These upper level undergraduate credit courses (BA 470-472) differ from traditional 100 and 200 level business courses designed as pre-requisites to get into an undergraduate business degree. Instead, these courses provide a more applied overview of accounting, finance, marketing and management for specialists in other fields such as - engineering, pharmacy, scientists, communication specialists and the many other disciplines that represent the majority of the employees working in businesses today - that give the basics knowledge and understanding required to succeed as a professional working in any business.

Courses are aligned so that those who complete the certificate learn how to function more productively in businesses by understanding customer markets, business models, people management, core business processes, ethics and financial basics that can help you think more strategically and make better career and work decisions.

Courses may be taken in any order to complete the certificate. While single course enrollment in each course is possible, it is recommended that participants apply to the certificate program to get priority enrollment status.

Interested in taking a single class? Some courses (designated by a below) may be open on a space-available basis to professionals who are not seeking the certificate. See Single-Course Enrollment for details.

Autumn

Marketing for Non-Business Majors

Schedule: Wednesdays 6-9 p.m., Sept. 30-Dec. 9 (no class on Nov. 25); $799; 3 Credits.
Instructor: Leta Beard

This course teaches the marketing methods and business strategies that companies use to deliver value to customers. The course provides a rich depth of examples, applications, and case studies which demonstrate the major decisions marketing managers face in understanding customer needs and competing in dynamic markets. Some of the topics covered are: product branding, segmentation, promotion, pricing, ethics, buyer behavior and global marketing.

How to sign up for individual enrollment in this course

Winter

Managing Human Assets for Non-Business Majors

Schedule: Wednesdays 6-9 p.m., Jan. 6-March 10; Downtown Seattle; $799; 3 credits.
Instructor: Richard McPherson

This course will focus on organizational management and leadership by learning about:

• Individual's personalities, behaviors and motivations
• The key management and leadership practices that enable teams and organizations to achieve high performance
• The essentials of environmental scanning, strategic planning, staffing, problem-solving, conflict management, negotiation and change management.
• The dynamics of ethical behavior, social responsibility and diversity.

Individual contributors/specialists working in team or virtual team environments, as well as those who aspire to become managers in businesses, will benefit from learning these principles.

How to sign up for individual enrollment in this course

Spring

Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors

Schedule: Wednesdays 6-9 p.m., March 31-June 2; $799; 3 credits.
Instructor: Joe Paperman

This course will focus on finance and accounting concepts and their applications to decision-making. Specific topics will include:

• The financial system and accounting's role in it
• The time value of money and discounted cash flow analysis
• The accounting cycle and basic financial statements
• Interpreting financial statements
• Internal controls, corporate governance and ethical behavior
• Cost behavior and control, budgeting

The course will use a mixture of lecture, text readings, homework, and real-world cases to explain the concepts and provide opportunities for their application.

How to sign up for individual enrollment in this course