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Certificate Programs

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The ETM graduate certificate program allows students to complete shorter professional blocks of coursework relevant to their specific needs. Rather than completing all the course requirements for an ETM master’s degree, students may take 3 courses (9 credit hours) in specialized areas. A certificate is awarded upon completion of these courses. Course credits earned for a certificate may also apply to a master’s degree in the ETM program or other graduate degree programs. A student may earn more than one certificate and may work on the certificate and master’s program concurrently. Please note that a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for certificate courses and the overall GPA. Any course included on the certificate program in which a C-, D, or F is earned must be repeated.

Certificate Requirements

Students must successfully complete three courses (9 credit hours) for each certificate. Course requirements for each certificate are listed on the individual certificate page links below-

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  • Notify the Academic Coordinator at etm@wsu.edu of your intention to earn a certificate.
  • Apply for the awarding of the Graduate Certificate no later than the beginning of the semester of your final course for the certificate.
    • Fill out the application for graduate certificate form which can also be found in the list of forms on the Grad Schools website under ‘Apply for Graduate Certificate.’
    • Send the completed form to the ETM Academic Coordinator at etm@wsu.edu for signature collection.
    • Pay the $25.00 fee by:
      • Phone: call the WSU cashiers office at 509-335-2018
        • Provide them with your WSU ID and Certificate title
      • Mail: send a copy of your application with a check for $25.00 to
        • WSU Grad School
        • French Ad 336
        • Pullman, WA 99164-1030

ETM Concentrations

Each certificate covers specific concentration areas. Explore our six concentration areas below:

Constraints Management
Industrial Leadership
Supply Chain Management
Project Management
Six Sigma Quality Management
Systems Engineering Management

Individual Certificate Requirements

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) certificate focuses on the management of the limiting factors of any system. Students taking this certificate in the past include engineers, medical doctors, judges, cost analyst, rocket scientist, cabinet makers, professors, and consultants.

Certificate Requirements

Students must successfully complete three courses (9 credit hours). Course descriptions and syllabi can be found on the Individual Courses page.

  1. E M 526 Constraints Management
  2. Choose one of:
  3. E M 570 Systems Improvement: Integrating TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma

* E M 534 Contemporary Topics in Constraints Management can substitute E M 570 for the third requirement.

Manufacturing and technical managers in today’s manufacturing environments must demonstrate multifaceted leadership and a high level of technical expertise in order to compete in a world-class manufacturing arena. The three courses in this certificate program provide a unique, but essential foundation for understanding and optimizing a manufacturing organization. 

Certificate Requirements

Students must successfully complete three courses (9 credit hours). No prerequisites are required. Course descriptions and syllabi can be found on the Individual Courses page.

  1. E M 560 Integrated Supply Chain Management
  2. E M 570 systems Improvement: Integrating TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma *
  3. One of :
    1. E M 568 Risk Analysis and Management
    2. E M 590 Leading Design and Innovation
    3. E M 538 Lean Tools for Systems Improvement
    4. E M 540 Operations Research and Analytics for Managers

* E M 526 Constraints Management can be used to fulfill the third requirement if it was taken before Fall 2021.

This certificate provides supervisors and managers with the knowledge and skills needed to be more effective in the workplace or prepares those who wish to pursue those roles and advance their careers.

Certificate Requirements

Students must successfully complete three courses (9 credit hours). No prerequisites required. Course descriptions and syllabi can be found on the Individual Courses page.

  1. E M 560 Integrated Supply Chain Management
  2. Choose two of:
    1. E M 530 Applications of Constraints Management
    2. E M 567 Systems Supportability and Logistics Management
    3. E M 540 Operations Research and Analytics
    4. E M 568 Risk Assessment and Management

Many professionals have reported that this certificate has allowed them to advance in their careers as a project manager and as a technology manager. 

Current Requirements

Students must successfully complete three courses (9 credit hours). Course descriptions and syllabi can be found on the Individual Courses page.

  1. E M 564 Project Management
  2. E M 522 Leading People and Organizations
  3. One of:
    1. E M 505 Finance for Technical Systems
    2. E M 508 Legal Concepts for Engineering and Technical Managers
    3. E M 568 Risk Assessment and Management

Six Sigma is one of the most respected and widely accepted methodologies in quality management and improvement worldwide. The certificate course includes a philosophical foundation for quality improvement, plus a very robust set of tools and techniques that have proven successful in identifying and solving quality problems.

Certificate Requirements

Students must successfully complete three courses (9 credit hours). Course descriptions and syllabi can be found on the Individual Courses page.

  1. E M 580 Quality Control and Reliability
  2. E M 585 Design of Experiments
  3. One of:
    1. E M 570 Systems Improvement: Integrating TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma
    2. E M 590 Leading Design and Innovation

Designed with hardware, software, systems engineers, project managers, and leaders in mind, the Washington State University Engineering and Technology Management department offers a three-course systems engineering management graduate certificate covering system concepts, system risk, and system analysis and practice. 

Curriculum

Course descriptions and syllabi can be found on the Individual Courses page. The graduate certificate requires the following courses (9 credits)*:

  1. E M 565 Introduction to Systems Management
  2. E M 540 Operations Research and Analytics for Managers
  3. One of:
    1. E M 568 Risk Assessment and Management
    2. E M 570 Systems Improvement: Integrating TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma

Potential New Students:

  • Apply for admission to the graduate school. Link can also be found on the graduate school website then select ‘Graduate Certificate Program.’
    • A resume and personal statement must be attached.  References are not required for admission to the certificate program.  Unofficial transcripts may be submitted for the initial review, but official transcripts must be requested if admitted. (Official transcripts are those provided directly from the registrar of the school attended to the WSU Graduate School).
    • Note:  Admission to the certificate program does not automatically qualify for admission to the degree program.   Contact the program coordinator if you are considering a master’s degree at a later time; it may be beneficial to the applicant to apply for the master’s degree instead of the certificate.
  • Apply for the awarding of the Graduate Certificate no later than the beginning of the semester of your final course for the certificate.
    • Fill out the application for graduate certificate form which can also be found in the list of forms on the Grad Schools website under ‘Apply for Graduate Certificate.’
    • Send the completed form to the ETM Academic Coordinator at etm@wsu.edu for signature collection.
    • Pay the $25.00 fee by:
      • Phone: call the WSU cashiers office at 509-335-2018
        • Provide them with your WSU ID and Certificate title
      • Mail: send a copy of your application with a check for $25.00 to
        • WSU Grad School
        • French Ad 336
        • Pullman, WA 99164-1030

Admission

Because the certificates consist of regular graduate courses, admission to the graduate school is still necessary.

Learn more about admission to the program.


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Questions about the program?

To find out more, please fill in the form or email etm@wsu.edu.

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