Working professionals are getting an exciting new lineup of noncredit course offerings from the University of Delaware – and plenty more are on the way.
The classes debut this spring after months of market analysis by UD’s Division of Professional and Continuing Studies (UD PCS), which assessed the needs of local employers and tracked shifts in the job market to determine five fresh certificate programs. All are now open for enrollment:
- Dynamic Leadership Certificate: Designed for new or emerging leaders, especially those with technical backgrounds moving into leadership roles
- Foundations of Python Programming Certificate: Developed for beginner programmers, covering fundamentals such as data types, control flow and object-oriented programming
- Peak Trust Management Certificate: Built for professionals seeking a robust foundation for working in the field of trust management
- Strategic Communication Certificate: Equips professionals with essential tools for crafting impactful messages in the modern digital sphere
- Technical and Professional Writing Certificate: Three self-paced online courses that lay the crucial foundations of effective technical communication
- The division is also adding a short personal enrichment course in the spring called Virtual Beer Tasting and Appreciation, designed to give both novices and enthusiasts a deeper understanding of beer, including its history, production methods and flavors.
“Right now, UD PCS is going through probably the largest innovation cycle since our founding in 1952,” said Vic Wang, director of noncredit programs for UD PCS. “The new programs are the first steps toward greater success.”
More new courses and personal enrichment experiences are in the pipeline for fall 2025, guided in part by the adult learners who respond to annual surveys.
Once proposed course topics are identified, UD PCS solicits feedback from inside and outside campus. In the fall, the division held its first “HenVenture” event, inviting input from about 25 judges, including community partners and campus colleagues representing various departments.
The judges were challenged to assess the market potential of several proposals, then cast their vote for those that seemed most promising. As a result, UD PCS is considering another seven new classes for fall 2025: Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics; Competitive Intelligence and Analytics; Green and Sustainable Space Planning; Property and Community Management; Mobile Business Entrepreneurship; Foundations of Food Truck Management and Operations; and a Spanish-language entrepreneurship and project management course called Emprendiendo con Éxito: Tu Proyecto de Vida (Success in Entrepreneurship: Your Life’s Project).
Learn more about these classes and suggest your own topics at pcs.udel.edu/new-programs. To see the full lineup of UD PCS programs for 2025, visit pcs.udel.edu/programs-courses.
In its ongoing search for new offerings, UD PCS turns to data-driven market analysis, and even the helping hand of artificial intelligence. Staffers analyze historic and future job trends, regionally and nationally. Planners also consider the potential alignment with existing UD degrees and initiatives, possibly opening the way for connections with UD’s for-credit programs.
“This provides a potential future opportunity for us to build a pathway into the graduate and undergraduate pipelines, giving departments an opportunity to use the power of PCS to expand their offerings to the community,” Wang said.
Email: continuing-ed@udel.edu
Phone: 302-831-7600
Website: pcs.udel.edu
