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Graduate Certificate in Business Essentials for Leaders

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Gain Essential Business Leadership Skills That Accelerate Your Next Degree

The Graduate Certificate in Business Essentials for Leaders provides current and emerging leaders with cross-functional business essentials to drive organizational success. 

This program is stackable within the Online MBA and the Master’s in Business Data Science & Analytics program. This means that 100% of the credits earned in the Business Essentials for Leaders Graduate Certificate program can be applied to either of these graduate degree programs. 

Online
At your own pace, asynchronous courses
9 Credits
Complete 7 program courses
Stackable
Apply certificate credits to an Online MBA or M.S. in Business Data Science & Analytics

Upskill In-Demand, Cross-Functional Business Expertise

  • Financial & Strategic Decision-Making
    Analyze financial performance, evaluate investments, and make data-informed business decisions. 
  • Marketing & Customer Insight
    Understand customer behavior, identify market opportunities, and apply strategic marketing frameworks. 
  • Operations & Supply Chain Management
    Improve efficiency, streamline processes, and align operations with organizational goals. 
  • Performance Measurement & Advanced Business Strategy 
    Track key metrics and deepen expertise in finance or marketing to support long-term success. 

Curriculum for the Graduate Certificate in Business Essentials for Leaders (9 Credits)

The Graduate Certificate in Business Essentials for Leaders is available online. Students must complete 9 credits as specified below. 

Students who successfully complete courses with a 3.0 or higher grade may apply courses to one graduate certificate and one degree program. 

1. Complete the following 4 courses (6 credits):

  • PIM 811: Financial Accounting and Reporting for Leaders

    Total Credits: 1.5 

    Essentials of financial accounting concepts and statements from a user’s perspective. Measurement and reporting concepts and issues. Analysis and use of financial accounting information for executives and business decision making. 

  • PIM 841: Finance I: Investment Decisions

    Total Credits: 1.5

    Addresses discounted cash flow valuation of bonds, stocks, and corporate investments. Application of course concepts to the work environment. 

  • PIM 862: Marketing I: Customer Analysis

    Total Credits: 1.5

    Develops expertise in identifying and addressing customer needs to create sustainable competitive advantages in today’s digital marketplace.  Topics covered: Customer journey mapping and segmentation strategies; Data-driven customer insights and market analysis; Value proposition design for diverse industries; Initial development of strategic marketing plan components. 

  • PIM 870: Supply Chain Management

    Total Credits: 1.5 

    Understanding supply chain management and its impact on competitive advantage. Introduction of logistics, operations management, and procurement and cross-functional integration in supply chains. 

2. Complete 2 of the following courses:

  • PIM 812: Performance Measure and Control

    Total Credits: 1.5 

    Trains students to become informed recipients and users of accounting information to support sound managerial decision making and strategy implementation. Profitability analysis for products, customers, and business segments for decision making and planning purposes. Introduces accounting concepts facilitating strategy implementation such as responsibility accounting, budgeting and target setting, analysis of budget variance reports, financial performance measures and performance measurement systems, and management control systems. 

  • PIM 842: Finance II: Financial Decisions

    Total Credits: 1.5 

    Explores the relation between risk and return, capital market efficiency, and capital structure decisions. Includes application of course concepts to the work environment. 

  • PIM 863: Marketing II: Systems and Strategy

    Total Credits: 1.5 

    Focuses on creating and implementing effective marketing strategies that drive business results in complex competitive environments. 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion):  Integrated product, pricing, channel, and communication strategies; Digital marketing execution and performance measurement; Marketing ROI and financial impact analysis; Completion of comprehensive strategic marketing plan. 

Admissions

Admissions Criteria

To be considered for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Business Essentials for Leaders, an applicant must:

  1. Be employed in a managerial position with work experience that will enhance contributions to the team and the program, and/or have demonstrated potential for career advancement and leadership in the public or private sector.
  2. Be recommended for acceptance into the program by two or more professional colleagues.
  3. Have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized educational institution or equivalent academic credential. The educational institution, academic program, and academic record are considered.
  4. Have personal attributes such as demonstrated management potential and maturity, leadership qualities, intellectual curiosity, perseverance, and a drive to succeed.
  5. Successfully complete an interview/evaluation, articulating professional goals and how the program will contribute to personal success.

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Tuition

Tuition for the Business Essentials for Leaders Graduate Certificate online program is billed at $1,500 per credit-hour, whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student.  

Additional course-related expenses for reading materials or software licenses may be incurred. 

Contact Information

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