Credentials are an important part of establishing one’s identity and qualifications. There are 3 main types of credentials: educational credentials, professional credentials, and government-issued credentials. Each type serves a different purpose and requires different steps to obtain.
Educational Credentials
Educational credentials refer to academic qualifications and achievements. The main types of educational credentials are high school diplomas, college degrees, and certifications from vocational or trade schools.
High school diplomas provide proof that an individual has completed secondary education. They are awarded by high schools and school districts after students meet all graduation requirements. These usually include completing a certain number of credits, passing certain core courses, and meeting state standards on exams.
College diplomas and degrees signify completion of undergraduate or graduate studies at an accredited college or university. Undergraduate diplomas and degrees include associate’s degrees from community colleges and bachelor’s degrees from 4-year institutions. Graduate degrees include master’s degrees and doctorates like PhDs or professional degrees in fields like law, medicine, or business.
Vocational and trade school credentials demonstrate specialized skills and training in a particular field or industry. These include licenses, certificates, and diplomas in areas like healthcare, IT, cosmetology, automotive repair, plumbing, and more. Programs can range from a few months to 2 years and often involve an internship component.
Key Steps to Earning Educational Credentials
- Completing required coursework at an accredited high school, college, university, or vocational program
- Meeting grade and GPA requirements
- Passing exams if required for graduation or certification
- Completing internship or apprenticeship hours if required for certification
- Filing proper paperwork and applications to receive diplomas or certificates
Educational credentials validate that an individual has gained core knowledge and skills through structured instruction and applied learning. They showcase academic achievement to employers, colleges, licensing boards, and others.
Professional Credentials
Professional credentials demonstrate competence and qualifications within a career field. They are earned by meeting experience, exam, education, and/or ethics requirements set by credentialing bodies related to an occupation.
Some common types of professional credentials include:
- Licenses – Granted by government agencies to allow the holder to perform certain regulated tasks or occupations. Must meet exam, coursework, experience, and/or fee requirements. Renewed periodically. Examples: Medical license, real estate license, teaching license.
- Certifications – Awarded by professional associations or private credentialing organizations. Signify expertise in a specialty field through meeting education, exam, experience, and ethics requirements. Maintained through periodic renewal or continuing education. Examples: PMP certification, CPA certification, CNM certification.
- Registrations – Specialized designation earned by meeting qualifications set by an industry organization or government entity. Less formal than licensure but shows baseline competency. Examples: Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH), Registered Architect (RA).
- Accreditations – Recognition of competency by an accrediting organization, often earned through education, experience, and examination. Time-limited and must be renewed periodically. Example: Board Certification for physicians.
- Advanced Degrees – Graduate degrees that require prior undergraduate education and signify advanced specialized knowledge. Usually required along with other credentials to practice certain professions. Examples: MD, DDS, PharmD.
Key Steps to Obtaining Professional Credentials
- Earning required degrees or coursework from accredited programs
- Gaining hands-on experience through internships, residencies, apprenticeships
- Passing certification or licensing exams
- Undergoing background checks and reviews
- Maintaining current standing through renewal fees, continuing education requirements
- Upholding ethical standards
Professional credentials validate specialized skills and qualifications to employers, clients, and regulatory agencies. They provide career advancement opportunities and demonstrate commitment to a profession.
Government-Issued Credentials
Government-issued credentials are identification documents provided by local, state, or federal government agencies. They are used to verify aspects of personal identity and eligibility for government programs or services.
Major types of government-issued credentials include:
- Driver’s Licenses – Issued by state DMV agencies. Displays photo ID, driving privileges, organ donor status, etc. Used for driving, age verification, domestic air travel.
- Passports – Issued by national government. Valid ID for international travel showing citizenship, legal name, date of birth, photograph. Also used as primary ID document.
- Social Security Cards – Issued by US Social Security Administration. Displays SSN used for employment, banking, benefits access. Name/number verified at issuance.
- Birth Certificates – Issued by state vital records offices. Lists details about birth including full legal name, parents’ names, birthdate, birthplace. Used to prove citizenship and eligibility for services.
- Visas/Green Cards – Issued by immigration/consular officials. Visas grant temporary stay in a country. Green cards (permanent resident cards) allow foreigners to live indefinitely in the US.
- Military IDs – Issued by government to active duty and retired military personnel, families. Used for access to bases, commissaries, benefits, and other services.
Typical Steps to Obtain Government-Issued Credentials
- Completing application forms with required personal information
- Providing supporting documentation (prior IDs, birth records, etc)
- Undergoing verification checks and background reviews
- Passing required tests or examinations if applicable
- Paying issuance fees
- Meeting eligibility criteria
Government-issued credentials allow individuals to clearly confirm identity, citizenship status, eligibility for programs/services, and other key information to public and private entities.
Comparing the 3 Types of Credentials
While educational, professional, and government-issued credentials overlap in some ways, there are key differences between the three categories:
| Credential Type | Issued By | Demonstrates | Used For | Required Steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational | Schools, colleges, vocational programs | Academic achievement, core skills/knowledge | Applying to higher education, starting a career | Coursework, exams, internships |
| Professional | Licensing boards, credentialing bodies | Specialized qualifications, competency | Practicing an occupation, advancing a career | Education, experience, exams, ethics |
| Government-Issued | Federal, state, or local government agencies | Identity, eligibility, legal status | Obtaining government services, travel, banking | Application, verification, background checks |
While an individual will likely hold several different types of credentials in their lifetime, they serve related but distinct purposes. Educational credentials lay the early foundation, while professional credentials build on that to gain specialized skills. Government-issued credentials then provide legal verification of identity and status.
Importance of Credentials in Society
Credentials play an important gatekeeping role in society. They provide a standardized way to measure competency, achievement, eligibility, and identity. This allows institutions to more efficiently assess individuals in various contexts.
Educational credentials help admit qualified candidates to selective schools and open doors to reputable employers. Professional credentials ensure competence in careers impacting public health and safety. Government credentials allow orderly access to services and benefits. Together, this system enables:
- Verification of skills, training, and ethics required for practices like medicine, law, accounting, therapy, teaching, etc.
- Regulation of occupations requiring licensed professionals like electricians, pilots, engineers, brokers, and contractors.
- Trust in first responders and others who need special clearance like security guards or childcare workers.
- Administration of government benefits, voting, transportation security, law enforcement, and immigration.
- Accurate identification confirming name, age, address, Social Security numbers, and legal status.
Credentials provide a recognized, reliable way to validate critical information about individuals and allow society to function securely and efficiently. The requirements also promote equal opportunity based on merit, rather than bias or prejudice. With over 740,000 professional credentials across the U.S. alone, they have become deeply ingrained into education, employment, business, and government today.
Issues and Controversies Around Credentialing
While credentials provide important trust mechanisms, the growing emphasis on them has raised some issues as well:
Credentialism
Requiring credentials like college degrees for jobs that may not necessarily need them is referred to as credentialism. Critics argue credentialism limits social mobility by creating unnecessary barriers to employment.
Cost and Access
Pursuing credentials can be expensive in terms of tuition, exam fees, and related costs. This disadvantages capable candidates with limited financial means. Calls for more accessible, affordable credentialing options are growing.
Competition
The proliferation of new credentials has also increased confusion and sparked competition between traditional and alternative credentialing approaches.
Fraud Risk
Instances of forged or falsified credentials highlight risks if verification is not rigorous. Strong oversight and security measures are critical.
Renewal Burden
Frequent renewal requirements for credentials like licenses and certifications create administrative burdens. Streamlining requirements could reduce this hassle.
Overall, credentials should strike a balance between rigor and accessibility while adapting to the evolving needs of students, workers, and regulators.
Conclusion
Educational, professional, and government-issued credentials provide formal mechanisms for individuals to validate learning achievements, demonstrate occupational abilities, and confirm personal identity or status. While nuances exist between different types of credentials, they share a common role in educating, employing, governing, and securing modern society. However, as credentialing systems expand, we must also ensure they promote equitable access based on merit.
In summary:
- Educational credentials like degrees and diplomas signify academic accomplishments from accredited institutions.
- Professional credentials like licenses and certifications validate specialized skills and qualifications in various occupations and industries.
- Government credentials like IDs, passports, and Social Security cards provide identification and confirm eligibility for programs or services.
- Each category requires meeting certain standards around schooling, exams, experience, background checks or other steps related to the purpose.
- Credentials enable important verification and regulation mechanisms while raising issues around access, competition, and updating approaches over time.
Understanding the wide variety of credentials, their role in society, and the processes for earning them enables individuals, employers, regulators, and educational institutions to use them effectively and promote more equitable credentialing systems.