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King's College London

Stackable microcredentials - the building blocks to success

Anyone serious about success should invest in professional development. But signing up for a postgraduate course doesn’t work for everyone. That’s why we’re reinventing education with a game-changing alternative.

Micro might mean small. But microcredentials offer a big opportunity to sharpen skills and accelerate professional development. Each block (a module from our extensive portfolio) has the same content taught by the same leading academics as our full postgraduate degrees.

How it works

You’re in control of your education – complete one module or stack credits to earn a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert), Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip), or a master's in Professional Development.

For example, once you have achieved a PgCert, you can complete 30 more credits from optional modules, plus the 30-credit professional research methods module to achieve the PgDip.

A series of blue lines forming an abstract staircase against a white background. Under each step is a list of requirements to achieve each stackable award. To achieve a PgCert, you must complete 60 credits in total, within 3 years. To progress to the PgDip, you need to complete a further 30 credits, plus a 30-credit Professional Research Methods module. This must be completed by the end of year 4. Finally, to achieve a master's, you must complete the 60-credit Professional Project in the form of a 10-15,000 word dissertation. This must be completed by the end of year 6.

The Professional Development team will discuss your goals and help you move from one award to the next. The balance of modules you studied and the focus of your research project will determine whether you achieve an MA or MSc.

Whether you want to sharpen your business skills or develop specialist knowledge, you’ll find modules that match your goals.

View our online catalogue of stackable microcredentials.

Why King's?

  • Pick modules from different academic disciplines or specialise in one without committing to a full postgraduate programme.
  • Study standalone modules or build credits module-by-module to add a recognised award from King’s College London.
  • Get support from our Professional Development team, as well as one-to-one mentoring from a lifelong learning coach if you decide to stack credits.
  • Fit your learning around your life and work commitments with options to study on campus and online.

What do you want to achieve?

Stackable microcredentials are designed for professionals in both public and private sectors who want to develop their careers. Perhaps you want to strengthen your skillset or maybe you want to make the move into a new area.

This pioneering alternative will be a great fit for you if you don’t want to commit to a full degree programme or if you have interests across academic fields. The possibilities will depend on the modules you pick, making this a truly individual programme.

Jo Fowler

“Our professional development framework is designed to help busy professionals balance work and life commitments so they can secure a promotion or open new doors.”

Jo Fowler, Director of Professional Education

Entry requirements

You’ll find everything you need to know about entry requirements on each module web page. Typical entry requirements are:

  • A 2.2 honours degree or international equivalent
  • A CV and personal statement outlining your reasons for study
  • Evidence of English language proficiency at the level set by the relevant faculty

For some modules, you might need to meet additional criteria.

Next steps

Join Professional Education at King’s College London, a name recognised by employers across sectors, around the world.

Find out more

About us

Discover more about the professional education team