Mays Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement

Agile is more than just a buzzword. Agile is an iterative project-management approach that focuses on breaking down large projects into manageable tasks. Breaking down large projects into short tasks throughout the project’s life cycle allows teams to complete work faster, adapt to changes in a project and optimize workflow.

Understanding Agile project management can rapidly give you a competitive advantage over others as businesses across various industries are starting to implement Agile principles to deliver innovative products in ever-changing environments.

Courses offer insight into principles of Agile project management, certification opportunities, and exam preparation and resources.

Managing a project and delivering results on time are critical for any business or organization. Our project management courses will provide seasoned professionals and individuals looking to improve their project management skills with a foundation to make any project a success. Our courses teach new learners the importance of time and goal-setting and how to define objectives. Our courses offer preparation and certification opportunities for seasoned professionals, including professional development units across Project Management Institute’s Talent Triangle®.

Courses offer certification opportunities, and exam preparation and resources.

Businesses use Six-Sigma methods to improve operational efficiencies. Having an understanding and certification in Six-Sigma is a great way to enhance your capabilities and stand out as a leader within your business or organization. Employers are always looking for individuals with skill sets that can help make their processes more efficient and reduce error. Our courses offer Six-Sigma training and certification for the three major levels: yellow belt, green belt and black belt. Our courses break down the complexities of Six-Sigma and Lean Six-Sigma so that you can master the concepts easily and earn your certification on the first try.

Courses offer certification opportunities, and exam preparation and resources.

More businesses are examining their overall impact on the environment, those around them and the communities where they operate. Having an understanding of sustainable management practices not only helps your business or organization provide greater value, but you can also be a driver for meaningful change. The courses provide in-depth learning on corporate social responsibility, triple bottom line accounting, leadership, ethics and measuring your sustainable management performance.

Courses offer a certification opportunity in Sustainable Management.

Understanding HR management principles and best practices can help you add greater value to any business or organization. All businesses and organizations, regardless of size, have human resource needs that are an essential part of their day-to-day operations. Courses are designed to provide a foundation for best managing and caring for employees and others in your organization. Whether you are a seasoned professional or someone looking to gain further knowledge on HR management practices, these courses provide a full range of training to help you become a better manager.

Courses offer certification opportunities, and exam preparation and resources.

Our management courses help you build the skills to develop a management style that fits your personality and goals. From effective negotiation tactics to navigating business ethics, the skills taught in our management courses span all industries and build a foundation for management success.

Staying up-to-date on computer literacy is essential in an ever-changing business environment and the emergence of new software tools and technology. Employers are looking for individuals who can demonstrate a basic level of computer literacy. In addition to understanding how to search the internet and use word-processing programs, individuals can expand their career potential by mastering more advanced computer applications. Whether you are a seasoned professional or someone looking to increase their computer-literacy skills, our courses focusing on Microsoft® Office software guide learners through the tools and techniques needed to create products that both inform and impress.

Courses offer a certification opportunity in computer skills for the office.

Being knowledgeable of cybersecurity best practices can help reduce stress and uncertainty by mitigating potential threats. Individuals skilled in cybersecurity best practices are always in high demand as more businesses migrate their data and services online. Whether you are an individual needing introductory cybersecurity courses or an IT professional looking to refresh or advance your skills, our courses offer a comprehensive range of training.

These courses cover topics like Cloud data security and cryptography, malware and risk management, and everything else you’ll need to know in cybersecurity.

Courses offer certification opportunities, and exam preparation and resources.

Marketing is an essential part of any business. Staying up-to-date on marketing trends can help you provide your business or organization with a competitive edge. Courses are designed to give learners the foundation to run a successful marketing campaign and insight into tools currently being used. Successful marketing has rapidly evolved to involve everyone in an organization. It is crucial to have a basic understanding of marketing and its role in a successful business.

Courses will teach you marketing principles and the technical elements of digital marketing, including social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), marketing automation and web analytics.

Courses offer certification opportunities, and exam preparation and resources.

Finance affects every person. Our courses help provide clarity and insight into financial principles to help you make better decisions and understand the value of a business. Employers are always looking for individuals who understand finance because these individuals understand how to measure and analyze performance. From budgeting to the time value of money to risk and return on investment, learners gain the ability to read financial data and turn those insights into impactful decisions to move the business forward.

Whether you want to start your own business or add greater value to your organization, entrepreneurship courses can help you develop skill sets to act on new opportunities. Our entrepreneurship courses offer individuals the confidence, knowledge and skills to take their ideas from concept to business planning.

Having a solid background in operations and logistics can boost your value in any organization. Courses provide the knowledge needed to improve quality, increase customer satisfaction, reduce costs and streamline processes. Learners are introduced to the tools, techniques and best practices proven effective in any business environment.

The ability to communicate effectively can help you stand out from other individuals. Employers are always looking for individuals who can organize and present ideas or explain the needs of a project clearly and succinctly. Being an effective communicator can help you get the results you want more quickly. The Business Communication certificate and coursework prepare you to become a skilled communicator by teaching you to form persuasive arguments, present information, write error-free emails and documents, and stand out as a professional.

This online course covers the key issues and best practices for managers dealing with contentious situations in the workplace. Throughout seven segments, learners will explore strategies that managers can use to help deal with conflict. The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, selected readings, case studies and scenarios highlighting key issues, and self-assessments that engage students and provide opportunities to practice conflict negotiation and management skills.

• Introduction to Managing Change and Resolving Conflict
• Communicating Collaboratively
• Emotional Intelligence for Managers
• Handling Difficult Employee Behavior
• Handling Workplace Conflict
• Leading and Managing Change
• Negotiations: Resolving Disputes

This online course teaches essential leadership skills to help learners stand out as leaders among their peers. The coursework discusses the theories of leadership and offers real-world practical explanations and definitions. Throughout five segments, learners will explore questions such as: What is leadership, and why is it important? How does a leader encourage change without triggering fearful resistance? What are the key elements to leading an effective team? What is the role of charisma in leadership? How can a leader achieve work-life balance? The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, case studies, and self-assessments that engage students and provide opportunities to practice leadership skills.

Topics covered in the course:

• Introduction to Leadership
• Body Language for Leaders
• Leading Teams
• Leading and Managing Change
• Leaders and Work-Life Balance

This online course explores the various challenges that evidence suggests women in business are likely to face—challenges that are different (in kind or in scale) than those faced by men in business. Throughout seven segments, learners will explore key concepts and practices that all successful business people should be familiar with, such as leadership, management, communication, work-life balance, networking, negotiation, and body language. The material also provides concrete and data-driven recommendations for women looking to advance their careers, by naming some of the systematic obstacles they might face, such as explicit discrimination, implicit bias, glass ceilings, and assumptions about familial responsibilities. Alongside commentary from women leaders, students will learn strategies for addressing these challenges. The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, case studies, and self-assessments that engage students and provide opportunities to practice essential business skills.

Topics covered in the course:

• Body Language for Women in Business
• Communication for Women in Business
• Current Issues Facing Women in Business
• Leadership and Management for Women in Business
• Negotiation for Women in Business
• Networking and Mentorship for Women in Business
• Work-Life Balance for Women in Business

This online course equips both new and experienced managers with the skills and resources necessary to foster strong connections, lead change, and resolve potential conflicts. Throughout ten segments, students will learn practical ways to better coach and motivate their teams, whether operating in an in-person office environment or a remote work setting. The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, case studies, and self-assessments that engage learners and provide opportunities to practice and apply key management skills.

Topics covered in the course:

• Introduction to Management
• Communicating Collaboratively
• Emotional Intelligence for Managers
• Handling Difficult Employee Behavior
• HR Fundamentals for Managers
• Introduction to Negotiations
• Leading and Managing Change
• Managing People
• Managing Remote Employees
• Time Management

This online course provides learners with a fundamental understanding of the most critical areas in small business management. Throughout nine segments, learners will explore the varied tasks, such as accounting, budgeting, business law, marketing, and project management, that small business owners must master to be successful. The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, case studies, and self-assessments that engage students and provide opportunities to practice business management skills.

Topics covered in the course:

• Introduction to Small Business Management
• Accounting Fundamentals for Small Business
• Budgeting Financial Analysis for Small Business
• HR Fundamentals for Small Business
• Law for Small Businesses
• Leading and Managing Small Businesses
• Project Management for Small Business
• Small Business Marketing

Working remotely brings unique challenges to day-to-day work schedules. Technology issues can hinder your productivity. When you’re spending your whole day in the same place, it can also be hard to transition from work hours to personal time. These courses will give you the tools you need to establish a work-life balance, maintain your health and set up a proper workspace to prevent pesky technology issues.

Most of us have a story to tell. Every one of us, by virtue of being human, has experiences and insights that are worth retelling. Learn the basics of writing poetry, a children’s book or a memoir. Use your new knowledge to explore a new interest, grow your creativity and feed your passion.