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MBA Certificates

Earning a certificate is a great way for students to specialize in the area of interest in which they would like to build their career. Students may choose to pursue these certificates to advance their careers, transition into a different industry, increase earning potential or for personal and professional development. 

The Rady School of Management offers four certificates: Design and Innovation, Finance, Marketing Management and Supply Excellence and Innovation. Students currently enrolled in our MBA programs can select a specialization by completing the courses required (these certificates are only available to current MBA students).:

MBA Certificate in Design and Innovation

Certificate in Design and Innovation

The Certificate in Design and Innovation is designed for students with a career focus in product management with career paths leading to chief product officer, CIO, CTO or CEO. It recognizes students who have completed an in-depth curriculum in Design and Innovation at the graduate level, and are prepared to apply these concepts in management positions. This includes building design and innovation capabilities within an organization, leading teams in these activities, and designing new products and services.

General Requirements

  • Students must complete two required core courses and four additional electives
  • Students must complete a total of six courses or 20 units
  • Some exceptions to the certificate requirements are allowed with faculty approval

Courses

Core Courses: 

Both courses required:

  • MGT 412 New Venture Design (4 units) 
  • MGT 452 New Product Development (4 units)

Qualifying Elective Courses: 

A minimum of 12 units required, from at least 3 categories. 

Understanding Users: 

  • MGT 455/455R Customer Analytics (4 units) 
  • MGT 458 Experiments in Firms (4 units) 
  • MGT 475 Research for Marketing Decisions (4 units) 
  • MGT 477 Consumer Behavior (4 units) 
  • MGT 488R Applied Market Research (4 units)
  • MGT 402 Management Communications (2 units) 
  • MGT 422 Creativity and Innovation (4 units) 
  • MGT 428 Managerial Decision-Making (4 units) 
  • MGT 431 Power and Politics (4 units) 
  • MGT 434 Strategic Communication and Storytelling (2 units) 
  • MGT 439 Topics in OB - Leadership Practice: Coaching and Inclusion (4 units) 
  • MGT 450 Project Management (4 units) 
  • MGT 456 Innovative Product and Program Management (4 units)

Exploring Design Practice: 

  • COGS 229 Design at Large (1 unit) (note - will be replaced by DSGN 219) 
  • DSGN 201 Human-Centered Design and Complex Sociotechnical Systems (4 units)
  • DSGN 260 Advanced Topics in Design (4 units)
  • DSGN 261 Advanced Design Project (4 units) 
  • DSGN 299 Independent Project (2 or 4 units) Understanding Industry Specifics 
  • MGT 430 Biotechnology Industry, Structure, and Strategy (4 units) 
  • MGT 433 Managing Health Care and Life Sciences (4 units) 
  • MGT 451/451R Technology and Innovation Strategy (4 units) 
  • MGT 459 Topics in Innovation: Social Enterprise: Purpose, Profit & Practice (4 units) Course-specific pre-approval required to ensure relevance 
  • MGT 459 Topics in Innovation (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 489 Topics in Marketing (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations & Technology (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 439 Topics in Organizational Behavior (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 442 Topics in Decision Sciences (2 or 4 units)

Understanding Industry Specifics: 

  • MGT 430 Biotechnology Industry, Structure, and Strategy (4 units) 
  • MGT 433 Managing Health Care and Life Sciences (4 units) 
  • MGT 451/451R Technology and Innovation Strategy (4 units) 
  • MGT 459 Topics in Innovation: Social Enterprise: Purpose, Profit & Practice (4 units) 
  • Course-specific pre-approval required to ensure relevance 
  • MGT 459 Topics in Innovation (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 489 Topics in Marketing (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations & Technology (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 439 Topics in Organizational Behavior (2 or 4 units) 
  • MGT 442 Topics in Decision Sciences (2 or 4 units) 

The certificate courses offered in each MBA program may vary and are subject to change annually.

MBA Certificate in Finance

Certificate in Finance

The Certificate in Finance is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in the field of finance; it prepares students to grow into roles such as CFO, CRO or CEO. It recognizes students who have completed an in-depth curriculum in Finance at the graduate-level and are ready to apply finance knowledge in management positions.

General Requirements

  • Students must take a total of five Qualifying Elective Courses (minimum of 20 units) in order to earn the certificate
  • Some exceptions to the certificate requirements are allowed with faculty approval

Courses

Five classes are required for the MBA Certificate in Finance:

Two required electives:

  • MGTF 491 Investments (4 units)
  • MGTF 407 Valuation  (4 units)

 Three more (any) electives from the following list:

  • MGTF 403 Risk Management  (4 units)  
  • MGTF 408 Real Estate Finance (4 units)
  • MGTF 409 Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructurings (4 units)
  • MGTF 410 New Venture Finance (4 units)
  • MGTF 496 (A) and (B) Venture Capital (4 units)

Certificate courses offered in each MBA program vary and are subject to change annually.

MBA Certificate in Marketing Management

Certificate in Marketing Management

The Certificate in Marketing Management is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in any area in the field of marketing; it prepares students to grow into an eventual Chief Marketing Officer position. The Certificate recognizes students who have completed an in-depth curriculum in Marketing at the graduate-level, and are ready to apply marketing knowledge in management positions.

General Requirements

  • Students must take a total of five Qualifying Elective Courses (minimum of 16 units) in order to earn the certificate
  • Some exceptions to the certificate requirements are allowed with faculty approval

Courses

Qualifying Elective Courses (minimum five courses):

  • MGT 455 Customer Analytics (4 units)
  • MGT 459 Topics in Innovation: Bringing Product to US Market (4 units)
  • MGT 459 Topics in Innovation: Purpose, Profit & Practice (4 units)
  • MGT 470 Topics in Marketing: Digital Disruption and Transformation (4 units)
  • MGT 477 Consumer Behavior (4 units)
  • MGT 479 Pricing (4 units)
  • MGT 481 Social Media Marketing (4 units)
  • MGT 485 E-Commerce (4 units)
  • MGT 488R Applied Market Research OR MGT 475 Research for Marketing Decisions (4 units)
  • MGT 489 Topics in Marketing: Brand Management (4 units)
  • MGT 489 Topics in Marketing: Driving Growth Through Customer-Centricity, Data Analytics, and Digital Tech (4 units)
  • MGT 489 Topics in Marketing: Marketing Strategy (4 units)
  • MGT 499 Independent Study Project (2-4 units)

Certificate courses offered in each MBA program vary and are subject to change annually.

MBA Certificate in Supply Excellence and Innovation

Certificate in Supply Excellence and Innovation

The Certificate in Supply Excellence and Innovation is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in supply chain management; it prepares students to grow into an eventual COO or CEO position. The Institute for Supply Excellence and Innovation (ISEI) has collaborated with the Rady School of Management graduate programs to identify courses that exemplify the Supply Chain focused pathway for Rady graduate students.

General Requirements

  • Students must take a total of six Qualifying Elective Courses (minimum of 20 units) without double-counting 
  • Some exceptions to the certificate requirements are allowed with faculty approval

Courses

Supply Excellence Courses (minimum two courses): 

  • MGT 440 Costs in Supply Chain Management (4 units)
  • MGT 441 Strategic Sourcing (4 units)
  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations and Technology: Supply Chain Finance (2 units)
  • MGT 453 Supply Chain Management (4 units)
  • MGT 499 Independent Study in Supply Chain Innovation Courses (minimum 1 course) (4 units)

Innovation Courses (minimum one course):

  • MGT 448 Leveraging the Power of Blockchain (2 units)
  • MGT 451 Technology and Innovation Strategy (4 units)
  • MGT 452 New Product Development Analytics Courses (minimum 1 course) (4 units)

Analytics Courses (minimum one course):

  • MGT 446 Spreadsheet Modeling and Analytics (4 units)
  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations and Technology: Supply Chain Analytics (4 units)
  • MGT 453 Supply Chain Management (4 units)
  • MGT 499 Independent Study in Supply Chain Relevant Courses (minimum 1 course) (4 units)

Relevant Courses (minimum one course):

  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations and Technology: Operations Strategy (4 units)
  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations: Emotional Intelligence in Supply Chains (4 units)
  • MGT 449 Topics in Operations: Mexico Immersion (4 units)
  • MGT 450 Project Management (4 units)
  • MGT 499 Independent Study in Supply Chain (4 units)

Certificate courses offered in each MBA program vary and are subject to change annually.