Image
What is a microcredential in community engagement?
A microcredential is a digital certification that recognizes and validates an individual’s competency in a specific area of higher education community engagement practice. The Community Engagement Professional Microcredentials are designed for working professionals. Whether you learn best on your own schedule, alongside a cohort, or as part of a campus-wide initiative, there's a format built for how you work.
Choose your path to CEP microcredentials
Independent (Self-Paced)
Enroll anytime. Learn on your schedule.
The independent pathway gives you full control over when and how you engage with the material. Enroll at any point during the year and move through coursework at a pace that fits your professional and personal demands. This option is available to both Campus Compact members and non-members.
Best for: Professionals with irregular schedules or those who prefer self-directed learning.
Facilitated Cohort
Learn alongside peers. Go deeper together.
The facilitated cohort experience pairs structured pacing with community. Cohorts begin at the start of each semester and move through the course together, with live virtual sessions held once every two weeks, one per module. Sessions are led by an experienced facilitator who has completed the course and brings practitioner insight to the discussion. This option is available to Campus Compact members.
Best for: Professionals who benefit from accountability, discussion, and peer connection.
Campus Integration
Bring the credential program to your campus.
Campus integration allows institutions to enroll a team of staff, faculty, or administrators together at a discounted rate. Campus partners choose from a menu of implementation supports including a launch kickoff, facilitated cohort sessions, office hours, progress reports, and a closing recognition event to build a professional development experience that fits your institution's existing structures. Available to Campus Compact member institutions.
Best for: Institutions seeking a shared framework and credentialing pathway for their community engagement professionals.
Ready to go further? Earn full CEP certification
Candidates who complete all five Community Engagement Professional microcredentials are eligible to pursue the CEP certification: formal, field-recognized evidence of demonstrated knowledge, skill, and professional commitment across the core competencies of community engagement practice.
To earn certification, candidates submit a capstone project in one of seven approved formats, designed to reflect different professional roles and learning styles. Each submission is reviewed by two field experts using a shared rubric. Candidates who meet the standard across all competency areas are awarded the Certified Community Engagement Professional designation.
The capstone is an opportunity to demonstrate how you apply what you've learned in a real or aspirational professional context and to make a public claim about who you are as a community engagement professional.