Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions we get about our new graduate certificates
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 spring term begins on January 11 and runs for fourteen weeks. The course schedule will be finalized later this fall, and courses will be open for registration in November. Upon acceptance into a program, once your $500 enrollment deposit is paid, and once registration is open you will be able to register for your first course. Pre-deposit, our advisors (gradadvising@bentley.edu) can help you understand your class options for the spring term. Please note that course registration is 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. Your tuition may be covered by your employer's tuition reimbursement policy. Be sure to check with your company's HR department!
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
Our application is a single form. In terms of documentation, you will be asked to provide:
- Your undergraduate transcript OR year of graduation and approximate GPA, which will be used to validate your degree from an accredited college or university
- An updated resume OR a link to your LinkedIn profile
Spring 2021 deadline is December 14, 2020 (classes begin the week of January 11).
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.
Certificate students who complete their program are eligible to waive many requirements for admission to our MBA or Master of Science (MS) programs. For more information on specific degree options, please 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. These certificates are designed to be pathway to a degree program, and thus they are for students who may or may not complete a degree program in the future. However, if you are a graduate student graduating in 2021 and you want to add a certificate, you are eligible to take the first course for $900.
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 from the competition and how to enhance your LinkedIn profile and build an effective elevator pitch to impress recruiters and land more informational meetings. In addition, you will receive 6-months of LinkedIn Premium for free!