Clarke University and UWP Online Partnership to Offer Advanced Certificate in Project Management

posted on May 27, 2010

College of Wisconsin-Platteville Online students in the Master of Science in Project Management (MSPM) Program might soon have some new classmates. A recent agreement between UWP and Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa, will provide Clarke’s Master in Business Administration students interested in project management with the opportunity to earn an academic certificate in project management in conjunction with their MBA. The certificate requires six credits in advanced project management (PM) courses and an additional three credits in quality management coursework.

The partnership, which developed over several years, will provide industry-needed skills for MBA students, as well as diverse and fresh business perspectives from current MBA students to PM classrooms.

“Clarke College has a very progressive MBA program,” said Bill Haskins, MSPM program coordinator. “Clarke’s MBA program currently has a project management survey course available – which has been taught by UWP faculty – and their students are hungry for more. These new students can bring current research and cutting edge business knowledge to class discussions that others might not have.”

The certificate is available only to Clarke College MBA students who want to earn the additional credential. The UWP PM certificate will be available to Clarke students in the fall of 2010.

“This certification will give students the basic knowledge, tools and techniques for analyzing contemporary business practices,” said Wanda Ryan, director of graduate business at Clarke College. “In industry today, the responsibility for project management belongs to every level of the organization. Project management knowledge enhances the student’s critical thinking skills and strengthens their ability to assess, plan, implement and communicate necessary changes within their specific business environment.”

Clarke’s MBA program started as a Master of Science in Management degree in 1997 and shifted its focus to business administration in 2004. The program graduates about 20 students annually.

UWP’s MSPM program, started in 1999, was the first degree offered completely online at the College and graduates around 40 students annually.

The core courses for the MSPM degree are focused on management or communication. UWP’s project management courses are integrated to build on topics from related courses. Core courses in Clarke’s MBA program focus on management practices with electives that specialize in specific business functions such as finance, human resources and general business.

“Together, the PM certificate and MBA will provide a high-quality product and immediately useful skills for these students,” added Haskins.

For more information about the certificate or Clarke College’s Master of Business Administration Program, call (563)588-6635 or e-mail graduate@clarke.edu.

For more information about UWP Online, call (608)342-1468 or (800)362-5460, or visit www.uwplatt.edu/disted.