The graduate/professional certificate in strategic innovation seeks to provide knowledge and skills to students around the development of innovative products, services, and processes within an existing organization. The certificate is available to all UW–Madison graduate-degree-seeking students (excluding University Special students).

A student who has completed this certificate will have good foundational skills in areas ranging from market assessment, research and development, and product design to intellectual property strategy and portfolio management.

Interested students should see the Certificate in Strategic Innovation website for specific information regarding declaring, withdrawing, or upon completion of the certificate. The Management and Human Resources Department will have the certificate noted on students' official university transcripts by the Office of the Registrar.
 

Before beginning any coursework, we suggest you consult with your faculty advisor (or, where appropriate, graduate program coordinator).

Note: The application for declaring your certificate must be completed prior to graduation. Your application automatically serves as a declaration of your intent to pursue the certificate. This declaration will become part of your academic record.

All Graduate School students must utilize the Graduate Student Portal in MyUW to add, change, or discontinue any certificate. To apply to this certificate please log in to MyUW, click on Graduate Student Portal, and then click on Add/Change Programs. The certificate coordinator will review your application for admittance, and reach out to you if there are any further questions.

See the program website linked within the Contact Information for details.

The 12-credit program draws upon strategy and related courses in the School of Business, but students may select approved, elective courses from a variety of schools and colleges across the university that deepen students’ capacity for:

• Analyzing new markets
• Managing research and product development processes in existing organizations
• Supporting organizational creativity
• Articulating innovative business models
• Identifying and appropriating the value of intellectual property
• Assessing society-level innovation systems

The certificate program offers foundational skills and knowledge appropriate for graduate students who anticipate working in dynamic organizations that depend on innovation to compete in the marketplace and/or use innovation to create value for society more broadly.

A student who has completed the certificate will be prepared to execute in-depth new product development plans for an existing organization or identify and evaluate innovation challenges in society.

1. Students will be able to recognize, evaluate, select and implement business opportunities emerging from technological solutions.
2. Students will be able to manage technological and innovative processes based on the understanding of industry and market trends.
3. Students will be able to make business decisions in an emerging technology industry context.
4. Students will be able to evaluate competitive advantage (or lack there of) stemming from technology.
5. Students will be able to develop understanding of strategies that firms use to appropriate value from technology.