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What's the purpose of 1-week, 2-week, 10-week..."X-week"... (online) professional certificates? I mean, they cost money, right(?) Where do they find implementation? Where can they be used?

There are famous universities around the world that offer professional education online or on campus or both, and they provide you with a certificate. And of course you pay. My question is if this kind of certificates help in finding a job either to the market or academically.

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    Can you provide any examples of the kind of things you are talking about? Which "very famous" universities? What kinds of programs? Please, be more specific.
    – Xander Henderson
    Commented Jul 23, 2023 at 19:18
  • University gets paid, student (hopefully) learns something. What other "purpose" did you have in mind?
    – John Gordon
    Commented Jul 23, 2023 at 23:19
  • @John Gordon: What my question implies is if they "count" in someone's CV...(?) Nothing strange to my question...
    – mike
    Commented Jul 24, 2023 at 6:52
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    For a 1-week course, I would hope the result is not called a "degree", but something else, perhaps a "certificate".
    – GEdgar
    Commented Jul 24, 2023 at 7:47
  • @GEdgar: Sorry, yes, they call it certificates. I have changed it to my question...
    – mike
    Commented Jul 24, 2023 at 8:26

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Generally speaking, the purpose of short courses it to equip students with knowledge and skills required at their workplace without a significant break from their workplace. You can think of it as training, but focused not just on skills, but also on a more theoretical knowledge and ability to apply theory in practice.

The specific purpose depends on a particular degree.

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  • Thanks! One last question! Do they offer something in the CV for possible academic position ? Do they offer something in the CV for possible professional position ?
    – mike
    Commented Jul 23, 2023 at 16:40
  • @just_learning "Do they offer something in the CV for possible academic position?" Probably not. "Do they offer something in the CV for possible professional position?" Impossible to say without knowing the specifics of the training, and the field in which the student is engaged.
    – Xander Henderson
    Commented Jul 23, 2023 at 17:10
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    @just_learning - I know people are cynical about these kind of courses (and I'd not do loads of them), but where I think they have a place on a CV is when you're retraining or trying to enter a new area - essentially, you're showing a willingness to put time, money and effort into the new area that you're hoping to focus on. It's not a match for experience, but still shows some commitment, and that you're likely to not be completely ignorant of the subject. That might help get a role which has the subject area as a minor part, or a really entry level position.
    – lupe
    Commented Jul 24, 2023 at 12:52
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What's the purpose of 1-week, 2-week, 10-week..."X-week"... (online) professional degrees?

One of the main purposes of this kind of professional degrees is to bring revenue to the company that offers them.

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What I think you need to do with all these quasi-qualifications is check if they are independently certified.

Without independent certification, you have no way of knowing how qualified the staff who will be teaching it are, aka if they know what they are talking about.

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