Credentials

What is a Credential?

A credential is a grouping of programs that represents what a student will receive upon graduation—typically a degree or certificate. Credentials serve as the organizational unit above individual programs and determine a student's overall progress toward completion.

Credential Components

Each credential consists of:

• Primary Program: The main program (typically a major) that defines the credential's core attributes and brings in credential-level requirements

• Additional Programs: Supporting programs such as additional majors, minors, certificates, or general requirements that must be completed simultaneously with the primary program

• Degree requirements: Credentials have different degree types (ex: BS, BA etc.). Each degree may have their own specific requirements. These are defined as "Degree Requirements" in Stellic

Examples of Credentials

• BA degree with Computer Science major and Economics minor

• BS degree with dual majors in Statistics and Psychology

• Graduate Certificate in Data Science

• BA degree with Biology major and general education requirements

Examples of credential flexibility and variability

How Credentials Work in Stellic

Data Hierarchy

Credentials sit at the top of Stellic's data hierarchy:

1. Credential (top level) - The degree or certificate being awarded

2. Programs - Majors, minors, certificates, general requirements

All programs within a credential must be completed simultaneously because they collectively represent one degree or certificate being awarded.

Credential Eligibility Rules

Credential-eligible Programs: Programs that can serve as the primary program within a credential. These typically include:

• Majors

• Some certificates that can stand alone

Non-credential-eligible Programs: Programs that cannot stand alone in a credential and must be paired with a primary program. These typically include:

• Minors

• Specializations or concentrations

Modifying Credentials

Student circumstances may change during their academic journey. The system supports credential modifications to accommodate these situations.

Removing Programs from a Credential: If a student determines they cannot complete all programs in their current credential grouping (for example, deciding to drop a minor while continuing with their major), they can modify their credential to remove the program. This modification occurs in your institution's Student Information System (SIS), and Stellic receives the updated data through a data sync.

Once the credential is updated to reflect the new program combination, the student's progress tracking automatically adjusts to match their revised academic path. This ensures their degree audit and requirements accurately represent their current educational goals.

Credentials and Graduation Clearance

Credentials are required for graduation clearance functionality in Stellic. The relationship works as follows:

What Credentials Define

Credentials define the "what"—the specific degree or certificate structure a student is pursuing and what they will receive upon graduation. Each graduation application is specific to a particular credential for a particular term (ex: Fall 2025 Graduation Application for BS degree with dual majors in Statistics and Psychology)

Data Requirements for Credentials

To properly configure credentials in Stellic, the following data feeds from your SIS are required:

credential.csv

Purpose: Defines credential groupings that bundle programs a student completes together (one layer above programs, representing degree/certificate groupings like a BA with major and minor)

Required Columns:

• credential_id - Unique identifier for each credential

• credential_name - Display name for the credential

• enrollment_level_id - Must match values in enrollment_levels

File Details:

• Expected filename: credential.csv

• Used by Stellic to determine student progress across combined programs

student_credential.csv

• Maps which credential is assigned to each student

• Links student programs to their respective credentials

• Establishes the grouping of programs under a single credential

student_program.csv

• Defines program order within each credential

• Designates which program serves as the primary program

• Determines hierarchy when multiple programs exist

program_type.csv

• Specifies the order and classification of program types

• Identifies which program types are credential-eligible (can serve as primary programs)

• Distinguishes between diploma-eligible programs (majors) and non-diploma-eligible programs (minors)

program.csv

• Contains program details including associated degree information

• Provides data needed to determine credential eligibility

• Links programs to their broader credential context