Classes & certificates

Four classes and an applied learning review. Gain insights and explore contemporary best practices in project management to build the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to effectively lead projects. Classes and learning review must be completed within a two-year period.

In this 6-hour self-paced online course learners will discover tips, techniques and tools used by successful nonprofit organizations and universities to raise money.

Stand out with strong communication skills. This flexible certificate builds your confidence, clarity and credibility. Designed for leaders and managers, this program empowers you to lead impactful conversations, strengthen your team and drive results through effective communication.

Get a deep knowledge and effective tools that mid-level functional and technical managers need to lead within their immediate areas of responsibility and impact the success of their wider organizations. The certificate consists of seven required courses. Take up to three years to complete this certificate.

This human-centered leadership training certificate consists of coursework designed for leaders and aspiring leaders committed to developing teams that demonstrate resilience and adaptability. By focusing on individual team members' contributions, motivations and development, the human-centered leader fosters the kind of confidence and sense of well-being needed to confront change productively and prevent burnout. Registering for the Certificate from this page declares your intention to complete it and incurs no cost. To earn the certificate, learners shall register separately for, and complete, four core courses and one elective, totaling approximately 35 class hours.

This course is entirely online and self-paced with no live sessions with instructors. You can register and begin this course at any time. It is designed to take the average learner 3-4 hours to complete. This introductory course demystifies artificial intelligence by explaining what it is and how it works. You'll gain a fundamental understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and familiarize yourself with various AI tools. Learn how AI tools are commonly applied, as well as their strengths and limitations. Whether you're new to AI or looking to deepen your understanding, this course serves as a solid foundation for subsequent, more interactive coursework. A digital badge is available for this course! Digital badges are online credentials that recognize professional learning —making them a powerful way to showcase your accomplishments to employers, colleagues, or on platforms like LinkedIn. By completing a short assessment at the end of the class, you'll earn a badge that highlights your new skills. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and stand out in your professional field. Find out more here.

Develop a deep understanding of what it means to "serve first" as a leader and explore your relationship to this ideal. Go beyond the philosophy and learn the practices and behaviors that embody this leadership style — and how you can integrate it to your own.

This class will help build foundational knowledge of Scrum and equip you with skills to effectively manage, lead or be a member of a Scrum team. You will learn what kinds of projects call for an Agile Scrum approach.

The world now recognizes mental health as a critical workplace issue. WHO, ILO, and ISO have developed standards to address psychological risks. This session explores the global shift and the 3 pillars of psychological health and safety to foster innovation, resilience and prevent burnout.

Master the skills necessary to communicate effectively with internal and external audiences in today's professional environment. Learn techniques of document structure, grammar and style proven to enhance credibility and influence. Learn credibility-damaging errors and tips for avoiding them.

Neurodiversity reflects the natural variation in human minds and how people interact with the world differently as a result. In the workplace, building awareness for how neurodivergence appears within it is the first step towards realizing the innovation and creativity a supported team can generate.

Managing conflict can improve decision-making and strengthen professional relationships. In this interactive course, you'll develop your self-awareness while exploring conflict styles and approaches you can use to foster productive resolutions.

Gain foundational knowledge and explore best practices in project management to build the personal knowledge, skill and confidence you need to effectively lead projects. Whether you're leading your first project or looking for strategies to ensure project success, you will benefit from this class.

Please join us for this free webinar, which previews our upcoming course, Design Thinking for Innovative Problem Solving, offered online this winter through UW–Madison Continuing Studies. What you'll learn Design thinking is a powerful and people-centered approach to solving complex challenges. In this preview webinar, we will introduce the five stages of the design thinking process and share how this method helps professionals (not just designers) drive creativity and innovation in real-world scenarios. You will also participate in a brief, interactive, fun activity to get a glimpse of the full course content. Learning Objectives Identify the five modes of the human-centered design thinking cycle: Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. Recognize that design thinking can be utilized to solve problems in various settings, not only in design. Course instructor Holly Anne Burns, founder of Burns Design Strategy and expert in innovation and collaboration, will lead the webinar along with program staff. Who should attend? This free webinar is open to anyone interested in learning how to solve complex problems using design thinking techniques. Whether you lead teams, manage projects, support learning and development, run a business, or are simply curious about innovation tools, you are welcome to join. Take the first step and join us for this interactive introductory session on November 13!

Mentorship provides a powerful tool for personal and professional development for both the mentor and the mentee. Take this course to understand the role mentorship can play in creating connection and empowering your team.

We're seeing more organizations with employees who work from home, live in other states and often live in other countries. "Lead from a distance" by understanding the challenges and best practices. Build trust, navigate conflict, make decisions and conduct engaging meetings with virtual staff.

Advance your project management skills by diving deep into some of the critical components of managing a project. Going beyond the basics of project management creates a culture of learning, accountability, transparency, high performance and successful delivery.

Project management protocols don't often account for the changes in attitude and behavior that people will need to make to ensure the successful adoption of change. This workshop will focus on the integration of change management and project management processes and tools.

Learn to handle difficult conversations at work and to listen and be assertive without weakening relationships. Better understand the complex nature of interpersonal communication and explore why misunderstanding is so normal. Apply the skills learned to conflict resolution and give performance feedback.

The ability to present information with impact, persuasion and clarity is important to your career trajectory. This course equips you with the skills needed to present confidently, whether formal or informal, virtual or in-person.