This program is intended to prepare individuals to enter the tax profession and enable them to prepare tax returns for the general public. In addition, hands-on experience in the form of supervised tax preparation through an internship or SMC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides real-world knowledge.

This program is for bookkeepers and accounting clerks who want to advance to a higher professional level. Business owners can strengthen their businesses with best practices and compliance with current accounting standards and laws. Accountants may acquire specialized knowledge of accounting, which includes the setting up and designing of an effective accounting system, and the interpretation and preparation of financial and tax information. Students completing this Certificate of Achievement may wish to pursue the Accounting Associate Degree by satisfying additional requirements.

Notice: The Tourism Management Certificate is currently suspended.

The certificate is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the global tourism industry. The graduate courses in the certificate are listed below. The program is offered online. The program provides leaders a combination of theory with practical applications for the diverse tourism field. The coursework in the certificate can also be applied toward completion of the full Master of Science degree in Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.

Essentials of Public Administration for Public Sector Professionals

The graduate credit Certificate in Essentials of Public Administration for Public Sector Professionals is designed for individuals seeking to expand their professional skills. This graduate certificate allows students to get exposure to the fundamental and essential issues in public administration. There are six graduate-level courses required for the 18-unit certificate, which has been formulated to assist working professionals in a wide variety of public and nonprofit agencies in the acquisition of skills required for professional competency in the field of public administration. This graduate credit Certificate in Essentials of Public Administration for Public Sector Professionals offered by the Tseng College of Extended Learning will emphasize the essential skills and knowledge in understanding such public sector issues as the institutional foundations of public administration, fundamentals of budgeting, organizational theory and employee motivational strategies and basics of public policymaking. Working professionals will be able to use this program as an opportunity to maintain relevancy in a changing field.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.

CSUN’s Certificate of Preparation for Advanced Studies in Speech-Language Pathology (Certificate of Pre-SLP) is designed for college graduates who (a) desire careers in the rapidly growing field of speech-language pathology but did not major in Communication Disorders and Sciences or Speech-Language Pathology as undergraduates, and (b) do not have the minimum prerequisite coursework necessary for admission to a master’s program. The two-year Certificate of Pre-SLP program enables participants to complete the minimum-required, upper division (third year/junior level or above) preparatory coursework for admission to most master’s-level Communication Disorders and Sciences/Speech-Language Pathology programs in the United States.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.

Today’s nonprofit-sector professionals must possess a range of managerial and organizational skills that will enable them to function successfully in diverse environments as well as across multiple disciplines.

The CSUN Nonprofit Sector Management Certificate program, which is embedded in the Master of Public Administration degree, provides participants with in-depth exposure to administrative and managerial issues commonly encountered in nonprofit organizations of all kinds and sizes, with an emphasis on the urban nonprofit sector.

For individuals who are currently employed in nonprofit organizations, the Nonprofit Sector Management program affords an opportunity to expand or update competencies, while those seeking careers in the nonprofit sector will develop essential skills in the areas of budgeting and financial management, governance and advocacy, leadership and team building, organizational resource development, stakeholder relations and strategic planning.

Offered in collaboration with CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, this 18-unit program is taught by distinguished faculty with years of professional experience as nonprofit sector practitioners and consultants. Designed for working professionals, the program features convenient class schedules, maximizes interaction with faculty and facilitates the development of valuable networking relationships.

The Nonprofit Sector Management program is currently taught both on-campus and at the centrally located Japanese-American Cultural and Community Center in downtown Los Angeles. At the downtown location, the program is offered in the cohort format, which not only maximizes interaction with faculty and facilitates the development of valuable networking relationships with fellow participants, but also permits the completion of the certificate in only one year.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.

Graduate Certificate for Instructional Games and Simulations

The Graduate Certificate for Instructional Games and Simulations (IGS) prepares students to utilize computer games and simulations for learning. The program is designed to prepare adults with interests in teaching, training or other types of instruction to understand the design and development of instructional games or simulations. Students learn key relevant learning theory and tools for assessing the effectiveness of games and simulations.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.

Notice: The Hospitality Management Certificate is currently suspended.

The certificate is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the global hospitality industry. The program provides leaders a combination of theory with practical applications for the diverse issues in the hospitality field. The coursework in the certificate can also be applied toward completion of the full Master of Science degree in Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management.

This Health Administration certificate is offered through The Tseng College. The postgraduate certificate is comprised of five classes (select one specialization, national or international). The certificate is linked to the student’s Master of Public Administration degree and is a completely online program.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.

The Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management for Engineering Professionals is designed for individuals who are seeking professional development in entrepreneurship and innovation at the graduate level. Individuals who obtain the certificate will have knowledge of fundamental principles of technology management, technical innovation and entrepreneurship, engineering economy, finance, leadership, marketing and strategies for sustainability. The certificate program is designed to help the student enable the creation of a new organization or transform an existing one. Whether launching a new technical business, working as an experienced engineer or leading an entrepreneurial unit within a larger high-tech enterprise, the Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management for Engineering Professionals can help the student build relevant professional knowledge. The courses included in this certificate focus on some of the challenges faced by technical entrepreneurs and provide a solid foundation for creating additional value within a new or existing high-tech business. Faculty members, with both academic credentials and relevant business experience in industry, will help students build these skills, tools and techniques needed to lead and manage innovation and creativity within an engineering firm. This applied program is offered in a highly interactive format, which provides flexibility to the working individual and also makes it possible to immediately apply what is learned in the program.

This program is administered through The Tseng College. It is entirely funded by student fees and is offered in the cohort format.