May 31, 2017
College Issues First Project Management and Business Analytics Certificates
The College of Business handed out two new graduate certificates during its recent commencement exercise. Ten students received a certificate in project management (PM) and six received a certificate in business analytics. Both programs started in the fall of 2016, and each consist of four, online courses.
The business analytics certificate works with real business data sets and provides students with advanced business analytics knowledge and data mining processes. The certificate was developed with input from numerous leading recruiters of data analysts and is offered in conjunction with SAS’ Joint Certificate Program.
“This program seeks to train data analysts,” says Dr. Elaine Seeman, chair of the College’s Department of Management Information Systems. “As organizations amass more and more data from their interactions with individuals and organizations, the need for people who can pull data, translate it and tell stories is rising.”
The PM certificate prepares graduates for employment as project leaders and managers who have hands-on management experience. Students will gain the knowledge needed to sit for the Certified Associate in Project Management Certification or the Project Management Institute professional certificate exams.
“Project management is a fast-growing field, and project management skills are in demand in a broad range of industries,” added Seeman.
Jacquitta Boone
Jacquitta Boone is from Murfreesboro, North Carolina and graduated with an MBA degree and was one of the first to receive a PM certificate. A process person at heart, she initially wanted to get her supply chain certificate, but after inquiring about the new PM certificate, she found that she still “loves to know about the processes in business but also how the processes affect the people and teams within an organization.”
Boone expects the certificate will help her to understand the behaviors of certain people in a group and how these behaviors will affect the process and project as a whole.
Brad McAllister
Brad McAllister was one of the first recipients of a business analytics certificate. He works for the College and has been advising business students since 2004. He participated in the program to learn more about the tools and techniques available to mine data. As he puts it, “I want to apply what I’ve learned to better serve the students, faculty and staff of the College.”