Welcome to the UW Tacoma Professional Development Center
Whether you are looking for a certificate program to get ahead in your field, want to sharpen a specific skill, or provide learning opportunities for your staff, the UW Tacoma Professional Development Center has a solution for you.
- No application process*
- Students can start coursework in any quarter*
- Courses are offered in four quarters: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer
*We are proud to be the only Certified Public Manager© program in Washington State which has an application process and follows a specific timeline and curriculum which must be completed in order.
Course Formats
In-person / Face-to-Face / Campus Course: Courses are delivered 100% on-site (at UWT or another location), with all participants and instructors in the same physical space and no distance learning/online course components.
Online with Real-Time Classes: Courses are delivered via an online platform and students meet at scheduled class times.
Hybrid: Courses where 40-99% of listed contact hours are delivered with asynchronous, online learning tools, but there is at least 1 synchronous class meeting.
Self-Paced On-Demand: Courses are delivered via an online platform, always open for registration, and all student participation and work is completed asynchronously.
Courses by Program of Study
Certified Public Manager®
The University of Washington Tacoma's Certified Public Manager® is a nationally accredited, comprehensive leadership and management development program for professionals from all levels of government - city, county, state, and beyond. This program is designed for high-achieving, career-oriented public supervisors and managers who hold or desire to move into mid- or senior-level positions. If you've been thinking about a master's in public administration but need something more flexible, more affordable, and more quickly achieved, this might be the program for you!
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Our workshops prepare you to analyze, diagnose, and address diversity and inclusion issues. As a participant, you’ll begin to gain the skills and insights needed to support a strategic, sustainable approach to diversity and inclusion leadership within organizations. We are currently developing a certificate program for DEI Practitioners.
Human Resources Management
Designed by an advisory board of UW faculty and human resource professionals, this program emphasizes how disciplines of human resources can be integrated to address workplace effectiveness. The courses cover all major areas of human resources as identified by the leading national certifications in human resources. Students participate in case studies, group projects and discussions of practical, real-life work situations that make the program relevant to today's workplace issues and environment.
Leadership
To thrive in today’s environment, leaders and their organizations must possess adaptability, resilience, and a growth mindset. These workshops and courses will help you develop vision, acknowledge and recognize the role of organizational culture, create a leadership development plan, create change, strategically align the organization, and communicate more effectively - all to help the organization and our communities thrive.
Lean Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma is a business and data-driven, disciplined approach to reducing waste and minimizing defects in any type of process, be it manufacturing or services. Lean Six Sigma focuses on reduction of waste, increased profitability and customer satisfaction. We offer several levels of Lean Six Sigma programs, from entry to expert level, as well as executive overviews and workshops. Browse these programs to find the right fit for you.
Nonprofit Management
Learn to manage people, to build effective programs, and to maintain a healthy and efficient nonprofit organization. Develop the knowledge, insights and abilities to enter or advance your career in the nonprofit field. The curriculum focuses on nonprofit leadership, financial management and the broader operational aspects of nonprofits.
Project Management
As PMI shifts its focus and the field evolves, our Project Management program is expanding to offer multiple courses toward successful project implementations. Whether you're looking for traditional waterfall methodologies, PMBOK 7-alignment, or additional skills, our courses will ground you in the key tenets of good project management: excellent communication, empowering leadership, and strong people skills.
