Advance Your Skills. On Your Schedule.
Earn a flexible, career-relevant certificate from the Carson College of Business. For busy professionals and emerging leaders, our fully online programs help you build valuable skills, stand out in your role, and grow toward what’s next.
Explore CertificatesWhy Choose WSU Carson College of Business Certificates?
Modular + Stackable Design
Each certificate is composed of short, self-paced modules (five to six hours each) that you can take individually or combine into a full credential. This structure lets you build your skills gradually, without pausing your job or putting your life on hold.
Career-Focused Skills
Topics are grounded in real workplace challenges and developed with insights from regional employers and experienced faculty. From finance and accounting to management and marketing, you’ll gain skills you can apply in your role right away.
Flexible Delivery Modules
You can learn on your schedule, from anywhere, without commuting or login times. Courses are 100% online, fully asynchronous, and designed for working professionals, making them accessible across locations, schedules, and job types.
Employer Sponsorship Options
If your employer offers professional development benefits or internal training programs, these certificates can fit right into your organization’s L&D strategies. Our team can work with them to support tuition sponsorship, cohort participation, or custom learning paths.
University-Backed Credentials
With respected WSU faculty, industry-relevant skills, and credentials you can share on LinkedIn, these certificates offer real impact—without the time or cost of a full degree. Whether you’re building confidence in a new area or preparing for your next step, your learning pays off.
Program Overview
If you’re looking to grow your skills or advance in your current role, the right learning opportunity should meet you where you are—without requiring a full degree or time away from work.
Washington State University’s Carson College of Business offers fully online, non-credit certificates designed for professionals like you. These short, flexible programs help you develop practical business skills, whether you aim to improve on financial planning, lead with clarity, or explore a new business area. These offerings reflect our land-grant mission: to provide practical education that makes an immediate difference in real communities and workplaces.
Each certificate includes five self-paced modules built around the skills employers look for.
Available certificates
Accounting
Finance
Management
Marketing
Available Certificates
Accounting Certificate
Designed for professionals seeking to interpret financial data and understand how it informs business decisions. This certificate covers accounting fundamentals such as financial statements, internal controls, and capital budgeting. Learners will also explore topics like fraud detection, inventory management, and depreciation through real-world examples.
Length: Five online modules (five to six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced
Skills Gained: Analytical thinking, cost analysis, budgeting, fraud detection, short- and long-term financial decision-making
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: Joe Cho
Finance Certificate
This certificate prepares professionals to evaluate financial health, assess risk, and make informed investment decisions. It blends core financial concepts, such as the time value of money and ratio analysis, with applied tools like net present value modeling and working capital management. Ideal for anyone who contributes to budgeting, planning, or strategic growth.
Length: Five online modules (five to six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced to support flexible learning
Skills Gained: Risk evaluation, net present value modeling, ROI assessment, financial planning
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: DJ Fairhurst
Management Certificate
Focused on practical leadership, this certificate helps professionals lead inclusive teams, communicate effectively, and navigate real-world challenges such as conflict and change. Learners explore how to foster trust, run effective meetings, and make ethical decisions, equipping them to contribute as thoughtful and capable leaders.
Length: Five online modules (five to six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced to support flexible learning
Skills Gained: Leading with empathy, facilitating collaboration, making sound and ethical management decisions
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: Tom Tripp
Marketing Certificate
Ideal for professionals across industries, this certificate covers essential marketing skills, including consumer behavior, digital strategy, and brand management. It helps professionals explore how organizations create, communicate, and sustain customer value through thoughtful strategy and execution. Modules are designed to help learners build customer insights and support organizational growth.
Length: Five online modules (five to six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced to support flexible learning
Skills Gained: Strategic thinking, market insight, brand positioning, digital engagement
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: Roberto Bello
Accounting Certificate
Designed for professionals seeking to interpret financial data and understand how it informs business decisions. This certificate covers accounting fundamentals such as financial statements, internal controls, and capital budgeting. Learners will also explore topics like fraud detection, inventory management, and depreciation through real-world examples.
Length: Five online modules (five–six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced
Skills Gained: Analytical thinking, cost analysis, budgeting, fraud detection, short- and long-term financial decision-making
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: Joe Cho
Finance Certificate
This certificate prepares professionals to evaluate financial health, assess risk, and make informed investment decisions. It blends core financial concepts, such as the time value of money and ratio analysis, with applied tools like net present value modeling and working capital management. Ideal for anyone who contributes to budgeting, planning, or strategic growth.
Length: Five online modules (five–six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced to support flexible learning
Skills Gained: Risk evaluation, net present value modeling, ROI assessment, financial planning
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: DJ Fairhurst
Management Certificate
Focused on practical leadership, this certificate helps professionals lead inclusive teams, communicate effectively, and navigate real-world challenges such as conflict and change. Learners explore how to foster trust, run effective meetings, and make ethical decisions, equipping them to contribute as thoughtful and capable leaders.
Length: Five online modules (five–six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced to support flexible learning
Skills Gained: Leading with empathy, facilitating collaboration, making sound and ethical management decisions
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: Tom Tripp
Marketing Certificate
Ideal for professionals across industries, this certificate covers essential marketing skills, including consumer behavior, digital strategy, and brand management. It helps professionals explore how organizations create, communicate, and sustain customer value through thoughtful strategy and execution. Modules are designed to help learners build customer insights and support organizational growth.
Length: Five online modules (five–six hours each)
Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced to support flexible learning
Skills Gained: Strategic thinking, market insight, brand positioning, digital engagement
Recognition: Shareable digital badges earned per module; full certificate awarded upon completion
Faculty lead: Roberto Bello
How It Works
Our certificate programs are designed to fit into your life, so you can keep learning without pressing pause on your career.
Fully asynchronous
Learn on your own time with no required live sessions. Complete each module at a time that works best for you: before work, after hours, or on weekends.
Built for working professionals
Most learners spend about five to six hours on each module, although you can adjust your pace according to your schedule and goals.
Finish on your timeline
Most learners complete the full program in about 25–30 hours. You can take breaks between modules or move through them continuously. It’s up to you.
Support for Your Success
At the Carson College of Business, each course is shaped by industry insights and developed by expert faculty who design clear, practical materials to guide you through the content.
While the programs are entirely self-paced and asynchronous, the structure is built to support steady progress. You’ll have access to organized learning modules, real-world case studies, 24/7 technical support, and faculty-developed resources, making the experience approachable and purposeful.
The Carson Certificate Programs offer an employer-aligned curriculum, ensuring the content is relevant for today’s business environment. You’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with managers and colleagues to discuss concepts and the practical application of the material you study.
Funding Your Certificate
Investing in your professional growth is always a smart move, and your employer may be able to help. Many organizations offer professional development benefits or tuition support for learning programs that build practical, job-relevant skills. Carson’s certificate programs are designed with today’s business needs in mind, making them a strong fit for employer sponsorship.
Each program was built based on input from more than 260 companies across the country, featuring specialized content that addresses real-world workplace needs.
Tips for requesting employer support:
- Focus on the value: Each certificate builds skills that can be applied immediately and directly in your current role.
- Mention the format: All programs are 100% online, self-paced, and easy to complete alongside work.
- Share the credibility: You’ll earn a credential from a nationally recognized business school.
Not sure how to start the conversation? We recommend highlighting how the program supports your team’s goals and offering to share what you learn along the way with other team members.
FAQ
No specific degree, business background, or formal prerequisites are required. These certificates are built to serve professionals with a range of educational and work experiences, including those looking to expand into new functions or leadership roles.
The certificates are ideal for early- to mid-career professionals looking to build core business competencies. They’re especially useful for employees stepping into new leadership roles, shifting into cross-functional work, or expanding beyond their area of formal education.
No. You don’t need a business degree or any specific background to enroll. Carson’s certificates are designed for professionals from all industries and educational paths. Whether you’re new to business concepts or building on prior experience, the modules are approachable, practical, and designed to help you grow from wherever you are.
You can register directly through our online platform. Each program is self-paced and non-credit, so no formal application, transcripts, or admissions process is required. If your employer is sponsoring your enrollment, we recommend contacting your HR or L&D team to coordinate the next steps.