Graduate Certificates in Business
The Belk College of Business graduate certificate programs will give you exposure to the advanced knowledge offered in a master’s program without committing to the full program. These certificates allow you to apply any certificate credit hours earned and easily transition into the associated master’s program. Certificate programs also update and expand your current skills and knowledge to meet the changing demands of the workplace.
What are the advantages of a graduate certificate from the Belk College of Business?
- Gain specialized training and knowledge to help you advance quickly in your career in today’s dynamic business climate
- Experience graduate-level coursework without committing to a master’s or doctoral program
- Earn academic credit that can be applied to an advanced degree at a later date
our Graduate Certificates
Applied Econometrics
Econometrics is the application of statistical methods to economic problems. For example, econometrics can be used to determine which factors predict whether a borrower will default on a loan and can be used to forecast trends. Individuals who can answer problems using data are in high demand in the job market, and all courses in the Applied Econometrics certificate focus on using data and statistics to answer questions and solve business-related problems.
The graduate certificate in Applied Econometrics provides students with a strong foundation in applied econometrics, a skill set that is increasingly in demand. In addition, students considering graduate study in economics have the opportunity to explore material prior to formally committing to a full graduate degree program.
The certificate program requires completion of 12 graduate credit hours of coursework in econometrics (four courses). The Applied Econometrics certificate is a designated STEM program, allowing for a total of 12 months of OPT. Admission and progression requirements and all program requirements can be found in the Graduate Catalog.
In addition, students who apply and are accepted to the M.S. in Economics program or MS Mathematical Finance program can use certificate courses to help satisfy degree requirements.
Business Analytics
Business analytics is identifying, mining, modeling, retrieving, sharing, analyzing, visualizing and interpreting an organization’s data in order to make strategic business decisions. A massive volume and a great variety of both structured and unstructured data are continually and rapidly being generated by consumers, digital devices, the web and organizational transactions. Businesses that can harness the potential of this data can achieve and sustain substantial competitive advantages.
Demand for business analytics skills is driven by the exponential growth in the generation, collection and storage of data and the ability to bring it to bear in making business decisions. The graduate certificate in Business Analytics will give students a strong foundation in business analytics. Students will learn how to translate abstract data into information that can be used in strategic business decisions. In addition, students who apply and are accepted to the MBA program can use all four certificate courses to help satisfy their MBA concentration requirements. The Business Analytics certificate program is a designated STEM program for 12 months of OPT.
Corporate Venturing
Firms are increasingly realizing the need to evolve their sources of competitive advantage by identifying opportunities, deconstructing orthodoxies and pre-adapting in hyper-competitive marketplaces. The Corporate Venturing certificate provides students with unique skills to complement their existing education and experiences in order to create new ventures or to add new value to their corporate employers.
The graduate certificate in Corporate Venturing also allows students considering the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and other graduate studies in entrepreneurship to explore material prior to formally committing to a full graduate degree program. The certificate program requires completion of 12 graduate credit hours of coursework in entrepreneurship and innovation (four courses). Students who complete the certificate and are admitted to the MBA program can apply all four certificate courses toward completion of the MBA.
MBA PLUS
As business conditions, tools and techniques change rapidly, the MBA PLUS provides an excellent way of staying at the forefront of knowledge. The MBA PLUS post-master’s graduate certificate program provides an opportunity for graduates of AACSB-accredited MBA programs to broaden and update their business education.
The MBA PLUS Certificate requires completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours (generally, four courses) of 6000-level courses. At least nine hours must be MBA elective courses. One three-hour course may be a repeat of a course previously taken. This may be desirable if there has been a substantial change in content in an area of interest since the student received their MBA degree. More courses may be repeated if desired, but only one such course will count toward the certificate.
Real Estate and Development
The graduate certificate in Real Estate Finance and Development is designed for individuals who wish to pursue advanced study in real estate finance and real estate development. Although a graduate degree is not required for admission, this certificate program is most often utilized for individuals that have previously obtained a graduate degree and are looking for additional coursework in commercial real estate and finance.
The graduate certificate in Real Estate and Development requires completion of 15 credit hours (one core and four elective courses) of 6000-level courses on topics including real estate finance, development, capital markets and site feasibility analysis.