Program Overview: Executive Graduate Certificate Programs
Majors Overview May 2, 2015Get information about executive graduate certificate programs and their education requirements, coursework, and career choices.
Information Executive Graduate Certificate Programs
Schools offer various graduate certificate programs, ranging from library management to real estate finance. Requirements vary by program, but common criteria require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree, while applicants to many programs need a master’s degree in a relevant field.
It takes less than a year to complete most certificate programs. With their orientation toward helping working professionals, many programs include online, evening, or weekend classes. With an executive graduate certificate, a professional can seek certifications to help qualify for higher-level managerial positions.
Executive Graduate Certificate Programs in Real Estate Finance
Students enrolled in the executive graduate certificate in real estate finance are armed with the knowledge of property-based income production, decision-making, and financial structures that they need to seek a real estate management position. In order to facilitate working professionals, schools often offer the classes on a flexible schedule that potentially includes online, weekend, and evening coursework. Students typically need 15–18 credit hours — spanning about a year — to complete the program.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree; some programs require them to hold a graduate degree. Before they get into the program, students may need two years of real estate work experience; they must also be fluent in English. Schools may also have other requirements, such as submission of a personal statement essay, letters of recommendation, and a resume.
Coursework
Valuation, risk analysis, budgeting, investment, and finance are concepts included among coursework. Core coursework may include topic areas such as the following:
•Managerial economics
•Regulatory real estate law
•Real estate capital markets
•Managerial finance
•Entrepreneurship
•Financial accounting
•Real estate analysis
Career Choices
Already licensed real estate agents are among those that typically pursue this certificate program. After they complete the program, these agents may seek higher-level management positions. Senior-level real estate agents may perform duties in asset management, property management, and site management.
Executive Graduate Certificate Programs in Library Management
It typically takes students about 15 credit hours to complete an executive graduate certificate in library management, wherein students can gain organizational management skills for operating a private or public library. Typically, only students who already possess a master’s degree in a field related to information or library science may pursue this certificate.
Coursework
Coursework includes a range of topics, such as advanced aspects of library services and management essentials. Core coursework may include topic areas such as:
•Library source evaluation
•Human resource management
•Practical applications of information science
•Budgeting
•Public management
•Public finance
•Community leadership
Career Choices
The completion of this executive graduate certificate may qualify librarians for administrative careers within a library. They may seek positions such as chief information officer, department head, assistant library director, or library director. Over the 2012 – 2022 decade, job growth rates of 11% have been predicted for top executives, such as chief information officers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2012, chief executives brought in an average annual wage of $101,650 (BLS).
