Q: How long does it typically take to develop a new certification program? I want to make sure I'm on target.
A: Thank you for your question regarding development time for a certificate program.
You have two kinds of “development.” The first, and most critical, is needs assessment, marketing research, competitive analysis, budget models to see if this particular certificate is the best one to develop.
That should take between 40 hours (one week full time work for one person) and 160 hours (one month full time) spread out over a minimum of six months to maximum of three years.
Development time in dollar terms (staff time) can be up to 10% of the expected revenue of the certificate program’s first three years.
Ideally, you have someone whose job includes researching certificate programs and this person is researching from 5 to 10 possible certificate programs at any one time, and choosing from that list 1-3 to run and then continuing to explore other certificate programs.
As for the instructors or subject matter experts actually developing the content and program, they/you should plan on 120 hours (3 weeks of time) spread out over 3-9 months (six months ideal, 3 months rushed and stressed) for EACH course in the certificate program. With a course running from 4 to 8 Units, each Unit roughly a week in length.
Instructors could build the courses concurrently, but for the total certificate program being built I would budget the time at six months to 12 months. Sooner than 6 months and you rush/stress. Longer than 12 months and they/you procrastinate or just wait before starting to work, so postponing it often means waiting til the 6 months out and then you rush.