Specialize with a certificate

Stand out and sharpen your expertise—add a certificate as part of your master's degree program. Dive into specialized subjects and boost your resume. Explore these options and requirements, including how and when to apply.

Explore your certificate options

Certificates can be interwoven with MBA coursework, so with careful planning you don't need to take any extra courses. For MSBA and MSFIN students, completing a certificate may require additional coursework, depending on the certificate earned. Ultimately, certificate course credits count toward the required core and/or elective courses for your primary degree, allowing you to concentrate on your area(s) of interest.

Since courses are delivered through Tippie Graduate and Professional Programs, tuition per class is the same.* These certificates have no separate admissions criteria for Iowa MBA, Part-time MSBA, and Part-time MSFIN students.* 

Notify your advisor that you would like to have the certificate(s) added to your student record and they will appear on your transcript as a certificate.

*As an exception, the Healthcare Management Certificate is offered through the College of Public Health and requires separate admission and different tuition. See details below.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Certificate

Develop cutting-edge knowledge of emerging technologies that will impact business today and in the future. Add an AI and Machine Learning Certificate to your master’s degree, or as a standalone credential, to show employers you’re serious about using AI and machine learning to analyze data and solve real-world problems

This graduate certificate will serve as an enhancement for current online Part-time Business Analytics students who want to focus their courses in AI and Machine Learning, a skillset in high demand. Be sure to declare this certificate prior to your last class as it must be earned in the semester you complete the final requirement.

Required course: 

  • BAIS:6250 Applied Deep Learning
    (prereqs: {MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100}, BAIS:6040, and BAIS:6070)

Elective courses (select three):

  • BAIS:6100 Text Analytics  
    (prerequisites: BAIS:6040 and BAIS:6070)
  • BAIS:6105 Social Analytics 
    (prerequisites: BAIS:6040 and BAIS:6070)
  • BAIS:6130 Applied Optimization  
    (prerequisite: {MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100} and BAIS:6040)
  • BAIS:6260 Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)  
    (prerequisite: {MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100}, BAIS:6040, BAIS:6070, and BAIS:6250)
  • FIN:9160 Quantitative Finance and Machine Learning 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Technology Management Certificate

The professional certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Technology Management equips working professional students to lead in tech-driven environments, focusing on the intersection of technology and management. Through this certificate, students will learn to leverage AI and other technology to gain competitive advantages and improve business practices. 

Required courses:

  • BAIS:6210 Data Leadership and Management
  • BAIS:6240 Value Creation Using AI  

Elective courses (select two):

  • BAIS:9140 Agile Project Management
  • MBA:8430 Communication with AI and Business Technology
  • BAIS:6280 Cybersecurity
  • ECON:9100 Digital Economics  
    (prerequisite: MBA:8160)
  • MGMT:9170 Human Resources Analytics 
    (prerequisite: MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100)
  • MGMT:9185 Project Management
  • ENTR:9450 Strategic Management of Tech and Innovation
  • BAIS:9300 Innovation in Technology (Innovation in Technology is no longer offered. If you've previously completed this course, it may count as an elective toward the certificate.)

Business Analytics Certificate

This graduate certificate has five required courses; be sure to declare this certificate prior to your last class as it must be earned in the semester you complete the final requirement. These courses can count toward the Master's in Business Analytics should you choose to pursue that degree later.

Required courses:

  • MBA:8150 Data and Decisions (Previously also offered under BAIS:9100)
  • BAIS:6050 Data Management
  • BAIS:6040 Data Programming in Python
  • BAIS:6070 Data Science (prerequisites: {MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100} and BAIS:6040)
  • BAIS:9110 Advanced Analytics (prerequisite: MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100)

For students who waive a core course, BAIS:6140 Visual Analytics will be required in its place if the certificate is added in Fall 2024 or later.

Business Communication Certificate

These four courses comprise the complete Business Communications Certificate. 

Required course:

  • MBA:8130 Business Communication

Elective courses (select three):

  • MBA:8430 Communication with AI and Business Technology
  • MBA:9130 Leadership Communication and Story
  • Either MGMT:9110 Dynamics of Negotiations OR MGMT:9230 Managing and Preventing Conflict

Corporate Finance Certificate

Required courses:

  1. MBA:8140 Corporate Financial Reporting*
  2. MBA:8180 Managerial Finance*
  3. FIN:9300 Corporate Finance (previously Corporate Investment and Finance Decisions)
  4. FIN:9310 Advanced Corporate Finance (Prerequisites: FIN:9300 and MBA:8180 / previously Corporate Financial Strategy)

Note: Course 2 needs to be taken before courses 3 and 4.

* If you're waived from one of these courses, you'll take FIN:9150 Financial Modeling & Firm Valuation in its place. If both courses are waived, you'll also take FIN:9230 Real Estate Finance & Investments.

Finance Certificate

Required courses:

  • MBA:8180 Managerial Finance*
  • FIN:9200 Portfolio Management
  • FIN:9300 Corporate Finance (previously Corporate Investment and Finance Decisions)

* If this course is waived, you'll take another approved elective from the list below in its place.

Elective courses (select one):

Finance electives (except FIN:9160) require you to complete MBA:8180 Managerial Finance first.

  • FIN:9310 Advanced Corporate Finance (Prerequisites: FIN:9300 in addition to MBA:8180 / previously Corporate Financial Strategy)
  • FIN:9130 Corporate Risk Management and Insurance
  • FIN:9210 Derivatives (Prerequisites: FIN:9200 in addition to MBA:8180)
  • FIN:9140 Enterprise Risk Management
  • FIN:9150 Financial Modeling and Firm Valuation
  • FIN:9160 Quantitative Finance and Machine Learning (No prerequisite required)
  • FIN:9230 Real Estate Finance and Investments
  • FIN:9350 Wealth Management
  • ENTR:9200 Entrepreneurial Finance (Prerequisite: MBA:8140)

Financial Decision-Making Certificate

Required courses:

  • MBA:8140 Corporate Financial Reporting*
  • MBA:8150 Data and Decisions* (previously also offered under BAIS:9100)
  • ACCT:9040 Financial Statement Analysis and Forecasting

* If either of these two courses are waived, you'll take another approved elective from the list below in its place.

Elective course (select one):

  • MGMT:9185 Project Management
  • FIN:9300 Corporate Finance (prerequisite: MBA:8180; previously Corporate Investment and Finance Decisions)
  • FIN:9310 Advanced Corporate Finance (prerequisites: MBA:8180 and FIN:9300; previously Corporate Financial Strategy)

If you are taking the certificate on its own and not as part of the Iowa MBA, please note some electives have additional pre-reqs that must be satisfied.

Healthcare Management Certificate (offered through the College of Public Health)

This certificate is offered through the College of Public Health and a separate application is required. Courses for the Healthcare Management Certificate are offered online and tuition is different because courses are not delivered through the Iowa MBA Program. 

The next admissions cycle for this certificate will be for the Fall 2026 semester.

The following courses are required in the order listed.

  • HMP:5200 Healthcare Management
  • HMP:5610 Health Policy
  • HMP:6355 Leadership in Healthcare Organizations
  • HMP:6410 Healthcare Financial Management (you'll need to complete MBA:8140 Corporate Financial Reporting first)

Innovation Certificate

Required courses:

  • ENTR:9100 Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • ENTR:9450 Strategic Management of Technology & Innovation
  • ENTR:9200 Entrepreneurial Finance

Elective courses (select one):

  • MBA:8320 Strategic Business Growth/ENTR:9500 Managing the Growth Business
  • MGMT:9220 Maximizing Team Performance
  • ENTR:9300 Design Thinking (Design Thinking is no longer offered. If you've previously completed this course, it may count as an elective toward the certificate.)

Note: If ENTR:9100 Entrepreneurship and Innovation is waived, replace with one of the other certificate elective choices.

Investment Management Certificate

Required courses:

  • MBA:8180 Managerial Finance*

  • FIN:9200 Portfolio Management

    * If this course is waived, you'll take another approved elective from the list below in its place.

Elective courses (select two):
All finance electives (except FIN:9160) require you to complete MBA:8180 Managerial Finance first.

  • FIN:9210 Derivatives (Prerequisites: FIN:9200 and MBA:8180)
  • FIN:9150 Financial Modeling and Firm Valuation
  • FIN:9160 Quantitative Finance and Machine Learning (No prerequisite required)
  • FIN:9230 Real Estate Finance and Investments
  • FIN:9350 Wealth Management

Leadership Certificate

Two required courses plus three electives to give you insights into how to effectively lead and motivate teams.

Required courses:

  • MGMT:9120 Leadership and Personal Development
  • MBA:8120 Management in Organizations

Elective courses (select three):

  • MGMT:9091 Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability
  • MGMT:9110 Dynamics of Negotiations
  • MGMT:9170 Human Resources Analytics (Prerequisite: MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100)
  • MGMT:9210 Law and Ethics
  • MGMT:9230 Managing and Preventing Conflict
  • MGMT:9250 Managing Employee Performance
  • MGMT:9320 Managing in a Global Environment (launching Spring 2027)
  • MGMT:9220 Maximizing Team Performance
  • MGMT:9185 Project Management
  • MGMT:9130 Strategic Management of Change
  • Either MBA:9130 Leadership Communication and Story OR MBA:8130 Business Communication*
    • *Effective Fall 2024: If you add the Leadership Certificate as a program of study, MBA:8130 Business Communication will no longer be an approved elective for this certificate.
  • MGMT:9240 Inclusive Leadership (Inclusive Leadership is no longer offered. If you've previously completed this course, it may count as an elective toward the certificate.)

Note: If you waive MBA:8120 Management in Organizations based on prior undergraduate or graduate management coursework, you'll need to complete an additional elective in its place to earn the certificate. 

MSW students: May substitute 3 semester hours of elective with the following: SSW:6400 or SSW:7430.

PharmD students: May substitute 3 semester hours of elective with the following: PHAR:8509, PHAR:8721, PHAR:8724, and/or PHAR:8790.

Marketing Certificate

Required course:

  • MBA:8110 Marketing Management

Elective courses (select three):

All Marketing courses (except MKTG:9310) require you to complete MBA:8110 Marketing Management first.*

  • MKTG:9370 Customer Experience
  • MKTG:9155 Digital Marketing Insights, Strategies and Applications
  • MKTG:9310 Marketing Analytics* (pre-req: {MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100}, not MBA:8110)
  • MKTG:9350 Marketing Communication and Promotions
  • MKTG:9330 Product and Portfolio Strategy
  • MKTG:9015 Social Media Marketing for Business
  • MKTG:9320 Strategic Brand Positioning

Note: If you waive MBA:8110 Marketing Management based on prior undergraduate or graduate marketing coursework, you’ll need to complete an additional elective course to earn the certificate. 

Operations Certificate

Current students: This new certificate can be added as a program of study by your advisor at the start of the Fall 2026 semester (August 24, 2026).

Required courses:

  • MBA:8150 Data and Decisions (previously also offered under BAIS:9100)
  • MBA:8240 Operations and Supply Chain 

Elective courses (select two):

  • BAIS:6130 Applied Optimization (prerequisites: {MBA:8150 or BAIS:9100} and BAIS:6040)
  • Either BAIS:9140 Agile Project Management OR MGMT:9185 Project Management
  • ACCT:9020 Strategic Cost Analysis (prerequisite: MBA:8140)
  • BAIS:9120 Managing the Supply Chain (prerequisite: MBA:8240, available in-person in Italy through CIMBA)
  • ISE:5350 Logistics and Data Management (Offered by College of Engineering)

 

Responsible Resource Management Certificate

Required courses:

  • MBA:8140 Corporate Financial Reporting*
  • ACCT:9020 Strategic Cost Analysis
  • MGMT:9091 Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

* If this course is waived, you'll take another approved elective from the list below in its place.

Elective courses (select one):

  • BAIS:6050 Data Management
  • BAIS:6280 Cybersecurity
  • FIN:9140 Enterprise Risk Management
  • MBA:8240 Operations and Supply Chain
  • MGMT:9250 Managing Employee Performance
  • MBA:8320 Strategic Business Growth

Risk Management & Insurance Certificate

Required courses:

  1. MBA:8140 Corporate Financial Reporting*
  2. MBA:8180 Managerial Finance*
  3. FIN:9130 Corporate Risk Management and Insurance
  4. FIN:9140 Enterprise Risk Management

* If either of these courses are waived, you'll choose from the following to take its place: FIN:9150 Financial Modeling & Firm Valuation; FIN:9230 Real Estate Finance & Investment; FIN:9300 Corporate Investment and Finance Decisions; ACCT:9040 Financial Statement Analysis & Forecasting, or MGMT:9110 Dynamics of Negotiations.

Strategy Certificate

Take four courses to earn your certificate—two required courses plus two electives. Courses with an asterisk (*) require prerequisites. 

Required courses:

  • MBA:8300 Foundations in Strategy
  • MBA:9300 Strategy in Action*

Elective courses (select two):

  • Either MBA:8310 Business Integration* OR MBA:8320 Strategic Business Growth*
  • Either ENTR:9450 Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation OR ENTR:9100 Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • MBA:8500 Seminar in International Business, also known as Global Learning Opportunities (GLO)
  • MKTG:9320 Strategic Brand Positioning*

When and how to apply

Planning ahead is important when you're seeking a certificate. The requirements can seem complex, so talk to your academic advisor to ensure your plan of study is in alignment.

There are no admissions criteria for certificates offered through Tippie for Iowa MBA, Part-time Master of Business Analytics (MSBA) or Part-time Master of Finance (MSFIN) students, but you do need to notify us of your intentions in order to ensure the certificate(s) appear on your transcript.

Timing

You must notify us of your intention to earn a certificate prior to degree conferral application deadlines. These deadlines are typically mid-February for spring, June for summer, and September for fall.  Late notification of your intention to earn a certificate could result in late fees. 

Additionally, the Graduate College requires that the Business Analytics and AI & Machine Learning Certificates be conferred in the semester in which the final course is taken and cannot be conferred retroactively (i.e. the next semester, even if you're taking Iowa MBA, Business Analytics or Finance courses at that time).

How to request

To have the certificate added to your transcript, just email your academic advisor.

Policies

Current Iowa MBA, Part-time MSBA, and Part-time MSFIN students can pursue multiple certificates at the same time. A 2.75 GPA or better for all certificate courses is needed for successful completion of the certificate.