Need to expand your skills? Indiana Tech has a new online certificate program for adults

As employers' needs in the job market change, the industry of higher education is challenged with evolving its education system to meet these needs. 

A new online certificate program at Indiana Tech is aimed at doing just that, offering working adults who already have bachelor’s degrees ways to advance professionally while catering to employers’ growing desires for specific skills.

Engelhart say Indiana Tech is evolving with the times with the introduction of its certificate program. According to Indiana Tech's Vice President of Marketing and Communications Brian Engelhart, this new program is a natural progression. The school's adult education and online studies program is already robust, with about 8,000 students enrolled annually who are pursuing undergraduate degrees.

But what about those who already hold bachelor’s degrees and want to learn more? That’s where the new certificate program comes into play. 

Engelhart says the university was intentional in the program's focus areas, which will include: Health Care Administration, Human Resources Management, Management, Marketing, and Project Management. Students may pursue one or several of these areas and even earn credits toward an MBA.

“We think (these areas) have a wide appeal and not just with students but also with employers,” Engelhart says. “Some of our corporate partners are looking to provide knowledge/skills and we have people (interested in) looking to dive into these areas further.”

The online modality, flexible, scheduling, and manageable workloads are key components of the program's success, Engelhart explains. Students can take the five online courses required to complete the certificate year-round, whenever it best fits into their current personal and professional schedules. 

Engelhart says that this shows how Indiana Tech is moving with the times, as a lot of higher education institutions are looking at non-degree ways for students to advance their educations. What makes Tech’s approach unique, he says, is that its certificates will be credit-bearing, and therefore, also hold value as potential pathways to a degree. 

Every graduate certificate course at Indiana Tech can be applied toward the school's MBA program. Certificates provide students with 15 total graduate credits, nearly half of the required 36 credits required to earn a master’s degree. This way, students can quickly and seamlessly complete their degree, if they choose.

By offering more non-traditional educational opportunities like certificates, Indiana Tech is tapping into a larger national trend among higher education institutions. A post by Georgetown University explains that as the nation and the world evolve in the global economy, evolving higher education to match these needs is key to a university's ongoing success.

“Those universities that are most able to confront these challenges—by expanding their missions, reaching out to 'nontraditional' students, and partnering with other institutions here and abroad—will be the most successful,” it reports.

Apply to Indiana Tech

Every certificate program course at Indiana Tech qualifies for financial aid like other college courses. Visit indianatech.edu/certificates for more information and to apply.