Graduate Certificates

sacchi
Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:07:12 +0000

I’ve got an MS in Engineering, and a few years ago attended a management certificate program at an elite business school, at company expense. I learned a lot and really enjoyed it.

I think having the credential had a mildly positive career impact. I think it did help me rise in the management ladder at the company who paid for me to attend the program. I ultimately decided that I had become too administrative and missed being technical, so it was kind of a mixed blessing. I ultimately chose to switch companies and go one step back down the management ladder.

I disagree with your wife that it will hurt, and that people will ask why you don’t have an MBA. If you were in your 20s or perhaps early 30s people might ask that. I’m assuming that you are older than that though, since you are the parent of a college student. I don’t think that 40 or 50-somethings get asked that question, as few people would interrupt their careers at that point to do a full MBA. I don’t recall ever being asked that question when I did my certificate program.

I do think there was some benefit to me from attending a program at an elite business school, rather than at a no-name local college, so it might be worth checking if your company would pay for a more expensive elite school program.