4.12. Setting Up Course Certificates¶

4.12.1. Create a Certificate Configuration¶

You create one certificate configuration per course to serve as the template for certificates issued for all of the enrollment tracks available for your course (such as “honor code” or “verified”). Honor code certificates use the organization logo and signatory information, but do not include signature images, which are used only for verified certificates.

To create a certificate configuration for your course, follow these steps.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Certificates.
2. On the Certificates page, select Add a new certificate.
3. (Optional) Specify an alternative course title to use on the certificate instead of the official course title. You might want to use a different title on your course certificates if, for example, the official course name is too long to fit well on the certificate.

4. Upload your organization’s logo image file. Make sure that this is the approved official logo for your organization, for consistency with certificates that are issued by other courses in your organization.

   Note

   Images that you upload for certificates can be a maximum of 10MB in size and must not exceed the dimensions indicated underneath the Organization Logo field.

5. Add a signatory for each person associated with the course or organization whose name and title you want to appear on the certificate, up to a maximum of four signatories. You must specify at least one signatory.

6. (Optional) If you offer verified certificates in your course, upload image files showing the signature for each signatory. Signature images are used only for verified certificates; honor certificates show only the names and titles of signatories, without signatures.

7. When you have finished creating your certificate configuration, select Create.

   You can preview the certificate to see how it will appear to a learner taking the course in the selected mode.

   Your course certificate is not available for issuing to learners until you activate the certificate configuration.

4.12.2. Edit a Certificate Configuration¶

You can edit a certificate configuration at any time, including after the configuration has been activated. However, as a best practice, do not make changes to certificate configurations in a running course if it is possible that certificates have already been issued to learners, because different learners might be awarded certificates with different details for the same course.

To make changes to a certificate configuration, follow these steps.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Certificates.

2. On the Certificates page, at the top right corner of the certificate configuration form, select the Edit icon.

3. When you have finished editing the certificate configuration, select Save.

   After you save your changes, you can preview the certificate to make sure it appears as you want it to. You then need to activate the certificate configuration again before certificates can be issued.

4.12.3. Delete a Certificate Configuration¶

You can delete a certificate configuration at any time. However, as a best practice, do not delete certificate configurations in a running course if it is possible that certificates have already been issued to learners.

To delete a certificate configuration, follow these steps.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Certificates.
2. On the Certificates page, at the top right corner of the certificate configuration form, select the “Delete” icon.
3. In the confirmation dialog, confirm that you want to delete the certificate configuration.

4.12.4. Preview Certificates¶

After you have finished editing your certificate configuration, you can preview a certificate for verification purposes. You select from the available course modes (such as “honor code” or “verified”) to see how a certificate will appear to a learner taking the course in the selected mode.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Certificates.

2. On the Certificates page, select the course mode of the certificate you want to preview, then click Preview Certificate.

   You see the web view for the certificate, as a learner in the selected course mode would see it.

   

After previewing the certificate, you can edit the certificate further or activate your certificate configuration.

4.12.5. Activate a Certificate Configuration¶

When you have verified your certificate configuration and are ready to issue certificates, you activate the configuration.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Certificates.

2. On the Certificates page, click Activate.

   

The certificate configuration becomes active. When learners in your course attain a passing grade or otherwise qualify for certificates, they receive certificates that are based on this active configuration.

You can edit active certificate configurations, but if you make and save any changes, the configuration becomes inactive. You must activate it again before certificates can be issued using the configuration.

4.12.6. Deactivate a Certificate Configuration¶

In some situations, after having made a certificate configuration active, you might need to deactivate an active certificate configuration. If there are no active configurations, certificates are not available for issuing or for viewing by learners.As a best practice, do not make changes to certificate configurations in a running course if it is possible that certificates have already been issued to learners.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Certificates.
2. On the Certificates page, click Deactivate.

The certificate configuration is no longer active. Certificates cannot be viewed by or issued to learners.

4.12.7. Manage Certificate Images¶

When you add image files to a certificate configuration, such as the organization logo or signature images, the uploaded files are listed in Studio on the Files & Uploads page.

When you delete a certificate configuration, images that you uploaded for use with that configuration are also deleted. However, if you edit a certificate configuration and replace images, the unused image files remain on the Files & Uploads page. You can manually remove unused images. For information, see Delete a File.

4.12.8. Enable or Disable Badges for Your Course¶

Badges provide a way for learners to share their course achievements. For courses that have badges enabled, learners receive a badge at the same time as they receive a course certificate, and have the option of sharing their badges to a badging site such as Mozilla Backpack.

The Open edX platform supports Open Badges, an open standard developed by the Mozilla Foundation. For more information about Open Badges, see the Open Badges web site.

If badging is enabled for your platform, badges are enabled by default for your course. If you are unsure whether badging is enabled for your platform, contact your platform administrator.

To stop issuing badges in your course, follow these steps.

1. In Studio, from the Settings menu, select Advanced Settings.
2. Locate the Issue Open Badges policy key. The default value is True.
3. Change the setting to False and save your changes.

To enable badging for your course if it has previously been disabled, change the value of the key to True.