The world we live in is a remarkable place. You can order groceries and furniture at the tips of your fingers and at the same time (probably from the same place)! It shouldn’t be surprising that you can also get a quality education while comfortably sitting at home in your cozy pajamas.
The next question that would prod your mind would be, “Where do I begin?” There are several learning platforms on the digital market, but Udemy is a wealth of resources covering many subjects.
Here’s the burning question: once you’ve completed your digital education, can you proudly showcase those impressive Udemy certificates on your resume and watch the job offers pour in?
You need to hold your horses to get the answer to that question. At the end of this review, we will figure out whether Udemy is accredited and whether the certificates it provides are the key to professional success.
Udemy Certificate Value Review: Is Udemy Accredited?
Udemy offers unique and accessible learning opportunities from expert instructors. The courses are well-rounded, with practical and technical skill assessments and quizzes. With each finished course, you receive a certificate of completion. But, Udemy courses are not accredited in the traditional sense. Given Udemy’s extensive selection of courses created by expert instructors, they need formal accreditation. Finishing a course on Udemy will provide you with a certificate of completion. Still, it may carry a different value than accredited certificates from academic institutions and might not be recognized as proof of merit by potential employers.
Udemy
Udemy was established in 2009 by Eren Bali and has since become one of the leading online learning platforms in the world. Its massive content library (over 200,000 courses) makes learning accessible and affordable. Udemy has over 40 million users worldwide and is used by popular companies like Apple, Glassdoor, and Volkswagen to upskill their employees or polish their existing skills.
Udemy provides many reasonably priced courses, but the drawback is that the instructors need to be more affiliated with Udemy, making the courses unreliable. Though some world-renowned instructors have their courses available on Udemy, What sets Udemy apart is the availability of over 500 free courses.
Udemy has a course on everything from lifestyle to coding, but knowing whether it is right for you is essential.
While Udemy provides certificates of completion for its courses, it’s important to note that any institution or organization does not accredits Udemy courses. However, Udemy courses can still provide valuable learning opportunities and practical skills development for anyone who wants to learn and garner expertise in different fields.
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a quality stamp given to any learning platform or program by esteemed (and independent) institutions and organizations. These organizations set the benchmark for the quality of education and then check whether the learning platforms meet those standards.
The accreditation process can be simplified into the following points:
- Evaluation Process: Accrediting institutions and organizations are independent and set standards for the quality of education. They assess whether online learning platforms meet these standards through a thorough review process.
- Criteria for Accreditation: The critical aspect of accreditation is the quality of course content and practice materials. The other factors are instructor qualifications, student support services, user interface, and assessments.
- Accreditation Status: Learners can verify the accreditation status of an online learning platform by checking the platform’s website or consulting accrediting agency databases.
In the United States, accreditation for online learning platforms may be granted by agencies such as the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) or regional accrediting bodies like the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Individual universities (like Harvard, Berkeley, and MIT) and digital organizations (like Google, IBM, and Microsoft) can also provide accreditation by partnering with online learning platforms and setting guidelines.
The benefit of choosing an accredited platform is that you can be assured that the online platform provides a quality education that meets the standards of on-campus courses. It will also make the certificate of completion more credible and recognizable by future employers.
Udemy Courses Overview
Udemy is the ultimate platform for online learning, with an extensive library of courses covering various topics, all at your fingertips. That’s what Udemy offers – a diverse selection of courses designed by experts in their fields.
From business strategies to personal development and everything in between, Udemy caters to a broad audience with varied interests. Whether aiming to sharpen professional skills or explore a new hobby, Udemy has something for everyone.
With Udemy’s user-friendly format, you can quickly learn at your own pace, fitting education into your schedule. Video lectures, quizzes, and resources make the learning experience interactive and engaging.
The best part is that Udemy’s course catalog is constantly updating, ensuring you have access to the latest courses and technologies. Stay ahead of the professional competition and achieve your learning goals with Udemy by your side.
Whether planning a career change or simply pursuing personal interests, Udemy will support your journey toward knowledge and skill acquisition. All you need is a Udemy account, and you can discover endless possibilities it offers.
Accreditation Status of Udemy
Udemy is not an educational institute as it is not accredited because it does not authentically substitute traditional learning (like Coursera or edX). Udemy is an open-host learning platform. That means that anyone with relative knowledge (sometimes without experience) on any subject can create and offer their courses.
Udemy works as an online marketplace but for learning. Any instructor can share their knowledge, and students worldwide can choose from a wide range of courses. Sometimes, there are multiple courses on the same topic, and knowing which course is the best can be confusing and overwhelming.
Since Udemy has yet to partner with universities or organizations that provide accreditation, potential employers (or even educational authorities) do not recognize or appreciate the courses. That in no way means the courses are entirely worthless or all the courses are bad quality. Some Udemy courses provide valuable skills and knowledge and are great for professional and personal development (even though they are not accredited).
Course Quality on Udemy
So far, we already know that Udemy courses are not accredited. Now, let’s understand the content quality and the measures Udemy takes to maintain the standard of courses on the platform.
- Review Process: Instructors can not create and offer courses on Udemy willy-nilly. Before a course is published on Udemy, it goes under review to guarantee its quality. Udemy has a review team evaluates the courses based on their content, instructional quality, and adherence to community guidelines (no expletives). This process helps to filter out all the courses that are different from the standard set by Udemy or contain inaccurate (or outdated) information.
- Instructors Vetting: Not anyone can wake up one day and decide to be a teacher on Udemy as it meticulously vets all the instructors. If you want to be an instructor, you must submit a formal application with all your information and authentic credentials in the subject you wish to teach. Udemy cross-checks these details to make sure that the instructors have all the essential qualifications and proven experience to teach the topic that they have chosen.
- User Reviews and Ratings: User reviews and ratings (the stars you see when you search for any course) are essential in assessing the quality and efficiency of the courses on Udemy. People who have completed a course (this is verified) can leave a review and rating based on their personal experience. These reviews provide valuable feedback for future learners considering purchasing a course. Credible and reliable courses have positive reviews and higher ratings.
Udemy ensures the integrity and quality of the courses by implementing these quality control measures. This process (though tenuous) helps the users access high-quality content that meets all their learning needs.
Udemy Certificates
Udemy offers a certificate of completion after you finish a course. Since Udemy has a lot of classes taught by many instructors, the value of the certificate depends on the type of course and who conducted it. If it is a popular course taught by a recognized instructor, your certificate of completion would be much more appealing to a potential employer. Nevertheless, no course on Udemy comes with an accredited certificate.
Difference between Udemy Certificates and Accredited Certificates
Udemy Certificates: Finishing a course on Udemy provides you with a certificate of completion. This certificate is just that: it implies that you have successfully completed a course and all the practice exercises included in the course (there is no way to verify this). The classes are self-paced, and you are responsible for marking a lesson complete by yourself (you can do so without completing it, too). Also, Udemy certificates are not accredited by any educational institutes or professional organizations.
Accredited Certificates: As discussed, accredited certificates are issued by esteemed independent universities and organizations or educational institutions that set the standard for the accreditation process. These certificates are more valuable and are formally recognized by academic institutions and professional organizations. They help you with your career and academic goals.
It’s important to understand that Udemy certificates may carry a different weight or recognition than accredited certificates. While they can still help showcase your skills and knowledge, they may not be accepted by academic institutions or employers as formal qualifications.
That is why it is essential to understand the distinction between Udemy certificates and accredited certificates and to use them accordingly in your educational and career pursuits.
Advantages of Udemy Courses
From the convenience of learning at your own pace to a diverse course range, Udemy has many advantages. Udemy offers a rare opportunity to upskill your knowledge through an interactive learning experience. The courses contain video lessons, practical exercises, and course quizzes curated by expert instructors. Udemy’s accessibility and extensive course offerings make it a valuable resource for you, whether you want to advance your career or learn a few new skills for personal development. Some significant benefits of Udemy are:
- Affordability: Udemy courses are cheaper than traditional learning (or other online learning platforms). Courses range from as little as $10 and go up to $300 depending on the instructors (because they set the prices), topic, and duration. So, you can find a similar course on Udemy from different instructors with varying prices, allowing you to choose a course that fits your budget. It also has a subscription service explicitly curated based on your interests. This factor makes Udemy the ideal platform for people who want access to good quality course content without breaking the bank.
- Flexibility: All Udemy courses are flexible. You can access the course material (videos, exercises, or quizzes) anytime and anywhere. It allows you to learn at your own pace, and you can schedule your classes when you have the time and energy. Udemy makes learning easy for people working full-time, students, or even busy parents.
- Broad Variety of Courses: Udemy offers over 200,000 courses on business, finance, science, computer science, data science, and more. No learning platform can match the sheer number of courses provided by Udemy. You can buy individual courses or a personal plan and start learning. Udemy also offers various discounts on their popular courses, and often, you can get amazing-quality courses at a reasonable price.
- Customer and language support: Udemy offers over 70 language options, including French, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and more. If you want to teach on Udemy, you can create your course in a language you are most comfortable with, and it can be any language. Udemy also offers decent customer support if you need help with their policies and courses. You can contact them through email at [email protected]. Udemy also has a support chat system where you can drop your query with your name and email address, and someone will contact you soon.
- Self-Paced Learning: Udemy allows you to learn at your own pace without the pressure of strict deadlines or schedules. This self-paced learning approach enables you to take control of your learning journey and progress through course materials at a speed that suits you the best. Whether you prefer to binge-watch lectures (like reality TV) or spread your learning over several weeks (for better retention), Udemy accommodates diverse learning styles and preferences.
Conclusion
Udemy offers a massive course library with multiple topics and categories. Still, it is essential to know that it is not an accredited learning platform (unlike Coursera and edX, which are). Udemy is more like a bridge between instructors and students, where instructors can create courses based on their expertise, and students can learn from these courses according to their requirements.
However, lack of accreditation does not diminish the value of Udemy courses. Udemy provides affordable and flexible classes for anyone seeking to learn new skills, upskill their existing skills, or be curious by nature. The courses are suitable for personal as well as professional development. The learning structure is well-organized (with multiple mediums) and focuses on practical and technical skill-building.
Udemy is a platform dedicated to making education more accessible; it is always a good thing to do. Students from all over the world love what Udemy has to offer.
Even though Udemy is not accredited, and its course certificate might not be valuable (like other platforms), Udemy is definitely worth trying (at least once).