A postgraduate certificate generally is the credential awarded to an individual upon completion of a higher education postgraduate program designed to provide students with specialized knowledge that is less extensive than a postgraduate diploma or Master's degree. Although requirements vary depending on the program, a certificate program represents a focused collection of courses that, when completed, affords the student a record of academic accomplishment in a given discipline or set of related disciplines.
Postgraduate certificates are abbreviated as; PGC, PGCert, PG Cert or PgCert.
When awarded for teaching it is known as a postgraduate certificate in education or PGCE
In the United Kingdom a Graduate Certificate (post-nominals GradCert) is a 1 year part time qualification offered by many universities. The level of study is equivalent to the final year of a bachelors degree with honours but beneath that of a postgraduate course; it is also at a higher level than a normal degree ordinary degree. Unlike a bachelor's degree with honours which normally takes 2-3 years of full-time study a graduate certificate can be completed in around 1 year part-time. A graduate diploma takes around 2 years part-time study.
Graduate certificate and diplomas are also recognised as foundation courses for Masters level study. Graduate qualifications can often be topped up to MBAs.