discontinue a certificate or teacher licensure program. Certificate information displayed in API is drawn from the Student Data Mart (SDM); certificates are not approved at the System level or maintained through the API application.
What is the process for an academic certificate?
Academic certificates do not use the Third-Party Non-Credit Credential Approval Form. Institutions follow their established institutional academic approval processes and the applicable academic program planning requirements. Regulation 400.1.1[R] requires notification to the UNC System Office of the intent to establish or discontinue a certificate or teacher licensure program. Certificate information appearing in API is populated through the Student Data Mart rather than maintained through an API approval request.