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The Certificate in Business (CIB) program provides non-business students the opportunity to earn a concentration in a clearly defined academic program in business. The coursework allows students to develop a foundational understanding of business and apply this to their specific field, such as international studies or engineering. In addition to careers related to their own fields, students who earn the certificate have also found job opportunities in management, marketing, and other business fields.
How to Get in
The Certificate in Business (CIB) is open to undergraduate students declared in a major outside of the School of Business. To declare, students must have completed 24 credits in residence at UW-Madison or 12 credits in residence for transfer students and have earned a minimum GPA of 3.00.
To declare the CIB, complete the declaration form linked within the Contact Information box.
Requirements
To be eligible to declare students must meet the following requirements:
- 24 degree credits completed in residence at time of declaration (12 degree credits for transfer students)
- 3.00 minimum cumulative GPA at UW-Madison
- Currently enrolled UW–Madison student
- Undergraduate, degree-seeking student (non-business)
- Must be declared in a major at UW Madison
Admitted students will be charged a $150 tuition differential until degree completion/graduation. The tuition differential provides CIB students access to School of Business resources, including career coaches and academic advisors within the Undergraduate Program.
Requirements
The Certificate in Business (CIB) program consists of 18 credits (three core courses and an additional 9 credits of elective coursework). Students are also responsible for any pre-requisite courses needed for core or elective courses. Specific pre-requisites for each course can be found by clicking on the hyperlinked courses below or by searching for the course in Guide.
Students must take at least 12 of the 18 required credits in residence at UW–Madison. Study abroad courses taken through a UW–Madison-sponsored program will count toward the 12 credits in residence.
Students must maintain a 2.50 GPA in all CIB coursework.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| ACCT I S 300 | Accounting Principles 1 | 3 |
| or ACCT I S 100 | Introductory Financial Accounting | |
| or GEN BUS 310 | Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors | |
| GEN BUS 311 | Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors | 3 |
| or M H R 300 | Managing Organizations | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Finance | ||
| Marketing Management | ||
| Operations and Supply Chain Management | ||
| The Real Estate Process | ||
| Principles of Risk Management | ||
| CIB Elective Coursework | ||
| Elective courses must be School of Business courses (ACCT I S, ACT SCI, FINANCE, GEN BUS, INFO SYS, INTL BUS, M H R, MARKETNG, OTM, REAL EST, or R M I) or courses cross-listed with the School of Business. Courses taken at another institution must be directly equivalent to a UW-Madison business course and title (i.e., not elective credit). | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Note: Due to pre-requisites for some of the required courses, total credits to complete the Certificate in Business may be more than 18.
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Students are strongly encouraged to take GEN BUS 310 or ACCT I S 300, unless ACCT I S 100 is required by their major. Please note, however, that ACCT I S 100 is a requirement for many other upper-level accounting and finance courses, including FINANCE/ECON 300. Students planning to take additional accounting or finance courses should consult with the CIB advisor.
Exclusions
The following courses may not be used to satisfy the CIB Elective Coursework requirement:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN BUS 110 | Personal and Professional Foundations in Business | 1 |
| GEN BUS 310 | Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors | 3 |
| GEN BUS 311 | Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors | 3 |
| GEN BUS 360 | Workplace Writing and Communication | 3 |
| GEN BUS 400 | Integrated Strategic Leadership | 3 |
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply accounting principles to develop decision-useful accounting information that supports implementation of organizational strategy.
- Know and be able to illustrate how organizational success is a function of strategy, organizational culture, human resource management, leadership, teams, structure, managing change, and entrepreneurship.
- Identify and describe basic business strategy and processes through variable course options and focus areas including marketing, real estate, risk management, operations and supply chain management, finance, and other key areas in business
Advising and Careers
Students admitted to the Certificate in Business (CIB) will be assigned to the Business Certificate Advising and Career committees. Further information can be found on the School of Business website.