Frequently Asked Questions

All graduate certificate courses will be held in a live virtual format, where certificate students will meet once or twice per week over Zoom.

The summer term begins on May 17th and most courses run for 10 weeks.    Upon acceptance into the program, once your $500 enrollment deposit is paid and registration is open you will be able to register for your first course.  Pre-deposit, our advisors (gradadvsing@bentley.edu) can help you understand your class options for course registration.  Enrollment is processed on a space-available basis.   

This summer students can apply for the following 6 Certificate programs.   

1. Foundations of Data Analytics  

2. Managing with Analytics  

3. Management Skills for First Time Managers  

4. Project Management Consulting  

5. Inclusive and Responsible Leadership  

6. Data Science Essentials 

The fall term begins on September 7th and runs for fourteen weeks.  The course schedule will be finalized during the spring, and courses will open for registration during the summer.  Upon acceptance into the program, once your $500 enrollment deposit is paid and registration is open you will be able to register for your first course.  Pre-deposit, our advisors (gradadvsing@bentley.edu) can help you understand your class options for course registration.  Enrollment is processed on a space-available basis. 

We recommend certificate students take only one course during their first semester as a certificate student to ensure success. The second and third courses can be taken together, schedule permitting.

Tuition payments will be collected on an individual course basis.  Payments are due by the start of each course.  For more details about billing and payment schedule contact Student Financial Services at ga_sfs@bentley.edu or call the Student Accounts Office at 781-891-2162. 

Below are eligibility requirements, but please note a candidate's whole background is considered during the application process:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Preferred two years of work experience   
• International students are encouraged to apply, however students seeking an F1 visa are not eligible to apply for a graduate certificate  
• Application fees are waived, and GMAT/GRE scores are not required

Please visit our application page for details on applying. 

For summer 2021: The priority deadline is April 15, 2021. The final deadline is May 1, 2021.  

For fall 2021: The priority deadline is July 1, 2021. The final deadline is August 1, 2021.

Applying by the priority deadline increases your chances of being accepted into limited space programs and classes. 

Certificate students who are unable to enroll during their intended term of entry may request to defer acceptance to the next consecutive term by emailing their request to applygrad@bentley.edu no later than the first day of the term. Please note that deposits are not refundable but may be applied to a future term if students are unable to enroll in the Certificate program for their original intended term of entry.

Enrolling into a certificate program is a pathway to earning a Master’s degree at Bentley. Certificate students who complete their program are eligible to waive many requirements for admission to our MBA or Master of Science (MS) programs. Courses in your chosen certificate program can be used to fulfill requirements for a relevant Master’s program.  For more information on specific degree options,  visit https://www.bentley.edu/academics/graduate-programs/certificates or reach out to our Admissions team at applygrad@bentley.edu. 

You are only able to do one at a time. You can still enjoy the discounted $1,000 price for the first certificate course, but if you are admitted to the degree program for the fall, then you will become a degree-seeking student, and will pay your degree student tuition.

No, you are only able to pursue one or the other.  The certificates are designed to be a pathway to a degree program, and thus they are for students who may or may not complete a degree program in the future.  However, Bentley alumni are eligible for 10% discount off tuition should you wish to pursue a certificate for further professional development. 

We are excited to offer enrolled Graduate Certificate students access to a three-part LinkedIn Learning series, with custom content focusing on how to enhance your graduate student resume to start out to recruiters, how to develop a compelling cover letter to stand out to recruiters and how to enhance your LinkedIn profile and build an effective elevator pitch to impress recruiters and land more informational meetings.