Microcredentials

The Certificate in Band Instrument Repair Technology (BIRT) Basics is designed for music educators and other musicians seeking professional development in the basics of instrument repair, or those interested in exploring instrument repair technology as a potential career.

Delivery Mode: In-person
Credit Hours: 9
Time to Complete: 1 summer semester

Stacks to: M.M., Music Education

Admission requirements

• Hold or be nearing completion of an undergraduate degree*, preferably in music. 
• Others with a high school diploma/GED may be considered with Program Head (who is also the instructor) approval

* "Nearing completion" means the completion of at least 90 undergraduate credits. 

Cost

• Per course: $1,650 (in-state) or $3,125 (out-of-state) for graduate credit
• Full credential: $4,950 (in-state) or $9,375 (out-of-state) for graduate credit
• $100 program fee

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• develop and demonstrate an advanced repertoire of woodwind and brass instrument repair skills
• demonstrate how to diagnose non-functioning band instruments in a professional repair shop setting
• describe proper instrument nomenclature to aid in communication with other repair technicians
• demonstrate how to make, use, handle, and care for advanced band instrument repair tools
• demonstrate how to repair common and advanced maintenance issues on woodwind and brass instruments, such as those that will be encountered in a professional repair shop
• describe where to obtain advanced woodwind and brass instrument repair tools and supplies
• demonstrate a basic understanding of how woodwind and brass instruments work

Career Outcomes 

• The average salary of an instrument repair technician in New York is $66,110 – the highest average in the nation.
• Employment for instrument repair technicians is projected to grow 1-2 percent from 2021 to 2031.
• Instrument maintenance and repair skills are critical for all music educators, and teachers with these skills help schools to steward their resources effectively.

Microcredential Requirements

9 credits, each course below is 3 cr.

• MUCE 533 Band Instrument Maintenance for Wind Educators 
• MUAI 632 Advanced Woodwind Repair 
• MUAI 633 Advanced Brass Repair 

Learn More

Students will learn the basics of the three main financial statements, Balance Sheets, Income Statements, and Cash Flows in ACCT 201. They will also be introduced to the main ratios used to analyze financial statement information in ACCT 201. In FINA301 they will learn how to apply those ratios to a financial statement and perform an analysis of an actual company’s annual reports from the standpoint of a commercial lender with a semester long project. This analysis includes liquidity analysis, asset usage, debt analysis, profitability analysis, and basic cash flow analysis.

Delivery Mode: In-person (Spring 2025), online (in development for Fall 2025)
Credit Hours: 6
Time to Complete: 2 semesters

Stacks to:

• Business Administration, B.S.
• Business Administration Minor
• Finance Minor

Admission Requirements

Proof of high school graduation or college transcripts, as explained here.

Cost

• Per course: $885 (in-state) or $2,124 (out-of-state
• Full credential: $1,770 (in-state) or $4,248 (out-of-state)

Learning Outcomes

• Students will learn the basics of the three main financial statements, Balance Sheets, Income Statements, and Cash Flows in ACCT 201. 
• They will also be introduced to the main ratios used to analyze financial statement information in ACCT 201. 
• In FINA 301 they will learn how to apply those ratios to a financial statement and perform an analysis of an actual company's annual reports from the standpoint of a commercial lender with a semester long project. 
• This analysis includes liquidity analysis, asset usage, debt analysis, profitability analysis, and basic cash flow analysis.

Career Outcomes 

Financial Statement Analysis is a marketable job skill relevant to all business endeavors from entrepreneurs needing to understand their own business to corporate bankers deciding on whether or not to make a commercial loan.

This microcredential provides students with the skills required for successful grant writing. The focus will be on writing grants for public health, but the skills can be generalized to other disciplines and fields.

Delivery Mode: Online (Fall 2025)
Credit Hours: 9
Time to Complete: 3 semester

Stacks to: 

• Public Health, B.S. 
• M.S. in Public Health 

Admission Requirements

Eligibility for graduate student status, as explained here.

Cost

• Per course: $1,650 (in-state) or $3,125 (out-of-state) for graduate credit
• Full credential: $4,950 (in-state) or $9,375 (out-of-state) for graduate credit

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• use public health literature to identify a public health problem (PHTH 540)
• use a logic model to design an evaluation plan for a public health program (PHTH 545)
• identify grant opportunities for a public health program (PHTH 561)
• write a grant that would fund a public health program (PHTH 561)

Career Outcomes 

Public Health agencies rely heavily on grants to fund their work. All grants are now requiring agencies to be accountable to how their funds are spent and being able to do that requires the ability to program plan and evaluate programs. This microcredential is designed to help build those professional skills. The microcredential courses assume that students have no background in public health and so are introductory to the field. Further, we have built in a variety of learning activities that make use of forums, quizzes, assignments - all tackling public health problems from an applied learning perspective.

This microcredential will prepare students, practitioners, and refresh experts on all the major techniques used in Geographic Information Systems. The 2 course sequence can be taken entirely online, or in-person for the intro class, and online for the applied work. The first course creates a foundation for using the software and the basic tool functions. The second course builds on those and introduces each of the major techniques used in GIS - cartography, remote sensing, data acquisition and management, and spatial analysis. Each course culminates in individual applied projects. 

Delivery Mode: Online or in-person
Credit Hours: 8
Time to Complete: 2 semesters

Stacks to:

• Environmental Studies, B.A.
• As electives for other STEM degrees

Admission Requirements

Proof of high school graduation or college transcripts, as explained here. 

Cost

• Per course: $1180 (in-state) or $2832 (out-of-state)
• Full credential: $2360 (in-state) or $5564 (out-of-state)

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• demonstrate a foundational understanding of the ArcGIS Pro software and its applications (Assessed through the final project in GISC 101)
• practice advanced GIS techniques through a series of hands-on labs (Assessed through Lab assignments in GISC 410)
• apply each advanced technique to a project of independent research (Assessed through the Final Project in GISC 410)

Career Ourcomes

GIS skills can be applied to nearly any topic or career. Examples include:

• Industry: UPS re-routing their trucks to save mileage and gas
• Environmental conservation: finding the most suitable habitat for endangered species
• Recreation: designing sustainable trails in the High Peaks based on slope
• Public health: mapping the prevalence of disease spread  

GIS skills are valuable in many career advancement pathways, and can lead to promotions or transitions within career paths to an applied/analytical position. This microcredential would support any degree or career path SUNY offers.