2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Microcredentials for Strategic Enrollment Growth: Removing Barriers to Graduate Degrees in Engineering

Presented at Minorities in Engineering Division(MIND) Technical Session 8

Developing strategies to drive enrollment growth is more challenging in graduate programs than in undergraduate programs. Because of the significantly higher investment required to attract outstanding graduate students, as well as the barriers to graduate program admission, enrollment in graduate degree programs typically increases by the national average of 3-4% each year. However, many institutions set goals/targets for graduate enrollment that are well above 4% per year. Hence, graduate school deans and executive-level university administrators need to identify strategies to meet these lofty enrollment targets, especially when resources to attract graduate students are limited.

Our institution, the nation’s largest Historically Black College or University (HBCU) with an enrollment of over 15,000 students, is intentionally using microcredentials to support strategic enrollment growth. We sought to address the enrollment growth challenge through the use of microcredentials, which have been used across private industry for some time and are becoming more common in higher education. The microcredential highlighted in this paper — a standalone graduate certificate program — aims to broaden access to graduate degrees in engineering and boost enrollment.

We demonstrate that introducing microcredentials in strategic areas of engineering significantly increased enrollment while expanding access. Over six years, we introduced 23 unique graduate certificate programs in engineering and other disciplines. During this period, the institution experienced a 33.03% increase in total graduate enrollment, averaging 5.51% per year. Graduate certificate programs contributed a net enrollment increase of 9300% (i.e., from one to 94 students) over the same six-year period and accounted for 6.46% of the total increase in graduate enrollment. Thus, enrollment in graduate certificate programs contributed to the institution’s record graduate enrollment in each of the past two years.

Authors

Dr. Clay Gloster Jr North Carolina A&T State University [biography]

Clay Gloster, Jr. is the Dean of the Graduate College at North Carolina A&T (N.C. A&T) State University. With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Gloster has also served on the faculty of North Carolina State University and Howard University. He has a proven track record of strategic, results-oriented leadership that has shaped his strong reputation for establishing new programs that positively impact enrollment and national rankings.

Dr. Gloster received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and the Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from North Carolina State University. He has also been employed by IBM, the Department of Defense, and the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina.

Dr. Gloster has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and conferences and has given presentations throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa, and China. He has served on the program committee for several international conferences and received best paper and presentation awards at an international conference. Under his leadership, the Master of Science in Information Technology degree program at N.C. A&T was ranked 16th in the country by U.S. News and World Report. He has received numerous fellowships and distinguished awards and holds two patents.
Dr. Matthew B. A. McCullough North Carolina A&T State University [biography]

Dr. Matt McCullough or "Dr. M." as he is referred to, currently serves as the associate dean of graduate enrollment in The Graduate College. He is also an associate professor in the department of Chemical, Biological, and Bioengineering, he has his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina A&T and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa. His research involves finite element modeling of the musculoskeletal system as well as kinematic analysis, especially the applications of machine learning to these data sets. He is also interested in engineering education, and in particular application experiences for engineering students. He is an advocate for DEI&B as well as graduate student well-being.
Jenora Waterman http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6643-2768 North Carolina A&T State University [biography]

Dr. Jenora Waterman is an Associate Professor of Biology and serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in The Graduate College at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Her research examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which inhaled environmental and occupational pollutants injure the airway and contribute to respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic bronchitis, with applications across agricultural, military, and clinical settings. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, her work has also advanced the evaluation of biocompatible metallic biomaterials to improve outcomes for individuals with airway injuries and congenital tracheal defects.

Dr. Waterman has secured more than $7.6 million in external funding from agencies including the NIH, NSF, USDA, and Department of Defense to support research, education, and workforce development initiatives. A dedicated STEM educator, she has taught courses spanning toxicology, environmental health, cellular biology, and research ethics, emphasizing communication and critical thinking as essential skills for the modern STEM workforce. Her excellence in teaching was recognized with the UNC Board of Governors Award for Teaching Excellence, the highest faculty teaching honor in North Carolina.

Prior to her role in The Graduate College, Dr. Waterman led the Ph.D. in Applied Science and Technology Program, overseeing graduate admissions, curriculum management, student progress, and doctoral milestone processes while stewarding approximately $3.5 million annually in graduate student support. She earned her B.S. Biology from Bennett College, M.S. Biology from North Carolina A&T, and Ph.D. in Functional Genomics (Biochemistry track) from North Carolina State University, followed by postdoctoral training in cell biology and pulmonary physiology.

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