Graduate Certificates

Program overview

Gain concentrated professional skills that set you apart from the crowd with a graduate certificate in business

Enhance your current role or change careers. Developing concentrated skills through one of SPU’s flexible and specialized Graduate Business Certificate programs will set you apart from the crowd. See how our applied, experiential, and collaborative-based curriculum enables you to reach your goals.

Which Graduate Business Certificate can help you take the next steps in your career?

Join us in an upcoming online webinar to learn more about the MS-DAB program.

Graduate students participate in a group discussion

Overview

Shape the future. Change the world.

You’re deciding whether to enhance your current role, or refresh your ambition and change fields altogether. Seattle Pacific’s graduate certificate programs are designed to help you advance your career conveniently, and with a flexible program. Request more information or get started on your future by applying today!

The School of Business, Government, and Economics difference

Through the applied, experiential, and collaborative-based Graduate Certificate curriculum at Seattle Pacific’s School of Business, Government, and Economics, you’ll gain new, concentrated skills that set you apart from the crowd.

Seattle Pacific offers these graduate certificates in business: 

Advanced business and Leadership

Responsible Leadership Certificate

The graduate certificate in Responsible Leadership develops knowledge and skills in leadership, communication, and ethical sensitivity and reasoning from a Christian perspective. You will be ready to provide values-based leadership to teams and larger organizations to drive toward the goal of using business to serve the common good.

Specialized knowledge areas 

Data Analytics Basics Certificate

The Data Analytics Basics graduate certificate develops knowledge and skills in the basics of managing data and databases, knowledge management, and mining and visualizing data to obtain insights that inform decision-making. It will position you to enter the data analytics field.

Data Analytics Programming Certificate

The Data Analytics Programming graduate certificate develops knowledge and skills in statistically analyzing large data sets and interpreting the findings and relating them to business decisions. You will be ready to use important analysis programming tools such as R and Python, and tools for managing and analyzing data sets in the cloud. 

Why Seattle Pacific? 

From its inception in 1977, SPU’s School of Business, Government, and Economics has upheld an unwavering dedication to excellence ― quality faculty and curricula, values and ethics, and readying students to impact their professional and personal worlds.

  1. AACSB Accreditation

    Seattle Pacific was the first school of the nearly 100-member Council for Christian Colleges and Universities to achieve the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) distinction. AACSB International represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide — 5% of schools globally. As a member, we are part of a united movement to improve the quality of business education around the world, helping to develop the next generation of great leaders. Four out of five alumni from AACSB-accredited schools say their graduate management education contributes to improvements in their competitiveness, proactiveness, innovativeness, and creativity. Also, SPU is rated a Best On-Campus MBA Program and listed as a Best Business School in the West by The Princeton Review.

  2. Deep Ethics Emphasis

    Built on an ethical foundation, the School of Business, Government, and Economics offers first-class business education through the lens of Christian faith and values. Ethical issues are integrated throughout the curriculum, and the SBGE also operates the Center for Faithful Business. SBGE is one of the select few PRME Champion schools in the U.S.

  3. Flexible Format

    Classes are smaller, and students interact with professors and fellow students in a cooperative and reciprocal learning environment. Responsive and caring faculty encourage students to reach their goals. Our online and hybrid (evening) courses are designed to accommodate students’ work schedules, allowing them to pace their studies to fit their lives.

  4. Valuable Connections

    Students in business programs at SPU have moved on to purposeful careers at local companies and top industries or agencies, including Boeing, IBM, Safeco, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Back to top

Curriculum

Curriculum

View the individual certificates’ course requirements:

Corresponding master’s degrees

Certificate students may apply credits of certificate coursework toward a business graduate degree. Talk to a graduate admissions counselor to understand what credits of your certificate can apply to the graduate business degree to which you intend to apply. All admission requirements must be satisfied.

The certificates relate to the degrees as follows:

Corresponding master’s degrees

Certificate programs

MS-Data Analytics in Business

 

Data Analytics Basics
Responsible Leadership

 
Back to top

Costs

Tuition and Fees for 2024-25

money icon

$815

per credit

dollar icon

$50

application fee

See additional fee details.

textbook icon

9–12 credits

to complete

Finance your learning

Before applying for aid, you must first be admitted to a graduate program. Make sure you:

  • Enroll in at least 3 credits toward a business degree or eligible (12-credit) certificate each quarter.
  • Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.

SPU does not have a deadline for graduate financial aid, though earlier is always better than later! Learn more

Fees

Learn more about administrative, certification, and other program fees.

Back to top

Application Info

Admission requirements

Generally, you must have at least a 3.0 GPA in your undergraduate studies, and prior work experience. (Admission is not available for F-1 Visa applicants.)

Applicants must submit the following:

  • Online application and $50 application processing fee.
  • Current résumé as evidence of substantive work experience. You will need at least one year, continuous full-time, post-bachelor’s degree experience at the time of application. More is preferred. This is a significant factor in the admission decision process. Applicants with less than one year of post-baccalaureate professional work experience, but who have a 3.5 GPA, are eligible.
  • Official transcript(s) from colleges or universities attended. Include the transcript from the institution that granted your bachelor’s degree with the posted degree appearing on the transcript. Also send official transcript(s) for all institutions attended following your undergraduate degree, as well as any other schools where you earned credits that may be used to request waivers of foundations prerequisite courses.

Application Deadlines

The application for admission, application fee, and personal statement must be received by the dates listed below. Recommendation letters, official transcripts, and test scores must arrive before an admission decision can be made.

Quarter/Starting Month

Application Deadline

Autumn/September

August 1

Winter/January

November 1

Spring/March

February 1

Summer/June

May 1

 

International applicants are not eligible for these Business Certificates.

 

Questions?

For other questions, please check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

Back to top

International Applicants

Admission to the graduate certificates is available for students learning online from their home countries. (They are not available for F-1 visa applicants due to the full-time student enrollment visa requirement.)

International students are an important part of Seattle Pacific University, and a vibrant and active international population of students represent 32 different countries. Please consider applying to one of our business degree programs.

Back to top