KU offers new online professional skills certificate

OVERLAND PARK — With the national unemployment rate close to 14.7%, standing out in a sea of resumes is key to finding or advancing a career. The new, specialized Undergraduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Skills from the University of Kansas offers courses focused on in-demand workplace skills.

Shannon Portillo, associate dean of the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park and the KU School of Professional Studies and associate professor with the KU School of Public Affairs & Administration, said having the right professional skills can prepare students to enter the workforce with confidence.

"This certificate focuses on the career competencies and skills students need as they move from their academic programs into the workforce,” Portillo said. “Students will develop and hone the skills they need not only to get a job in their field but to continue to move up throughout their career."

The new undergraduate certificate in advanced professional skills is offered through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences with the support of the KU Edwards Campus. The online-only certificate is designed for current KU and non-KU students wanting to further develop in-demand professional skills including employability, interpersonal management, workplace success and more.

After completing six credit hours in interpersonal management and workplace success skills, students can choose from coursework that includes preparing for programs in health professions, global careers and more.

Holly Storkel, associate dean of the College, said she believes that the certificate, when added to an undergraduate degree, will help students launch their career in their chosen field.

“This certificate is an excellent complement to a KU degree because it helps students understand how to take what they’ve learned in their degree and use it to launch the career that they want,” Storkel said.

For more information about the program’s curriculum, admission information and tuition, visit the online advanced professional skills undergraduate certificate program page.