[slurry]

The certification model can work for lower level math and some social science or humanities subjects. But how do you certify in subjects like abstract algebra or Byzantine paleography or chemical engineering? A multiple choice test is not going to cut it. The subjects either take place at too high a degree of abstraction or require access to materials to do properly, or both. What you describe could work for a community college level education but not for a real university education.

[protonfish]

These things are not impossible to certify but I agree an online multiple choice test is not sufficient. Advanced subjects would have to be assessed by another expert using whatever methods work: live Q&A, a major project, working the in field. I can't really say as each area could have vastly different ways to best measure competency.