UHV business college launches new certificates, concentrations
In the fall, University of Houston-Victoria students will have access to a range of new business concentrations and graduate certificates in areas that will enable graduates to pursue careers in area industries.
The UHV College of Business is adding four new graduate certificates and concentrations in business analytics, human resources management, nonprofit leadership and supply chain management. The college also will offer a new Bachelor of Business Administration concentration in construction management. All of the certificates and concentrations will be available in the fall.
“The UHV College of Business is excited to offer these new certificates and concentrations to meet the needs of our students and the communities we serve,” said Ken Colwell, dean of the college. “Each of these programs were developed with a specific focus on what employers in the area need and what skills students need to succeed in these industries.”
Each of the certificates will consist of four courses that will help students grow their important skills. In addition, the credits from the certificates can apply toward earning a Strategic Master of Business Administration with concentrations in the certificate subjects. The business college chose to offer certificates in addition to the new concentrations in response to a desire students and industry leaders expressed for a quicker credentialing process, Colwell said.
“Many of our students are working professionals who need to get a little more education in order to qualify for promotions or move into a new area of their fields,” Colwell said. “In addition, employers are expressing a need for a faster option than completing a full MBA. With that in mind, the business faculty worked to create these certificates that consist of four courses that cover relevant information for students’ careers while also offering the option of applying those courses toward a full MBA if students choose to continue on.”
The business analytics certificate was developed by the faculty in response to the growing need in today’s world for professionals who know how to handle vast amounts of data, ask relevant questions, draw conclusions from the results and put those insights into practice, said Alex Aidov, an associate professor of finance. Companies in a wide variety of fields are increasingly seeing a need to handle a growing amount of digital data.
“UHV’s business analytics certificate will provide students with the practical knowledge and skills they need to be data savvy and ready for the future business landscape,” Aidov said. “The number of professionals needed to handle these large amounts of data is expected to grow at double the average rate in the next decade. Our courses will give students hands-on learning focused on real-world examples.”
During the courses, students will learn about many different tools and concepts, including data mining, simulations, visualization and creating dashboards as well as learning about industry software used in analytics.
The human resources management certificates are aligned with the standards of the Society for Human Resource Management, the most prestigious human resources association in the world. UHV is one of 500 institutions in the world that is aligned with the society’s standards, and the certificate courses will prepare students to take the society’s human resources examination, which many employers use as a gauge of how prepared a student is to be in the role of an HR professional, said Jeanette Winters, a clinical professor of management.
“The modern workplace is experiencing some volatile changes, especially after the pandemic, and companies need human resource managers who are equipped to navigate that shifting landscape,” Winters said. “These courses will help prepare students to take on those roles and find ways to handle situations such as how people get along, how to evaluate employees and effective management techniques.”
One of the things that businesses learned during the pandemic was the importance of employees being seen and heard by their employers, Winters said. Human resources has an instrumental role to play in helping employees and employers connect, and the certificate courses will help students learn skills to make that happen.
The nonprofit leadership certificate and concentration are new additions to UHV’s graduate business programs. The faculty chose to add this area of study in response to a need they saw in the Victoria community, said Brooke Garcia, a clinical assistant professor of management.
“As we look to the next generation of nonprofit leaders in our community, we recognize the need to marry passion for the mission with the business acumen needed to navigate the competitive landscape,” Garcia said. “This certificate is designed to give nonprofit leaders more specific, focused training on running the business side of a nonprofit so they can accomplish their missions more effectively.”
UHV’s courses will look at elements specific to nonprofits and focus on needs in management, leadership, finance and accounting for nonprofits, marketing and fundraising, as well as an independent study project so students will receive hands-on experience working with a nonprofit in the community.
The supply chain management certificate covers a side of business that has become a major topic of interest in recent days. Global and domestic supply issues have emphasized the importance of professionals who can effectively manage the supply chain for companies, said Yuan Wang, assistant professor of operations and supply chain management.
“Supply chain management is not as well known as accounting, marketing or management, but it is an essential part of the business industry, and that has become very clear recently,” Wang said.
“The Houston area is home to many companies that import and ship supplies on a regular basis, and there are many jobs available for individuals who know how to properly handle the supply chain.”
The supply chain management certificate courses will give students the opportunity to learn about how real-world business handle the supply chain. That experience will give students an advantage when looking for careers in the field.
In addition to the certificates and graduate concentrations, UHV also is adding a construction management concentration to its Bachelor of Business Administration program. The concentration was added in response to a request from construction industry leaders in the Victoria and Houston communities, Colwell said.
“We worked directly with the construction industry in the Victoria area, including the Association of Building Contractors,” Colwell said. “The construction industry in the area is desperate for talent, and the association was able to sit down with us and design the optimal curriculum to meet their needs.”
To learn more about the certificates and concentrations, go to www.uhv.edu/business or contact the UHV College of Business at 361-570-4231.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
