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Business Management

Take Your Business Acumen to the Next Level

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About the Business Management Program

Courses

Delivery Method
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  • Live Online
  • In-Person
  • Online
  • Hybrid
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Required Courses

Complete all four courses.

Business Decision MakingBUSA-40441

Units: 3.00

$595

Managers are invariably critiqued on their effective use of the complex decision making process. Refine your leadership skills and focus on the strategic decision-making process as viewed from the top...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Elements of MarketingBUSA-40940

Units: 3.00

$595-$695

Receive hands-on, practical experience in integrated marketing communications and explore the building blocks of effective marketing programs. This course will also showcase how to incorporate the too...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Financial Accounting for Non-AccountantsBUSA-40009

Units: 4.00

$695

Gain an overview of how to use accounting and financial data for more effective and profitable decisions. Learn the information necessary to interpret and evaluate the financial effects of day-to-day ...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Organizational BehaviorBUSA-40922

Units: 3.00

$595

Organizational Behavior will explore human behavior at the individual, interpersonal, and group levels including effects of organizational structure on behavior. The emphasis will be on managerial rol...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Specialization Area: Human Resources

6 units. Students must select an area of specialization and complete all required elective courses (min. 6 units) in that area to complete the certificate.

Employee and Labor RelationsBUSA-40017

Units: 3.00

$565

Review the practical application of state and federal employment law. Topics include at-will employment and wrongful discharge; discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; ADA; employee rights and in...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Strategic Talent AcquisitionBUSA-40874

Units: 3.00

$565

Effective talent acquisition strategies take a multi-year view of the workforce necessary to execute an organization s business strategy today and well into the future. This includes recruiting with a...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Specialization Area: Leadership and Management

Choose 2 courses - 6 units. Students must select an area of specialization and complete all required elective courses (min. 6 units) in that area to complete the certificate.

Managing for Maximum PerformanceBUSA-40673

Units: 3.00

$695

Effective managers realize that organizational success is based on so much more than the contributions of its individuals alone. Success is based on the effective management of teams working togethe...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Summer

Business Communication SkillsBUSA-40368

Units: 3.00

$595

Being able to communicate your ideas accurately and persuasively is essential in a business environment. Explore the communication skills necessary to be productive in today s complex workplace. Disco...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Storytelling for BusinessBUSA-40988

Units: 3.00

$595

Success as a modern professional requires a skill as old as human civilization, storytelling. Storytelling is the ability to paint a picture with your words to engage, persuade or even challenge your ...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Specialization Area: Business Analytics

6 units. Students must select an area of specialization and complete all required elective courses (min. 6 units) in that area to complete the certificate.

Overview of BI and Data AnalysisCSE-41221

Units: 3.00

$725

Overview of BI and Data AnalysisAs the amount of data companies collect continues to grow at a rapid rate, the ability to effectively transform that data into actionable information has become paramou...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Dashboards and Data Visualization for Data AnalysisCSE-41222

Units: 3.00

$725

Dashboards and Data Visualization for Data AnalysisWith the growing amount of data available to businesses, decision-makers must translate strategy into accountability, measure progress against goals,...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Specialization Area: Digital Marketing

6 units. Students must select an area of specialization and complete all required elective courses (min. 6 units) in that area to complete the certificate.

Digital MarketingBUSA-40879

Units: 3.00

$695

The cornerstone of every targeted marketing plan should be a digital marketing strategy. Students in this course will explore the development, production and implementation of digital-marketing delive...

Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and MarketingCSE-41157

Units: 3.00

$695

In our current information age, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a method of marketing used by companies world-wide and is one of the most successful and cost-effective ways of obtaining business t...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Specialization Area: Accounting

8 units; Must be taken in order listed. Students must select an area of specialization and complete all required elective courses in that area to complete the certificate.

Elementary Accounting IBUSA-40036

Units: 4.00

$750

Learn the basics in financial accounting theory and practice. Topics include: recording, analyzing and summarizing procedures used to prepare balance sheets and income statements such as payroll, spec...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Elementary Accounting IIBUSA-40037

Units: 4.00

$750

Understand managerial accounting theory and practice to evaluate organizations and execute appropriate business decisions. Learn about budgeting, cost-volume-profit analysis and incremental decision a...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Specialization Area: Finance

8 units; Must be taken in order listed. Students must select an area of specialization and complete all required elective courses in that area to complete the certificate.

Finance ManagementBUSA-40439

Units: 4.00

$695

Learn the key concepts, terms and tools associated with the financial world. Topics include: analysis; management of working capital and short-term financing; time value of money and valuation of corp...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Financial Statement AnalysisBUSA-40130

Units: 4.00

$695

Financial statement analysis has many applications, including the evaluation of department and senior management performance, accounting compliance, and the profitability of business activities. Accou...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Courses of Interest (DOES NOT COUNT TOWARD CERTIFICATE)

Related courses that may be of interest.

Workplace EthicsBUSA-40531

Units: 2.00

$465

Strong workplace ethics, or the lack thereof, have had far-reaching consequences for companies and corporate leaders. This class will explore ethical frameworks, and it will differentiate between comp...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

FinTech: Crypto, Bitcoin, and BlockchainBUSA-41014

Units: 3.00

$595

Cryptocurrency is a real and persistent asset class that smart investors and consumers must begin to understand. Blockchain is a powerful, decentralized transactional network that has the potential ...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Spring, Summer

Lean Six Sigma Green BeltBUSA-41006

Units: 4.00

$2,595

FREE INFORMATION SESSION:Click HERE to watch a recording of the recent Lean Six Sigma Information Session. Join our next LIVE session to meet the Instructors and ask questions! View details and regis...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Blockchain Demystified: An Introduction to the Cryptocurrency RevolutionBUSA-80043

Units: 0.00

$75

The technology powering Bitcoin is more than just a payments system - it s a disruptive improvement to the Internet. This workshop will teach you the basics of blockchain technology and explain how it...

Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered: Winter, Summer

Who Will Benefit

This certificate is especially suited for individuals who desire an understanding of business and management topics and would also like to gain a more in-depth knowledge in a particular area of business. Professionals in supervisory or general roles who desire formal documentation of management study and experienced mid-level managers who need to update their skills or obtain tools for dealing with new management challenges are ideal candidates for this certificate program.

International Students

International students who need a student visa to study full-time in the United States may apply to our Full-Time Business Management Program. For more information about UC San Diego Extension's international programs, please visit ip.extension.ucsd.edu.

EDC Preferred Provider

The San Diego Regional EDC's Advancing San Diego program is designed to address talent shortages in Business positions. Learn more about the program by visitingAdvancingSD.com.

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Conditions for Admission

UC San Diego Extension programs are designed to best serve college-prepared working professionals. Although programs are open to all adult learners, where program capacity is limited, applicants with this profile will receive preference for admission.

Certificate Guidelines

There are four required courses within the Business Management Certificate program. Students can elect to take the courses in any order; however, UC San Diego Extension suggests the following order for completing the required coursework:

  1. Organizational Behavior (BUSA-40922)
  2. Business Decision Making (BUSA-40441)
  3. Elements of Marketing (BUSA-40940)
  4. Financial Accounting for Non-Accountants (BUSA-40009)

Electives: To specialize in an area, complete all courses listed within a specialization area. Courses within the a specialization for the Business Management program may be taken concurrently with required program courses. You may select up to two specializations.

Career Resources and Services

  • One-on-One Career Coaching Appointment - Graduates who are interested in a career coaching appointment can schedule an appointment to get advice on resume building, applications, negotiation, interviewing, leveraging LinkedIn etc... Graduates will meet virtually with a career advisor for up to one-hour. If you would like to schedule an appointment and you have completed the certificate within five years, contact unexbusa@ucsd.edu.
  • O*Net - Career resources offered by O*Net , an online portal for career exploration, job analysis and self-assessment tools.
  • The Career Channel - Brought to you by UCTV and UC San Diego Extension, the Career Channel provides information, tools and experts to help those in career transition identify emerging areas of opportunity and develop plans for reskilling.
  • Explore Career Tools to Make your Next Career Move - Get help with your career research to find the priority sectors and priority jobs. The San Diego Workforce Partnership looked at all occupations in San Diego County to determine which pay best, have the most openings and are growing quickly. There are 72 priority jobs in San Diego County, ranging from stucco masons to biomedical engineers. Find out more at SDWP - My Next Move.
  • Professional Associations - Professional associations offer a terrific opportunity for career education, professional development and networking. Link to list of associations.

Special Notes

The Business Management certificate compliments many other certificates at UC San Diego Extension. If you have completed Extension coursework in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Process Improvement, or Facilities Management, you may be able to transfer a significant portion of your coursework toward the Business Managment certificate. For questions about this, please contact BizManagement@ucsd.edu.

International Students: Full-Time Business Management Program / International Experience.

For students who want to learn about the American business environment through full-time study, check out the Business Management Full-Time International Program (two or three quarters).

This cohort-based program is made up of professionals from around the globe who want to build skills in business and participate in internships. The program benefits include:

  • Internship preparation (resumes, cover letters, interviewing)
  • An unpaid 120-hour off-campus internship
  • Your choice of specialization: Finance, International Business, or Marketing

Note that some of the courses in the other specialization areas listed on this page may be available as electives in the international program. (Courses subject to change.)

For questions regarding the international business programs, please contact bpis@ucsd.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can this certificate program be completed entirely online?

Yes! Students can take this program fully online in the convenience of your home or office or in a traditional in-class format. You can choose which format works best for your learning. All of the required courses and most of the electives can be completed in a fully online environment. For online courses, all assignments, tests and quizzes can be completed online and submitted through Blackboard, our online learning platform.

How are online classes formatted?

Most, but not all of our online courses are asynchronous, which means that you can login and complete your work anytime 24/7. The lessons for each week are accessible via Canvas, our online learning management system. While you can view the lectures and participate at your preferred time, you may have weekly assignments, quizzes and/or tests that are due on specific dates. Our new virtual reality courses allow you to interact with instructors and peers in real-time from your home or office. These courses have specific meeting dates and times.

How do I apply to the certificate program?

Click on the “Apply Now” button on the certificate page. Complete the required fields on the application. Then click the “Save” button. Once you have saved the application, be sure to click the “Submit” button. You can track the progress of your application at My Extension. After acceptance, there is a one-time certificate fee due that secures your place as a certificate student.

How many specializations can I have listed on my certificate?

You may have up to two specializations listed on your certificate. To specialize in an area, complete all courses listed within a specialization area. Courses within the a specialization for the Business Management program may be taken concurrently with required program courses.

When you are ready to request your certificate at the end of your program, please be sure to request your specializations on the certificate request form.

How do I get my certificate once I have completed the requirements?

When you have paid your certificate fee and successfully completed all program requirements, you will need to request an audit by Student Services. To request an audit:
• In your My Extension account, click on “My Courses.”
• On the right side of the page under “My Certificates,” click on the name of the certificate.
• On the right side of the page under “Tools,” click on “Request Certificate Audit.”
• Complete and submit the form that appears (To have your specialization listed, be sure to request it in the comment section).
Once you have formally submitted your audit request, your certificate will be mailed to the address we have on file for you within ten business days.

How will I receive my final course grade?

Once the course is complete, the instructor has 10 business days to submit grades. Once grades have been posted, you can view and print your grade sheet from your My Extension account.

If I work full-time, will I still be able to complete this program?

Yes. Our programs are designed for the working professional. All classes are offered in either a fully online format or meet one evening a week from 6-9pm. Multiple classes are also offered on Saturdays.

What are the required textbooks for a course?

Instructors will post the current text requirements on the course page on our website. Please note the textbook requirements are subject to change every quarter and different instructors may require different books, even if they are teaching the same course in the same quarter. Be sure to check the textbook requirements for the section in which you are enrolling.

When does course enrollment open for each quarter?

Classes post to our website and open for registration approximately two months prior to when the new quarter begins. If you would like to receive an email reminder you can sign up for our newsletter(s) in My Extension, under the “Preferences” tab. The Fall quarter begins in late September, Winter begins in January, Spring begins in April, and Summer begins in late June.

When is the refund deadline for courses?

The refund deadline for courses in this program is typically one week after the start date. For intensive format courses, the refund deadline is usually sooner. This allows you one week to try out a class and review the courses syllabus. If you decide that the course does not meet your educational needs, be sure to drop within the refund deadline. While you are permitted to drop a course after the refund deadline, a refund will no longer be provided. The exact refund deadline for each section is listed in the section notes on the course page in our website, and you can also find it in My Extension by clicking on “My Courses” and then the name of the course.

Advisory Board

Xavier Corona, MBA

Board Member

Prospanica

Bassil Elkadi, MBA

Director of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations

Qualcomm

Sanjiv Erat, PhD

Associate Professor

UC San Diego, Rady School of Management

Del Foit, MBA

Lecturer

UC San Diego, Rady School of Management

Fiona Forrest, MBA

Executive Coach

Strategic Learning Solutions

Michael Green, CPA

Managing Partner

Squar Milner, LLP

Laura Hartman, MS, SPHR

Human Resources

Kleinfelder, Inc.

Christopher Humphrey

VP Marketing

QSC

Barb Smalley

President

Coffee Ambassador

Andy Wood

Managing Director

AP Wireless Infrastructure Partners, LLC

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This certificate requires an application before taking any courses. There will be a $0 fee to apply to this program. Students will also be required to pay a $95 certificate fee upon enrollment into the program after acceptance. View the complete Certificate Registration and Candidacy Guidelines.