Graduate Certificates
What is a Graduate Certificate?
Many people want to continue their education after earning their bachelor’s degree. What most people don’t realize is that they have another option available if they don’t want to pursue a full master’s degree but still want a competitive edge: A graduate certificate!
A graduate certificate is a short course of study of specialized training at the post-graduate level. Graduate certificates generally focus on a specific industry or job function. Benefits include: increased pay, a wider professional network, quicker return on investment when compared with a degree, added job security with in-depth/diversified knowledge base, and preparation to pursue a graduate degree.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, certificates are the fastest-growing form of post-secondary credentials in the United States. Approximately three percent of the workforce, which is close to four million workers, currently has a graduate certificate. A recent report from Forbes states that you can expect to receive an estimated 13 to 25 percent increase in salary after having earned a graduate certificate. That’s a great return on investment, especially considering the relatively short time in which you’ll complete one of our programs (usually two semesters).
Focus Your MBA Studies
ECU offers an MBA; we do not offer specialized MBAs (i.e. MBA in Finance, MBA in SCM). Rather, we offer graduate certificates as a way to focus your MBA studies. You would graduate with 2 academic credentials: your MBA and your certificate!
Students can replace the 3 electives in their MBA program with any of the 14 COB-approved graduate certificates. Most certificates are 4 classes, so it does, in effect, add one extra class to your overall program total of classes. However, the graduate certificate is its own stand-alone credential, so you will get a separate diploma for it and you can list it separately on your resume as well.
College of Business Graduate Certificates
The following COB certificates are available to any student meeting the admissions requirements outlined on the respective pages. Additionally, successful completion of any of the following certificates qualifies a student to bypass the entrance exam requirement for the MBA program:
- Business Analytics
- Leadership in Organizations
- Hospitality Management
- Management Information Systems
- Marketing
- Project Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Sustainable Tourism
MSA applicants can complete the Business Analytics certificate to bypass the entrance exam requirement. MS-STH applicants can complete the Hospitality Management certificate or the Sustainable Tourism certificate to bypass the entrance exam requirement.
INFORMATION FOR OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS
Graduate Certificates for MBA Students
Many ECU MBA students choose to pursue an optional certificate to satisfy the elective requirement for their MBA program. These certificates are designed to provide you with insight into the issues of a specific industry. Students can pursue a College of Business certificate (listed above) or a Partner certificate (listed below). The course rotations listed are not guaranteed and should be used only as a guide.
Current MBA students who wish to pursue an optional certificate must submit a request form to officially add the certificate to their student record. IMPORTANT: Students must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA in all certificate courses; otherwise, the certificate will not be awarded. MBA students will not be awarded their degree if certificate requirements are not met.
Institutional and Professional Licensure Disclosures for Enrolled and Prospective Students (pdf)
Partner Graduate Certificates for MBA Students
Most certificates require four or five classes from colleges or departments outside the College of Business. A certificate is awarded from the respective college or department in conjunction with the MBA degree and successful completion of the certificate is reflected on the student’s transcript. Normally, certificate classes are taken in place of the three required breadth electives, effectively adding one or two additional classes to a student’s curriculum.
^ These certificates are only available to ECU MBA students, students who are enrolled in another AACSB accredited institution, or students who have already received an MBA from an AACSB accredited institution. ECU MSA students can pursue the Finance certificate in lieu of electives.
* These certificate options are available online. All other certificates are available only through campus-based classes. Online students may take a campus-based class at any time if their geographic location permits them.