Graduate Certificates

Parents Forum
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<p>A local college offers a graduate certificate program in management. It consists of four graduate-level courses, a sort of "MBA lite". I'm seriously considering it because it offers a credential without requiring the multiyear commitment of an MBA.</p>

<p>My wife says it would do my career more harm than good because it would prompt people to ask why I didn't just get an MBA. She thinks it could make me appear lazy. I say that a small credential is better than no credential, and although it may not help much, it definitely wouldn't hurt. (I work in an industry and at a level in which a technical master's degree, which I already have, is the credential of choice. The business education would just be to increase my preparation to move to the next level of management.)</p>

<p>Who's more right, me or my wife? Or is there a third perspective? Thanks for any info you can provide.</p>

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<p>Can the courses be transferred later and applied to a real MBA?</p>

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<p>I think it would help you even if you didn’t ever tell anyone you did the certificate; you’d learn some of those management secrets that the MBA’s know. If it’s not too expensive, why not?</p>

<p>(I think it would be a nice addition to your resume, too.)</p>

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<p>Good point above.</p>

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<p>Yes, they are normal graduate courses.</p>

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<p>My employer would reimburse my tuition.</p>

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<p>Other than the time involved in taking the classes, I really don’t see any problem with this. Your employer would like you to take the classes and will pay for them. What’s not to like about that?</p>

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<p>I know of several people in my office who have earned graduate certificates and have had positive experiences from a personal and professional standpoint. Some then want on to leverage the credits into a masters degree, but not the majority. Good luck.</p>

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<p>I’ve got an MS in Engineering, and a few years ago attended a management certificate program at an elite business school, at company expense. I learned a lot and really enjoyed it. </p>

<p>I think having the credential had a mildly positive career impact. I think it did help me rise in the management ladder at the company who paid for me to attend the program. I ultimately decided that I had become too administrative and missed being technical, so it was kind of a mixed blessing. I ultimately chose to switch companies and go one step back down the management ladder.</p>

<p>I disagree with your wife that it will hurt, and that people will ask why you don’t have an MBA. If you were in your 20s or perhaps early 30s people might ask that. I’m assuming that you are older than that though, since you are the parent of a college student. I don’t think that 40 or 50-somethings get asked that question, as few people would interrupt their careers at that point to do a full MBA. I don’t recall ever being asked that question when I did my certificate program. </p>

<p>I do think there was some benefit to me from attending a program at an elite business school, rather than at a no-name local college, so it might be worth checking if your company would pay for a more expensive elite school program.</p>

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<p>What classes count towards certification? Not every management course is created equal.</p>

<p>And why can’t you just take courses that will enhance your professional toolkit without the certification?</p>

9

<p>Thanks for all of your replies.</p>

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<p>Right, I’m 40.</p>

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<p>The courses are organizational behavior, human resource management, and industrial relations, plus an elective from among typical business courses such as operations management, international business, finance, etc.</p>

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<p>I can, but I want a credential for my resume, not a list of courses. Personal preference.</p>