ArticlePloS one2026
From inputs to impact: Study protocol for developing a framework for laddered graduate certificate programs.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Present-day postsecondary institutions are increasingly expected to implement innovative solutions to support the learning and development of professionals while providing credentials responsive to both academic and non-academic careers. Laddered graduate certificate programs, sometimes called stackable certificate programs or micro-credential graduate programs, have been increasingly implemented across higher education settings. These programs are designed to upskill the workforce by providing a professional, flexible learning experience with the goal of a mutually beneficial relationship between industry and academia. Although substantial emphasis has been placed on developing practical, flexible, and adaptable certificate programs to meet the professional and personal needs of students, there is a distinct lack of evidence-based guidance within existing literature to inform quality program development and ongoing innovation within these types of programs. The purpose of this paper is to describe the methods for a comparative case study to better understand the experiences and perceptions of students, educators, alumni, program leaders, and industry partners participating in graduate certificate programs. Online surveys, interviews, and focus groups will be conducted with these valuable partners to gain better insight into teaching and learning experiences, program structures, desired outcomes, areas for improvement, and pedagogical innovation. Data sources, including artifacts, documentation, and archival records regarding accreditation processes, industry partners, curriculum development and implementation, and student work, will be used to provide valuable context. Quantitative and qualitative data will be integrated and used to develop an evidence-informed framework that articulates the conditions that optimise student learning and program innovation within laddered graduate certificate programs.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.