Understand degree program design
Before we discuss how you can implement certification in an academic program, it's important to consider common program structures that don't have certification. Development of a typical computer science degree program follows a standards-driven academic framework that's managed by the host institution and is compliant with an external governing body for quality assurance. These types of programs usually are developed only to consider academic learning outcomes and their associated components. Programs usually consist of a collection of related, credit-bearing academic courses. The sum total of credits students achieve results in the award of a degree. This structure is typical of most degree programs.
The following figure shows the modular courses that make up the first year of an example computer science program. Each course in the program has a set of academic learning outcomes that a student is required to meet to earn academic credits. When a student finishes all the courses in an academic year, they meet all learning outcomes and they are given the academic credits they earned. The student then progresses to the next year of their program.
In this unit, you'll learn how to enhance standard program development by embedding certification courses in program courses for academic credit. For example, you can embed the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Course with the certification exam in a Cloud Computing course, as shown in the next figure. In the same example, the Cloud Computing course might have an academic weighting of 15 credits. The course is split into 10 credits for academic assessment and 5 credits for the certification exam component of the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals course.
An institution's strategy and policies determine how credits are split between certification and academic coursework. Institutions might require academic content and assessment to be the largest component of an academic course. This approach helps maintain the academic integrity of the course and meets requirements for programs to engage in academic research. Similarly, the institution’s policies affect the academic credit that's available for certification. It's important to note that some countries/regions offer alternative degree programs that are focused on vocations and place less emphasis on academic components. In the UK, degree apprenticeships are primarily based on training. Students divide their time between the workplace and academic courses. In these types of programs, you might be able to allocate more credits to certification components than to academic components.
Regardless of how credits are allocated, the student works to achieve the learning outcomes of the course and the program, with the added benefit of learning both academic concepts and industry-aligned skills.
To prepare you for delivering cutting-edge technical instruction in your classes, Microsoft Learn Educators provides a guide which details three approaches to offering certification: inside an academic course, alongside an academic course, and outside an academic course. The guide also includes example curricula, assessment strategies, and mappings of certification outcomes to academic learning outcomes. You will have access to online learning paths, technical training sessions, and our live and on-demand Virtual Educator Prep Sessions. These training opportunities will provide you with valuable information to ensure you successfully deliver your courses incorporating Microsoft curriculum.