Certificate programs are generally utilized to either supplement a degree, or gain specific knowledge in a particular field for the benefit of career advancement and monetary gain. There are certificates similar to the Associate of Arts, which is a generalized curriculum in a particular field of study, but most are like the Associate of Science, which train the student for one particular field in preparation for immediate employment in that trade.

When someone has completed an online certificate degree, he/she has completed approximately 12 to 33 college credits in a particular career field within their online degree program.

Some notable fields of study you can gain a certificate in are early childhood, business education, health care, food science, organizational leadership, weather forecasting, family services, family literacy, hospitality management, technology and human resources. The online degree programs for each particular field have specific courses and are designed to get the student ready for the workforce.