Digital Badges at National American University: Show Your Learning, Share Your Skills, Advance Your Career
Every step in your education counts at NAU.
verified digital badges, portable digital credentials that allow students to demonstrate learning and progress before completing a program or degree.Digital badges provide a way to document your accomplishments, showcase skills, and support your academic and professional journey.
“Badges allow students to showcase achievements as they happen. They provide meaningful recognition along the way, not just at the finish line.”
Dr. Barbara Burke, Dean, Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security
What Is a Digital Badge?
A digital badge is more than an image. Each badge NAU issues includes:
- What you achieved — description of knowledge, skills, or competencies earned
- How you earned it — the courses, tasks, or assessments completed
- Who issued it — NAU, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org)
Badges can be stored in the Open Badge Passport, a free platform that makes it possible to manage and share achievements across LinkedIn, résumés, email signatures, or digital portfolios.
The Types of Badges at NAU
- Stand-Alone Badges: Independent recognitions such as Orientation Completion or Library Research.
- Stackable Badges: Earned within courses or groups of courses that combine into higher recognitions.
- Milestone Badges: Larger accomplishments that represent mastery of key skills or competencies.
Why Badges Matter
Badges provide students with verified documentation of their progress. They help highlight skills gained during coursework and can be shared with employers, peers, and professional networks.
“Badges give students the confidence to show their growth. They are tangible proof of skills that employers and colleagues can understand immediately.”
Dr. Barbara Burke
Examples of NAU Badges
- Undergraduate Milestones: Working with Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Teamwork, Homeland Security and Consequence Management, Cybersecurity
- Graduate COGS Badges: Leadership Essentials, Advanced Managerial Solutions, Global Business Optimization, E-Marketing
Earn It. Claim It. Share It.
At NAU, learning achievements are recognized at every stage. Each digital badge is a credential that can be displayed and shared as students advance through their studies.
Show your learning. Share your skills. Advance your education with NAU digital badges.
