The Cass certificate is about 8000 pounds. The MIT certificate is significantly cheaper. What do I do?

[Edited by Yyttyu on May 28, 2020]

What are your goals?

What are your goals?

With the MIT Micromasters you can also continue on to a master's in finance. I guess it comes down to whether you are targeting the UK or US. 

With the MIT Micromasters you can also continue on to a master's in finance. I guess it comes down to whether you are targeting the UK or US. 

Read the website about the Micromasters. By the time the first cohort is graduating the initial partners will be public. I think you can expect Harvard's ALM in finance to be on the list, since is already accepts other Micromasters, and MIT itself. 

The Micromasters gives a $20k discount on the MIT MiF, I see. However, since it is postponed, I would look at the Harvard ALM in finance. It's lower cost and more flexible. 

It seems to me that it all depends on what exactly you like more.

It seems to me that it all depends on what exactly you like more.

Because of the availability of MOOC certificates, the value of certificates on a resume has plummeted.  Everyone and their mother seems to have a "Harvard" or "MIT" edX certificate on LinkedIn these days.   These unfairly devalue "real" graduate certificates that are rigorous and a "step" towards the masters.  To be honest, I have several certificates as well but I do not list those on my resume.  I feel employers value microsoft/IBM or SAS certifications a lot more than MOOCs.    

Today, the value of a certificate is primarily (1) adding skills/knowledge and (2) credits that can be used for pursuing a masters.  If your end-goal is to get a masters from Cass, then the graduate certificate from Cass might be the better option.  However, if the goal is to boost your resume/CV and employment prospects, the $ amount you spend on the Cass certificate will not be worth it.  

I think you have to put this in the context already given. This person isn't considering a certificate as a way of boosting their CV, but as a way of gaining academic credit to accelerate their path towards a masters in finance. Naturally, there's a big difference between the value of different certificates to them: 99.9% of MOOC certificates don't lead to academic credit and have no meaningful assessment, but the options this person is considering do. 

I think you have to put this in the context already given. This person isn't considering a certificate as a way of boosting their CV, but as a way of gaining academic credit to accelerate their path towards a masters in finance. Naturally, there's a big difference between the value of different certificates to them: 99.9% of MOOC certificates don't lead to academic credit and have no meaningful assessment, but the options this person is considering do. 

Because of the availability of MOOC certificates, the value of certificates on a resume has plummeted.  Everyone and their mother seems to have a "Harvard" or "MIT" edX certificate on LinkedIn these days.   These unfairly devalue "real" graduate certificates that are rigorous and a "step" towards the masters.  To be honest, I have several certificates as well but I do not list those on my resume.  I feel employers value microsoft/IBM or SAS certifications a lot more than MOOCs.    

Today, the value of a certificate is primarily (1) adding skills/knowledge and (2) credits that can be used for pursuing a masters.  If your end-goal is to get a masters from Cass, then the graduate certificate from Cass might be the better option.  However, if the goal is to boost your resume/CV and employment prospects, the $ amount you spend on the Cass certificate will not be worth it.  

So I read through the entire discussion, but I have some doubts.
@smartcanada, what would be an example of a "real" graduate certificate? Harvard CORe? MIT's MicroMasters in Finance?
@
Yyttyu, where did you find Cass's certificate? I could only find MBA/MSc programs

A real graduate certificate would be one that is accepted as academic credit. The CoRE is not, I believe, and the Micromasters are accepted as credit-equivilent. 

Because of the availability of MOOC certificates, the value of certificates on a resume has plummeted.  Everyone and their mother seems to have a "Harvard" or "MIT" edX certificate on LinkedIn these days.   These unfairly devalue "real" graduate certificates that are rigorous and a "step" towards the masters.  To be honest, I have several certificates as well but I do not list those on my resume.  I feel employers value microsoft/IBM or SAS certifications a lot more than MOOCs.    

Today, the value of a certificate is primarily (1) adding skills/knowledge and (2) credits that can be used for pursuing a masters.  If your end-goal is to get a masters from Cass, then the graduate certificate from Cass might be the better option.  However, if the goal is to boost your resume/CV and employment prospects, the $ amount you spend on the Cass certificate will not be worth it.  

I think the point was that, even though an MicroMaster is a rigorous, demanding experience, the risk is that employers may perceive these programs as part of the larger, more diluted group of MOOCs.