Program Overview

Micro Degree Data Literacy

The Micro Degree Data Literacy is a form of microcredential that allows students to demonstrate comprehensive competencies in the field of data literacy. This program is designed for students who want to acquire in-depth knowledge and skills in data literacy beyond individual courses.

What is a Micro Degree?

A Micro Degree is a type of microcredential that encompasses various forms of fine-grained certification formats for additional and continuing education. It enables learners to make their learning experiences visible, which they have acquired through individual modules and several related building blocks. Micro Degrees are not full-fledged study programs but rather supplementary offers that typically comprise between 10 and 35 credit points.

Microcredentials are usually designed as digital certificates that learners manage themselves. The learning offers are often digital, such as MOOCs. The framework conditions for microcredentials, including legal foundations, quality assurance, and technical-administrative implementation of programs and their components, are currently being discussed at various levels.

Micro Degree in Data Literacy

As part of the data.RWTH project, a Micro Degree in Data Literacy has been developed. The program will start once the overarching framework conditions have been established at the university level. Therefore, registration or certification is not currently possible.

The Micro Degree aims to enable students at RWTH to demonstrate their competencies in data literacy as a certificate, in addition to their studies. The concept involves the following structure with a total scope of 25 ECTS:

• The basic curriculum comprises 10 ECTS and consists of the data.RWTH courses, which can be taken in either a two-semester variant (consisting of Basic Course I and II) or a three-semester variant (consisting of Compact Course I to III).
• The in-depth curriculum, with an additional scope of 13 ECTS, includes further data-related modules that can be chosen from various subjects or brought in from the course catalogs of the students' own studies. Here, students can sharpen their profile in the context of data-related competencies through the choice of courses.
• Finally, students demonstrate in an integration performance with a scope of 2 ECTS that they have acquired overarching competencies within the curriculum that they can apply in an integrated manner.

Program Structure

The Micro Degree Data Literacy program is structured into three main components:

• Basic Curriculum: 10 ECTS, consisting of data.RWTH courses
• In-depth Curriculum: 13 ECTS, comprising further data-related modules
• Integration Performance: 2 ECTS, demonstrating overarching competencies

This program is designed to provide students with comprehensive knowledge and skills in data literacy, enabling them to demonstrate their competencies as a certificate, in addition to their studies.