Learn Targeted Abilities and Advance Your Career.
Develop new capabilities by completing an undergraduate certificate. Courses are higher-level and certificates can be completed on their own, or be accumulated into a degree later. These programs are built for exactly where you are right now: working, experienced, and ready to advance yourself at work. Complete courses on your schedule, at your pace, and with an RPI degree at the end.
• 100% Online • Project-Based • 12 Credit Hours (Two Courses) • No Prerequisites • Stackable Toward the B.Tech
About the Certificate
Effective managers know how to solve problems, make sound decisions, and help others succeed. Through project-based learning, you'll apply multiple approaches to real workplace situations while strengthening your capabilities in communication, facilitation, negotiation, and coaching. By the end of the certificate, you'll be better prepared to manage people, projects, products, and processes with confidence and deliver measurable results.
What You Will Be Able to Do
- Apply proven problem-solving and decision-making frameworks to complex workplace challenges
- Evaluate information and data to make informed decisions you can confidently support with evidence
- Identify root causes and define problems before developing effective solutions
- Communicate, facilitate, and negotiate to build alignment, resolve issues, and move initiatives forward
- Coach individuals and manage team performance to support growth, accountability, and results
- Present recommendations with confidence, using clear evidence and sound reasoning to gain support and drive action
Required Courses
Evaluate a variety of information and data sources relevant to a problem, question, or decision. Gather information through research and data visualization techniques, deploy AI tools, and perform structured internet searches to gather relevant information. Then, evaluate and weigh collected information, using root cause analysis to develop structured decision trees and logic chains, and choose a response that you can support with evidence. Later, present your results and reasoning in formal presentations to gain approval and support.
Number of Credits: 6
Build your capacity to be an effective manager and supervisor, practicing the techniques that bring the best results in units and organizations. Learn to facilitate meetings, conduct negotiations, hold crucial conversations, use project management facilitation techniques, and coach those you supervise. Learn how to establish personal and professional SMART goals and then facilitate discussions to ensure goals are achieved. You will use assessments to determine your management strengths and challenges, then develop personal professional plans to become the manager you aspire to be.
Number of Credits: 6
Learn by Doing
Every course is built around authentic workplace challenges—not hypothetical case studies. You'll solve real operational and management problems, receive personalized feedback from faculty mentors with industry expertise, and demonstrate your progress through applied projects rather than tests and quizzes. A small number of live evening sessions (4-5 per semester) provide opportunities to engage with faculty and classmates, while the rest of your coursework is completed on your schedule. Live sessions are recorded, and all required digital learning materials are included with tuition. Courses begin each January, May, and at the end of August.
Stack Your Certificate Toward a Bachelor's Degree
Every certificate in RPI at Work's Bachelor of Technology in Production and Operations Management program is designed to stand on its own while also counting toward the degree. The credits you earn in this certificate apply directly to the bachelor's program, allowing you to build your education one credential at a time.
Complete all five undergraduate certificates and the required capstone project to earn your Bachelor of Technology degree—without repeating coursework or losing credit along the way.
Ready to Advance Your Career?
If you're ready to take on greater responsibility, this certificate will help you build the practical problem-solving, decision-making, and communication capabilities that organizations look for in supervisors and future managers. Whether you're working on the production floor, supporting operations, or contributing to technical teams, you'll be better prepared to lead initiatives, support your coworkers, and contribute to your organization's success.
Admissions
We've designed this program for working adults who are ready to take the next step in their careers. To be eligible for admission, you'll need a completed associate's degree from an accredited institution and at least three years of professional work experience. Every application is reviewed holistically, and our enrollment team is happy to discuss your background, answer your questions, and help you determine whether the program is the right fit. With fall, spring, and summer start terms, you can begin when the time is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There are no prerequisites for this certificate, and it is one of the two we recommend taking first if you plan to pursue the full degree.
Learning is evaluated through projects and applied activities rather than traditional exams. You will receive feedback from your Faculty Mentor before formal grades are issued, giving you the opportunity to improve your work. We want you to be able to use what you have learned, not just recall it.
Yes. Each RPI at Work certificate stands alone. You can complete this certificate, put the credential to work, and stop there. If you decide to continue, every credit counts toward the B.Tech in Production and Operations Management.
Start Building What's Next
Whether you're ready to earn your first certificate, complete your bachelor's degree, or simply explore your options, we're here to help you find the path that's right for your career. Connect with an enrollment specialist to discuss your goals, review your background, and take the next step with confidence.