The professional Certificate in Business Fundamentals requires 15 s.h. of credit. Students must earn a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.75 in certificate coursework.
The certificate is open to individuals with a desire to build core business knowledge and skills. Students who have completed this certificate may use its courses to fulfill degree requirements if admitted to the Iowa MBA Program as long as the courses are less than ten years old at the time of MBA conferral.
This certificate is designed to introduce students to the core principles of business. Coursework covers select disciplines within business—accounting, analytics, finance, managing organizations, marketing, and strategy. Students gain knowledge and develop skills that will immediately strengthen their performance as employees and managers. The certificate is comprised of Iowa MBA Program courses, allowing students to benefit from the same coursework and faculty members as MBA students.
Certificate courses are offered online and select courses may occasionally be offered in Des Moines at the John and Mary Pappajohn Education Center (JMPEC).
The Certificate in Business Fundamentals requires the following coursework.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| MBA:8110 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| MBA:8120 | Management in Organizations | 3 |
| MBA:8140 | Corporate Financial Reporting | 3 |
| MBA:8180 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| One of these: | ||
| MBA:8150 | Data and Decisions | 3 |
| or BAIS:9100 | Data and Decisions | |
| MBA:8300 | Foundations in Strategy | 3 |
If any required courses are waived, they must be replaced with another approved course from the list.
If two required courses are waived, the student should take all of the remaining courses from the list and choose between MBA:8160 Managerial Economics or MBA:8240 Operations and Supply Chain.
Certificate/Graduate Degrees
Students can pursue a professional Certificate in Business Fundamentals concurrently with their graduate degree. A separate application to each degree program is required. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the combined degree program.
With graduate program approval, students may count up to 9 s.h. from the professional certificate toward their graduate degree.
With approval from the professional certificate program, students may count up to 3 s.h. from any graduate degree program toward their certificate.
Students should contact their degree program and the certificate program to work out combined program details.
Admission decisions are based upon completed application materials, including academic performance and quality and quantity of work experience. For specific guidelines, view Certificate-Only Admissions on the Tippie College of Business website.
Applicants whose first language is not English must score at least 100 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or must have a successful admission interview. In place of the TOEFL, the certificate program accepts satisfactory International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. See English Requirements for MBA Admission on the Office of Admissions website.
Applications are accepted throughout the year; admission is for summer, fall, or spring entry.