Microdegrees are a single manifestation of Competency Based Education (CBE) which seeks to tie credentialing to specific skills sets.
Because the credentials are presented in a digital format, they can be parsed automatically for verification over the web and allow for a greater level of granularity than a traditional paper transcript.
The advent of the microdegree is presented by its promoters as a challenge to the existing degree model as it permits students to utilize accelerated, free and low cost programs to earn credentials of direct relevance to their interests and career ambitions.
[13] A significant percentage of microdegree students are working adults seeking career change or advancement.
[19] For example, the MIT admitted in 2018 its first cohort of students in supply chain management at a reduced five-month residency period through their blended learning initiatives on the edX platform with the launch of its MicroMasters program.