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Certificates for Internationals
Angelika Volkman, Director-English & Certificates for Internationals, University of California, Irvine Extension explains how Certificates for Internationals can help international students in the transition from study to employment.
What are Certificates for Internationals?
A Certificate for Internationals program is a post-graduate intensive and cohesive full-time course of study that allows young international professionals to obtain a specialisation in their area of interest in a minimum amount of time, usually three months. Upon successful completion of a certificate program, the student may opt for a three-month unpaid internship in the US to gain work experience in a real-world setting.
Certificates for Internationals are offered in a variety of concentrations, from different business areas to telecommunications. Certificate programs are designed to help graduate students succeed in today’s competitive global business environment.
Certificate programs are designed to help graduate students succeed in today’s competitive global business environment
How do certificates differ from other qualifications?
A certificate, especially with an internship, can be used as a stepping stone for young professionals to achieve academic excellence by immersing themselves in an American higher education experience, obtaining practical business background before embarking on a Masters or MBA program. It allows professionals to enhance the value of their degree and resumé (CV) by updating their knowledge and skills in an area of interest in a short time at a US university.
In addition, students have the option to extend their studies for another three-month period (for a total of nine months) to obtain a second specialisation. This consecutive nine-month full-time study that consists of two certificate programs and a three-month internship makes students eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT allows students to work in a salary position anywhere in the US for a maximum of 12 months if employed in a business field, or 27 months if employed in a technical field.
Who are certificates suitable for?
A certificate course-of study is designed for recent university graduates and young working professionals who would like to concentrate in a specific area of study but do not want to, or are not yet ready to, make a long-term commitment to an advanced degree.
Certificates compliment the theoretical knowledge students have acquired in an undergraduate degree program with practical experience in dealing with business situations. They also help students develop new skills and competencies in their field. Certificates can serve as the optimum preparation for a graduate degree program since they provide proof that a student has successfully completed graduate-level courses at a US university. In addition, the nine-month OPT pathway, which includes two certificates and over 200 hours of work experience from an internship, may help students meet the work requirement for admission into a top MBA program.
What qualifications do you need to be able to apply?
Students will need a bachelors degree and advanced English proficiency. At UC Irvine, the qualifications for admission into a business certificate program (such as Business Administration, International Business Operations & Management, International Tourism & Hotel Management, and Marketing) include the following:
• A university degree and/or substantial academic or professional experience, and
• A minimum score of 197 on the CBT TOEFL, 71 on the iBT, 530 on the paper-based test; 710 on the TOEIC; or other evidence of advanced English language proficiency.
Admission into UCI’s Accelerated Certificate in Communications Systems Design Engineering also requires:
• Fundamental understanding of electrical and computer engineering, information systems, computer science, telecommunications, or related technologies.
How much do certificates cost?
Tuition fees for a certificate program range between US$6,000 – 16,500, depending on the university. At UC Irvine, tuition for a six-month course of study, which includes tuition for both a three-month Accelerated Certificate and a three-month internship, ranges between US$8,150 - 11,650.
Where can certificates lead to in terms of employment and further study?
Certificates open opportunities for professional, academic, and personal growth, giving students a competitive edge and allowing them to advance their career or studies. Certificates market candidates for the long-term, since through the six-month certificate study, they have learnt to apply theory, earned practical work experiences at both a high academic and professional level and developed an international network of possible future employers.
