Professional & Continuing Studies


A Career-boosting Business Credential

  • Become familiar with the fundamentals of business
  • Earn a credential to advance your career
  • Build a valuable toolbox of business skills
  • Complete the program fully online or through a combination of online/on-campus coursework
  • Earn University of Delaware college credits

The Importance of Business Skills

In almost every field or career, successful professionals are expected to know the fundamentals of accounting, finance, economics and management. Being a highly effective employee requires an understanding of the basic disciplines of business. Increasingly, employers expect their hires to hit the ground running, and this means a knowledge of economic concepts, familiarity with the vocabulary and standard procedures of business transactions, and financial and budgeting savvy. Without this background, you may be missing the fundamental knowledge you need to get the job you want or move ahead in your chosen field.

Who should consider the Certificate of Business Essentials?

  • UD students with majors outside the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics who would like to earn a business-related certificate to complement their bachelor’s degree
  • Returning adult students or working professionals who are interested in building their business credentials

Online/On-campus Program

Please follow this link to the State Authorization page if you are enrolling from outside the state of DelawareYou can complete the Certificate of Business Essentials through online or a combination of online and classroom courses. Online study offers a flexible solution for students who wish to continue their education but whose schedule, geographic location or personal responsibilities make attending in-person classes difficult. At least one course in the certificate will be scheduled each term, including Summer Session and Winter Session. In-classroom sections will be held on the University’s Newark campus.

The Certificate of Business Essentials provides a solid foundation in four specific areas of business knowledge—accounting, finance, economics and management—and exposes professionals from various fields to the primary principles and vocabulary of business.

To earn the certificate, participants must successfully complete the four required courses with a grade of C- or better. Students may take all courses online, or they may take some campus courses.

Click here to search for upcoming offerings of these courses.

Courses are listed in recommended sequence:

  • ECON100 Economic Issues and Policies
    Takes a non-technical approach to basic economics. Applies economics concepts to contemporary issues, problems and policies. Covers topics in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. This requirement may also be met by taking both ECON101 and ECON103.
  • BUAD100 Introduction to Business (Offered online only)
    Survey of basic business concepts. Topics covered include understanding the business environment, management and organizational behavior, marketing, and operations management, with coverage of international business and business ethics. This requirement may also be met by taking all three of the following courses: BUAD301, BUAD306, BUAD309.
  • ACCT200 Survey of Accounting
    Survey of financial and managerial accounting concepts. Students learn about financial statements for merchandising, manufacturing and service companies. Topics include: accounting cycle, budgeting, standard costing, contribution margins, cost-volume-profit analysis and decision making. This requirement may also be met by taking both ACCT207 and ACCT208.
  • FINC200 Fundamentals of Finance
    Provides an overview of the role of finance within a business organization. Topics include financial statement analysis, time value of money, capital budgeting, valuation and the cost of capital. This requirement may also be met by taking FINC311.

Application procedure

Applications to the certificate program are reviewed on a rolling basis year-round. The application process is different for current matriculated UD students than for other applicants. Please review the directions below. 

Current matriculated (admitted) UD students

Matriculated UD students may apply at any time. Please use the Change of Major/Minor Form to apply.

Students should meet with their advisors prior to applying to determine how these credits will be allocated toward their degree program.

Current University of Delaware students with majors in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics are not eligible for this program.

All other applicants

Please submit the application form below. Applicants who are not current University of Delaware students should submit transcripts of coursework completed at other accredited colleges and universities (if applicable) to access-advise@udel.edu.

Certificate completion

The Certificate of Business Essentials will be awarded to students who have successfully completed the outlined courses and have a grade of C- or better in each course.

Matriculated, degree-seeking students will receive a notation on their final transcript noting completion of the certificate upon graduation. No physical certificate is given to these students.

Non-degree students will also receive a notation on their UD transcript upon completion of the certificate coursework. If a physical certificate is also desired, students should submit the Request for Certificate form below within two months of completing their final course in the program.

Tuition

Tuition for all courses in the certificate is charged at published University of Delaware undergraduate credit tuition rates.

Registering for courses

Students must register individually for each of the certificate program’s required courses. Click here for registration procedures.

Financial assistance

Limited financial assistance may be available to Continuing Education (non-matriculated) students accepted into this program.

Schedule and location

You can complete the Certificate of Business Essentials online or through a combination of online and campus courses. At least one course in the certificate will be scheduled each term, including Summer Session and Winter Session. In-person sections will be held on the University’s Newark campus.

  • ECON100 Economic Issues and Policies
  • ACCT200 Survey of Accounting
  • BUAD100 Introduction to Business (offered online only)
  • FINC200 Fundamentals of Finance
  • To view upcoming offerings of the required courses (online or in person):

About UD Online courses

Online study offers a flexible solution for students who wish to continue their education but whose schedule, geographic location or personal responsibilities make attending classes in person difficult. Students may take all of the courses online or through a combination of online and campus courses to meet the certificate requirements. Online study means the class is accessible to you whenever and wherever needed—at home, in the workplace, even while traveling. Internet and communications technology allows real-time communication between faculty and students via email and chat rooms. Countless study resources and online library materials can be available 24 hours a day. Click here for more details about online learning.

Grading policy

Courses are graded using the University’s A-F standard grading scale. To earn the certificate, courses require a final grade of C- or better.

Textbooks

Required texts are available through the University’s bookstore, either at the Newark location or online. Click here for more details about obtaining textbooks.

Faculty

All courses are taught by University of Delaware faculty.

Time to complete

The Certificate of Business Essentials can be completed in one year.