Designing Learning & Microcredentials Beyond the Classroom
Applications Now Open – Due Monday, March 2 at Noon
UMBC students develop powerful, career-relevant skills across campus — through leadership roles, civic engagement, student employment, involvement programs, community partnerships, and other experiences beyond the classroom.
Much of that learning is intentionally designed, coached, and mentored by staff — but it is not always formally recognized.
This 6-part professional learning series will help staff formalize those experiences into microcredentials that clearly document learning outcomes, competencies, and authentic assessment aligned with career readiness.
What This Series Will Do
Participants will:
- Define clear, student-facing learning outcomes for co-curricular and experiential programs
- Develop “experiential syllabi” that communicate purpose, expectations, and growth
- Design authentic assessment approaches (beyond traditional grading)
- Map programs to competencies and career readiness outcomes
- Draft and refine a full microcredential proposal
- Submit proposals for review through a cross-campus Microcredential Review Board
By the end of the series, you will have a complete, review-ready microcredential that documents student learning in your program area.
Why This Matters
- Provides formal recognition for authentic student learning
- Clarifies the learning happening across diverse campus contexts
- Enhances visibility of staff contributions to student development
- Supports future integration into UMBC’s Learning & Employment Record (LEDR)
As leadership and program models evolve across campus, this series creates shared clarity around how we define, document, and recognize learning beyond the classroom.
Who Should Apply
UMBC staff who lead or support:
- Co-curricular programs
- Student leadership initiatives
- Civic or community-based experiences
- Work-integrated or career-connected learning
- Student employment or involvement programs
- Any structured experience where meaningful learning occurs
Meeting Dates
- Welcome & The Experiential Syllabus as a Design Tool: March 13 | 1-2pm | Virtual
- From Program Descriptions to Learning Outcomes: March 27 | 1-2pm | Virtual
- Evidence of Learning and Authentic Assessment: April 10 | 1-2pm | Virtual
- Microcredentials as Learning Documentation at UMBC: April 24 | 1-2pm | Virtual
- Making Learning Visible: Earning Criteria, Skills, and Competencies: May 1 | 1-2pm | Virtual
- Connecting Experiences: Pathways, Stacking, and Next Steps: TBD by cohort members | Face-to-face
Missed the Kickoff?
Application Details
Questions?
James DeVita, Assistant Vice President for Academic Partnerships & High Impact Experiences
Collin Sullivan, Program Director for Digital Credential Innovation
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UMBC students develop powerful, career-relevant skills across campus — through leadership roles, civic engagement, student employment, involvement programs, community partnerships, and other...
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Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:45:49 -0500
Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:30:09 -0500
Designing Learning & Microcredentials Beyond the Classroom: Kick-Off & Info Session
Turning Campus Experience Into Recognized Skills
UMBC learners gain invaluable skills and competencies in diverse spaces across campus through leadership roles, civic and community engagement, student employment, involvement and engagement programs, and other transformative experiences beyond the classroom. Many of these powerful learning opportunities are designed, coached, mentored, and co-created by staff in ways that may not always be framed as traditional learning experiences–but can be.
This new professional learning series explores how staff-led co-curricular, experiential, and student-facing programs can more clearly communicate learning, growth, and skill development, and how microcredentials can make that learning visible. The 6-part workshop series will engage participants in the development of new microcredentials from start to finish.
Join us for an interactive kickoff event where we will:
- Introduce the goals and structure of the learning series
- Explore how staff-led programs already function as intentional learning experiences
- Share the learning outcomes participants can expect to work toward
- Discuss what participation will look like over the semester
- Answer questions and help you decide if this experience is a good fit
This session is open to UMBC staff who support or lead:
- Co-curricular programs
- Student leadership or engagement initiatives
- Experiential or community-based learning
- Work-integrated or career-connected experiences
- Other student-facing programs where learning happens outside the classroom
Whether you are curious about microcredentials for the learners you work with, want to better articulate the learning happening in your area, or are simply interested in connecting with colleagues doing similar work, this kickoff is a great place to start.
Questions? Contact:
James DeVita, Assistant Vice President for Academic Partnerships & High Impact Experiences,
jamesmdevita@umbc.edu