There are now five more opportunities to expand your skill set and earn a credential that can prepare you for an in-demand career. UW Extended Campus, in partnership with several University of Wisconsin System campuses, will offer five new online certificates aligned with industry needs and high-growth occupations in September 2021. The new, accredited programs include graduate-level, semester-based certificates in Applied Bioinformatics, Data Science, Senior Living and Services Leadership, and Sustainability and Well-being; and an undergraduate-level certificate in Health Care Informatics, offered in the UW Flexible Option competency-based format.
UW System campuses participating in the certificate programs are UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater. UW Extended Campus, in collaboration with all 13 UW System campuses, makes advanced education possible through flexible, online programs that combine the diverse expertise and resources of UW campuses and faculty.
“UW Extended Campus is a flexible, convenient education option for adult learners or anyone who wants to study at their own pace for whatever reason,” said UW System President Tommy Thompson. “These new certificate programs will make additional learning available to more people.”
Certificate requirements vary from four to six courses. It is possible to earn a certificate within one year; however, students may decide to take longer to complete a certificate based on work and life commitments. Similar to other UW Extended Campus programs, students pay the same tuition whether they live in Wisconsin or out of state.
The certificates provide skills training for professionals seeking career advancement in healthcare, technology, and business occupations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32 percent from 2019 to 2029, and employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Coursework completed in the certificate programs offers an optional pathway to bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered through UW Extended Campus.
“Programs managed by UW Extended Campus are designed for working adults and professionally-oriented students,” said Aaron Brower, Executive Director of UW Extended Campus. “What I love about these programs is that they meet students where they are—they engage students in learning that fully connects their lives to the world.”
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The graduate-level Applied Bioinformatics certificate and the Data Science certificate offer students an opportunity to learn the basic principles of data science and gain proficiency in statistics, machine learning, data visualization, programming, and other techniques. The Applied Bioinformatics certificate focuses on data science techniques used in processing biological data from scientific research, such as large-scale genomics and other molecular and biological datasets; the Data Science certificate coursework offers a general introduction to data science for students to apply across a variety of industries.
The undergraduate-level Health Care Informatics certificate is offered through the UW Flexible Option. The UW Flexible Option competency-based format allows you to control the pace—start any month, study when it’s convenient and complete assessments when you’re ready. Students will acquire fundamental skills in medical terminology, database technology, and data management that can be applied to careers in healthcare data analysis and informatics or healthcare IT.
The graduate-level Senior Living and Services Leadership certificate is designed for long-term care professionals and nursing home administrators seeking to strengthen their strategic leadership skills. The curriculum covers topics in senior care and services delivery, including gerontology, ethical, legal and regulatory factors, generational dynamics, financial management, marketing, and human resources.
The graduate-level Sustainability and Well-being certificate is a partnership of the UW Extended Campus Sustainable Management and Health and Wellness Management programs. The curriculum focuses on principles of sustainability related to workplace well-being. Students will learn the fundamentals of sustainability and well-being, behavior and development of organizations, and the principles of corporate social responsibility.
The new certificates join a growing catalog of flexible, online degree and certificate programs designed for adult learners offered in collaboration with UW Extended Campus and UW System campus partners. Students with a variety of work, education, and life experience have found success in UW Extended Campus programs and are making a difference in the world today.
Prospective students seeking more information about the UW Extended Campus certificates should contact our enrollment advisors at 1-608-800-6762, or 1-877-895-3276, or email learn@uwex.edu.
About UW Extended Campus
The University of Wisconsin is one of the largest and most widely respected public higher education systems in the country. UW Extended Campus partners with all UW System campuses to offer online degrees and certificates, as well as continuing education and lifelong learning opportunities. Through UW Extended Campus, people of Wisconsin and beyond can access university resources and engage in online learning, wherever they live and work—fulfilling the promise of the “Wisconsin Idea”.