Courses
The Global Business Certificate is a nine-month program, divided into three quarters. You'll take two courses each quarter, one core course (15.5 hours per week) and one elective course (2.5 hours per week).
Core Courses
Foundations of Global Business Program
Quarter 1 | 10 weeks
Get an overview of business concepts in general with an emphasis on global trade. The course is divided into eleven modules:
- Global business environment
- Business sustainability
- Organizational behavior
- History and issues of global trade
- Global supply chain
- Marketing
- International accounting and taxation
- International law
- International finance
- Introduction to project management
- International business strategy
Throughout the course, you'll work in teams on a business simulation to apply your new skills and knowledge.
Intensive Global Marketing Program
Quarter 2 | 10 weeks
In this class, taught by local global marketing professionals, you'll develop competency in global marketing techniques and will learn how to apply them to companies across multiple industries and with differing profiles in size and maturity, and to markets around the world.
The class immerses students in the concepts, strategies, tactics, best practices and real-world application of global marketing using lectures, case studies, website marketing reviews, guest speakers, group activities, learning exercises, and the team-based development of global marketing plans throughout the course. Areas of focus include:
- Global marketing strategy framework
- Marketing fundamentals and target market selection
- Market entry, channel strategy and partnering
- Social and cultural environments
- Globalization and localization
- E-commerce and digital marketing
- Social media, event and content marketing
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Public Relations (PR)
- Best practices, key trends and future outlooks
- Course highlights and Global Marketing Plan Executive Briefings
Intensive Project Management Program
Quarter 3 | 10 weeks
This ten-week course, taught by local project management specialists, introduces the project management discipline and allows you an opportunity to examine case studies and participate in team projects that cover risk management, communication skills, cost, scheduling and more, completing a marketing event for the final project.
Through lectures, case studies, guest speakers, and group activities, you'll identify, track, and practice the methods, tools, and techniques for initiating, planning, and implementing a successful project as the project manager and competent leader. You'll learn how to define and implement project quality throughout the planning process and will be equipped with the knowledge of how to address potential challenges and how to find and select appropriate outside resources as needed. Key areas of focus include:
- Managing communications & expectations
- Project definition & structuring
- Schedule preparation & costing
- Essential elements for successful projects
- Project execution
- Project control
- Managing vendors
- Closing projects
- Tools and technology
- Cross cultural and virtual teams
- Agile Methodology
- Future trends
Students will also work in teams on a quarter-long project, which provides an opportunity to apply project management principles, tools and techniques learned in the course toward a real-world project that develops their career skills.
Elective Courses
Business Presentation Skills
Today’s employers seek individuals with strong verbal communication and presentation skills. In this hands-on presentation skills class, students will hone their speaking and delivery skills, develop analytical and organizational skills, and give formal and impromptu presentations.
Writing for Business
This practical writing workshop is designed to help students understand and practice professional writing for an international business audience. The focus of the class will be writing business emails, letters and reports.
International Negotiations
In this interactive workshop, you'll learn the basic framework and skills necessary for intercultural business negotiations. The focus will be on understanding and creating effective, joint business deals from both the buyer’s and seller’s perspective. To do this, students will engage in team business simulation activities.
Individual Quarter Enrollment
If you don’t want to study for nine months, you may enroll in individual quarters of the certificate program:
- Foundations of Global Business Program
- Intensive Global Marketing Program
- Intensive Project Management Program
Note: Those interested in Optional Practical Training must complete the entire Global Business Certificate program to be qualified to apply.