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To seize opportunities in today’s digital-first business world, candidates need refined skills that fully meet the moment. The right qualifications could grow any business exponentially—this was the outcome Tatiana Lialina had in mind when she started looking for a flexible business program that could help her learn how to expand her family’s business beyond its Russian roots.
To achieve this goal, Tatiana strengthened her global business acumen at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.
Her launchpad? The Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (GCBA). The GCBA is a collection of four or five courses curated by expert faculty to help international students like you develop the skills you need for a digitally-driven global business world build a potential path to a future MBA or master’s degree.
This graduate certificate will help you develop the marketable business skills needed to thrive in the U.S. and beyond. It is delivered from the heart of Boston, Massachusetts—a center of business innovation that attracts talented professionals from around the globe pursuing their career aspirations. Where better to network and feel the pulse of the American business world?
The city’s vibrancy—forged from its strong sense of community, rich culture, and dynamic commercial areas—makes it the perfect destination to take on the rigors of a foundational, yet future-focused program. In the process, expect to become a more resilient and agile business professional.
Tatiana Lialina’s graduate certificate led to a D’Amore-McKim Part-Time MBA. Photo by Adam Glanzman for Northeastern University
Your advanced coursework features lessons in Financial Reporting and Managerial Decision Making, Managing People and Organizations, Managing the Global Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Creating and Sustaining Market Strategies.
These topical subjects are offered in two F-1 visa-compliant formats. The Eight-Month International Student Cohort Curriculum, the more popular option for international students, requires full-time study of five essential business courses. As this is a cohort-based program, you’ll form a strong community with classmates from around the world as you spend significant time together studying on the Boston campus for eight months, forging business and personal connections that can benefit you for a lifetime.
There’s another shorter option available: the Accelerated Four-Month Curriculum. You’ll take just four to five courses in one intense semester of full-time study. Keep in mind, though, that this option will not make you eligible to pursue Optional Practical Training (OPT). However, those who successfully complete the Eight-Month International Student Cohort Curriculum will be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). To pursue the OPT option, students are encouraged to work with an advisor from the Office of Global Services.
With the foundation Tatiana laid during her graduate certificate, she was able to take a deeper dive into how successful companies build their brands, develop marketing campaigns, create new products from scratch, and protect against the latest cybersecurity threats. In true Northeastern tradition, her coursework was powered by experience. For example, a marketing class project entailed adjusting a Peruvian product’s branding and marketing to the American market.
Tatiana chose to apply for admission to D’Amore-McKim’s Part-Time MBA program. The credits she earned through her graduate certificate applied toward her MBA requirements, so she didn’t need to repeat courses.
Like Tatiana, if you complete your certificate with at least a 3.0 GPA, you may be able to apply your credits to an eligible MBA or master’s degree program at Northeastern for up to three years. You can read more about Tatiana’s educational journey from GCBA to MBA here.
Feel ready to join the workforce? Northeastern University’s Office of Employer Engagement and Career Design will help you strategize using your certification for professional growth. They’ll help you find job and internship postings, career fairs, networking opportunities, and more. Whether you seek to enhance your career design, career agility, or career connections, the Career Design team will help you consider career fields while building up the necessary assets you’ll need to land the perfect job.
Experience the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration’s immediate impact for yourself.
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