HRGuru

If you are wanting to get into HR, I would advise the certificate program.  You don't want to be seen as a "professional student." 

If you are planning on being a consultant, I would do both.   A lot of companies put stock in degrees when it comes to consultants.

Thank you - I appreciate this - also thinking I might need to clarify. I am looking at the certificate programs that do not necessarily get you certified but demonstrate you took the course, i.e. Master's Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Tulane U.



Would you still advise the same route?  

And if I stayed a consultant and opted for the certificate would it still be more attractive to other HR professionals that I am better educated in their field vs just the experience I have in Org Comm?

Cheers!

I am an undergraduate student who is pursuing a career in HR. I read your question regarding a certificate in contrast with a degree. My personal experience and insight say that even though a certification is valuable a degree is much more valuable. Reason being it shows the employer that you have a full understanding within whatever area of HR you are applying for. However this only works if you have a Masters Administration Degree (MBA) because that degree states that you have already masterd the full understanding of that area of profession. But if for some reason you cannot obain an MBA or something more greater such a doctorit then a certificate would be a secound best choice.

Honestly, I don't believe a full understanding can come from the educational perspective alone.  I often believe a Master's degree, in whatever, is probably better attained at a later age, say in your 30's after you've already had some real world experiences to but the new knowledge in perspective. 

Studies have shown time and again that people, even those who get spectacular grades, and get degree after degree after degree, without experience will peak in their career sooner and stay flatter for the rest of their career than those will little to no college.   If you look at stats for most top executives, you will see that most of them have short educational pedigrees but have a ton of "degree'd up the wazoo!" types working underneath them.

For sake of clarity and fairness as I've seen this subject and variations of it on several posts, I do value education very much.  But education without experiencial learning is only half the game at best.  You need both.

Glad to help !