Student Perception of Skill-Building with a Faculty-Authored Industry Partner Certificate Program

The purpose of this study was to understand how an assessment-based certificate created by a faculty member and industry partner aids in the skill development of undergrad Business and Marketing students. The main research questions include: The participants in the study were students from MKT 3320 Marketing on the Internet course in the fall of 2020. The participants were invited to complete the anonymous online survey with a link in the learning management system. The implementation of the assessment-based certificate in the classroom was driven by the theoretical underpinnings of skills-based learning models and faculty presence (Garrison et al. 2001). Upon completion of the assessment- based certificate, students were asked to complete a survey that asked questions related to the theories and their perception of the learning process. Overall, students were satisfied with the experiential elements of the assessment-based certificate process, but the students recommended more active learning and project-based learning. 100% reported that they “Strongly Agreed” that both faculty members’ genuine interest in supporting their success and the faculty facilitated success in completion. 50% of certificate completers self-rated their overall skill or knowledge as “Very Good” at completion.