Title vs certificate: main differences

A title and a certificate are accreditations that help a person to achieve career goals or objectives. The methodologies of these vary according to the programmes that comprise them.

Any student can pursue these options after completing the baccalaureate according to their tastes and aspirations. It is therefore useful to know what each one is about and what their main differences are.

What is a title?

A title is an accreditation of knowledge regarding a specific subject. It is the demonstration of a person’s capacity as a professional, since it certifies the skills and abilities acquired during the study process.

When a person goes for a job interview, recruiters value highly the effort involved in having successfully completed their studies, which makes having a degree indispensable, as it is the faithful proof of knowledge, a symbol of perseverance and perseverance.

A qualified professional is always better accepted and positioned in the world of work, reflecting this within the competitive advantages, marking the difference between other workers.

Official title vs. own title

In Spain there are 2 types of degrees, official and own degrees. Official degrees are those of bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate, and have the endorsement of the university that awards them, and therefore with the recognition of the State. These types of studies are subject to a complete evaluation process that guarantees their quality and their inclusion in the RUCT. In contrast, own degrees are endorsed by the prestige of the institution or centre that awards them.

It is important to mention that, if you wish to advance in your academic training and gain access to a doctorate, the official degrees are those that give access to the Master’s degrees and these to the doctorates. Therefore, a proper degree does not give access to a doctorate under any modality.

In general, companies do not take into account whether the degree is official or their own when hiring a professional. Rather, they look at the prestige of the programme and how it provides the knowledge and skills necessary for the profile being sought. It is worth noting that official degrees are recognised in 47 countries that are members of the European Higher Education Area. While the own degrees are only valid within Spain, due to the fact that it is a curricular degree of non-regulated study.

Certificate

A certificate is a document that validates the fact that a person has mastered a subject, product, equipment or service, obtained by means of tests, examinations or practice, depending on what is to be measured, issued by an authoritative body.

These can be validated by a technological method that verifies their authenticity, so they are used by many world-renowned organisations with established reputations. This means that a certificate can be valid in multiple countries as long as the entity has the permission and standing to do so. A simple example of this is for people who study English through the Cambridge University programme, the certificate obtained has international weight and is recognised by any company.

Main differences

• Obtaining the degree assumes extensive knowledge acquired throughout the entire university course. Whereas the certificate is awarded after the completion of courses or programmes.
• The vocational training gives an academic degree, and the certificate gives an occupational qualification.
• A degree is more desirable, useful and necessary, because it depends on a chosen profession, a certificate is not, it is more of a hobby or for self-employment.
• Degrees are issued by educational institutions, and certificates by labour institutions.

Recommendations

It is advantageous for a person to have a degree and a certificate, as one proves educational knowledge regarding a specific career. While the certificate proves that there is training and practice. Studying is always an advantage over anyone else, which is why young people should make it a priority to get a university degree, because the labour market needs professional people. In addition, graduates have higher salaries than those who are only certified, which means a better quality of life.