Course Link: https://catalog.mindedge.com/uab/suites/19770/certificate-in-finance-essentials?mode=purchase

Scholarships: no

Learner Satisfaction: 97%

Credits: 1.9 IACET CEUs / 19 PMI PDUs / 19 HRCI Credits / 19 SHRM PDCs

Access Time: 365 days

Estimated Length: 19 hours

Discount: UAB employee/student, veteran, or company with 3 or more students in the same class receive a 20% discount with code BlazerStudent.

Price: $419

Course Description: The 100% online, self-paced certificate program introduces non-financial managers to the essentials of finance. The course will help you become conversant in critical financial terminology, and you’ll learn how to calculate key financial management indicators. You will learn how to assess your organization’s financial health by reviewing balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flow, and you will discover how finance and accounting tools can be used to support informed decision making within organizations.

Course Title: Finance Essentials Certificate

Course Link: https://catalog.mindedge.com/uab/courses/192/accounting-and-finance-for-entrepreneurs?mode=purchase

Scholarships: no

Learner Satisfaction: 97%

Credits: 0.5 IACET CEUs / 5 HRCI Credits / 5 SHRM PDCs

Access Time: 90 days

Estimated Length: 5 hours

Price: $129

Course Description: The 100% online, self-paced course provides an introduction to key topics in accounting and finance for those involved in new ventures. It reviews financial accounting basics, including GAAP Principles and financial statements, and also covers key issues in finance, broadly defined as any financial or monetary activity that involves a company.

Course Title: Accounting and Finance for Entrepreneurs

Course Link: https://catalog.mindedge.com/uab/suites/19760/six-sigma-yellow-belt-prep-course-and-exam?mode=purchase

Scholarships: no

Credits: 2 IACET CEUs, 20 PMI PDUs

Access Time: 240 days

Discount: UAB employee/student, veteran, or company with 3 or more students in the same class receive a 20% discount with code BlazerStudent.

Price: $499

Course Description: The 100% online, self-paced exam prep course in this bundle prepares learners for the successful completion of the MindEdge Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Exam by exposing students to the Six Sigma concepts, strategies, tools, and techniques used in process improvement projects.

Course Title: Six Sigma Yellow Belt Prep Course and Exam

Course Link: https://prostudies.uab.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=39834&selectedProgramAreaId=19004&selectedProgramStreamId=

Scholarships: yes

Discount: Discount: $400 early bird discount if you register at least 30 days before the start date of class. UAB employee/student, veteran, or company with three or more students in the same class receive a $400 discount.

Price: $2,895 (discounts available)

Course Description: This course helps experienced project managers build and solidify foundational project management skills at an accelerated pace, with an emphasis on preparing for the PMP®️ certification exam. Participants practice core competencies, including project execution, resource coordination, and schedule planning led by industry-expert project managers. The program also includes a technology workshop that introduces tools commonly used in current project environments, including Artificial Intelligence.

Course Title: Advanced Project Management Certificate Course

Professional Education Faculty
Alicja Foksinska Arnold MS

Certified Tableau Desktop Specialist, CISA, CFE

Teaching Areas: Data Visualization
Co-Director, HLA; Senior Instructor
Joel Dobbs PharmD, MPH

Teaching Areas: Leadership, Innovation and Design Thinking, Talent Development, Strategic Planning

jhdobbs@uab.edu

CSB 372

View Profile
Associate Dean for Research, Academic, and Faculty Affairs
John Hansen PhD

Teaching Areas: Negotiations, Sales Strategy

jdhansen@uab.edu

CSB 205-D

View Profile
Professional Education Faculty
Susan Hengel MBA

Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, Wiley's The Five Behaviors and Everything DiSC

Teaching Areas: Learning and Development, Leadership and Management Development
Professional Education Faculty
Susan Irwin PhD

PhD, PfMP, PgMP, PMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-SP

Teaching Areas: Project Management, Agile Project Management
Professional Education Faculty
Sarah Jamison MA

Certified DISC Behavioral Analyst, Situational Leadership II Certified Trainer

Teaching Areas: Emotional Intelligence, DISC, Leadership
Senior Instructor
Rush Neil MBA, MIBS

Teaching Areas: Leadership, Corporate Strategy, Professional Selling

rushneil@uab.edu

CSB 252

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Professional Education Faculty
Mark Sims

Teaching Areas: Professional Selling, Marketing, Leadership
University Professor
Molly Wasko PhD, MBA

Teaching Areas: Innovation and Design Thinking, Project Management, Leadership, Strategic Planning

mwasko@uab.edu

CSB 351

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Director, Center for Sales Leadership; Instructor
David Wilson MBA

Teaching Areas: Leadership, Marketing

Industry Title: Global Sales Development Manager, UPS

Global Sales Development Manager, UPS

dwilson6@uab.edu

View Profile
Professional Education Faculty
Elizabeth Wright MBA

PMP, PMI-ACP, PAHM, CSPO, CSM

Teaching Areas: Project Management, Agile Project Management, Leadership

We are excited to learn more about your professional education interests and provide individualized support to help you meet your career goals. If you are an individual looking to learn new skills, earn a certification, or find your next career, we are here to help you. If you are a member of a group, corporation, or department looking for the right professional training for your team, we are here to partner with you and customize the right training to fit your needs.

Collat Professional Education offers engaging “Live Online,” face-to-face, and hybrid courses with passionate faculty who want to help you succeed. Our faculty, who have both industry experience and academic expertise, create a welcoming environment and incorporate real-world examples in their courses to bring the material to life. Join one of our courses and connect with a cohort of fellow professionals from diverse fields and various experience levels to learn new skills and advance your career.

We would love the opportunity to talk with you to learn more about your interests, tell you more about our current and upcoming courses, and provide you information about scholarship opportunities.

You can also learn more about me and the programs we offer here: 5 things I learned about the new Professional Education program at UAB opens a new website.

Please contact us anytime with questions about professional education and let us know what new courses you are looking for to take your next step with us.

Sincerely,
Cori Perdue, PhD
Director of Professional Education

Program Manager, Professional Education
Hannah Broom

205-996-5399

CSB L02-C

hkbroom@uab.edu
Program Manager, Professional Education
Haley Nolen

205-996-9834

CSB L02

hnolen@uab.edu
Director, Professional Education
Cori Miller Perdue PhD

205-934-7604

CSB L02-D

cmperdue@uab.edu

Highlights from some of our custom training partnerships

Solving today’s business challenges requires custom learning solutions built specifically for your organization, not generic training. The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Collat School of Business designs professional education programs that address real business challenges and drive measurable results.

By taking time to understand your organization’s culture, goals, and workforce needs, we collaborate with you to create tailored learning experiences that move your organization forward. Whether you’re aiming to strengthen leadership capacity, build new employee skills, or respond to change, our custom corporate programs are designed for impact.

Partner with Us for Your Organization’s Success

Organizations work with Collat Professional Education to solve complex business challenges through targeted, collaborative learning experiences. We partner with organizations of all sizes and across industries, collaboratively designing programs that reflect your priorities and business needs.

Our employee training programs are delivered in formats that work for your team — on-site, off-site, or at the UAB Collat School of Business. Programs may span several days, weeks, or months, depending on your objectives and scope.

While our team of faculty and industry experts will curate program content specific to your group, training topics in high demand include:

Leadership
Alignment & Strategic Thinking
Artificial Intelligence
Change Management
Engagement & Accountability
Emotional Intelligence
Project Management
Sales Training & Negotiations
Data Visualization & Storytelling
Finance & Business Decision Making
Innovation & Design Thinking
Succession Planning

Hear From Our Current Partners

From project management to team development, organizations turn to UAB Collat Professional Education for tailored learning solutions. Learn how our partners describe the impact of our custom programs.

"The Collat team developed a first-class project management academy that captured exactly what I wanted to address with customized content for our specific needs. Thanks to their professionalism, support, and great job all around, our team is equipped to provide a high level of service to our clients."

Mike Kemp President/CEO, KMS

“I had always heard about UAB's project management team and contacted them to schedule a training session for our communications team. Cori and her team developed a custom experience that was educational and entertaining. The training continues to help us in our roles at HudsonAlpha and I highly recommend it to others.”

Adam Kelley Director of Communications
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL

Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Programs

Learn more about our custom employee training programs.

Why should my organization choose a custom professional education program?

No two organizations face the same challenges or operate in the same context. Custom programs allow professional development and training to align directly with your business strategy, culture, and team dynamics.

Rather than adapting your employee training program to a predefined curriculum, Collat Professional Education builds instructional content around what matters most to you. The result is learning that supports meaningful participation and progress for your organization.
How do UAB Collat’s custom programs work?
Our approach to custom professional education is designed to ensure every piece of program content aligns with your business priorities and delivers practical value. This process includes:
- Discovery and Needs Assessment: We begin by learning about your organization’s goals, challenges, and workforce dynamics.
- Program Design: Our team designs a customized curriculum aligned with your objectives, audience, and timeline.
- Flexible Delivery: Programs can take place in person, online, or through a blended format to meet your operational needs.
- Experiential Learning and Impact: Participants engage in real-world scenarios, projects, interactive exercises, and discussions that translate learning into action.
What types of organizations work with Collat Professional Education?
We collaborate with organizations to create custom professional education programs across a wide range of industries, including:
- Health care and life sciences
- Manufacturing and engineering
- Financial services
- Higher education and nonprofit organizations
- Government and public sector
- Energy, utilities, and infrastructure
- Technology and media industries
- Professional services
- Transportation, logistics, and distribution
From small teams to large corporate businesses, our employee training programs are designed to meet organizations where they are.
Why partner with Collat Professional Education?
Organizations choose UAB Collat Professional Education because we offer:
- Programs supported by an AACSB-accredited business school
- Curriculum developed and led by experienced faculty and industry experts
- Learning grounded in practical, workplace-relevant challenges
- Custom experiential learning exercises that are engaging, memorable, and tied to workplace outcomes
- Flexible formats designed for working professionals
- A collaborative approach shaped by organizational goals
Together, these elements create learning experiences that translate into action and connect with the work that organizations do every day.

Let’s Design What Works for Your Organization

Through custom professional education programs, UAB Collat Professional Education works closely with organizations like yours to create learning experiences that support real goals and real change. If you’re seeking additional ways to develop your team, we also offer a range of professional education courses and leadership programs.

Featured News

Four staff members stand or sit around a white table in a large room

Collat Pro Ed staff get a boost from Blazer App Accelerator opens a new website

Graphic of a compass pointing to the word leadership

Collat ProEd experts share why impact matters more than title in leadership

Professional standing in front of coworkers pointing to graphs and charts displayed on widescreen

Collat ProEd launches new data visualization course

Whether you're a recent graduate looking to gain marketable skills, a seasoned professional wanting to advance or change careers, or someone trying to rejoin the workforce after an absence, UAB Collat Professional Education can help get you where you want to be. Select from the categories listed below to view available Career Advancement Courses. Additional courses are on the way.

Accounting & Finance

Artificial Intelligence

Communication

Human Resource Management

Leadership

Management

Operations

Product & Technology

Project Management

Professional Education

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business offers Professional Education designed to strengthen Alabama’s workforce and help professionals like you build in-demand skills that make a measurable difference. Our flexible courses and custom programs give you practical tools you can use right away — whether you’re advancing your career, changing fields, reentering the workforce, or training your organization. Collat Professional Education exists to meet you where you are and make it possible to reach what’s next.

What is Professional Education?

Collat Professional Education includes face-to-face and online courses, certificates, workshops, leadership programs, and customized training that enhance your knowledge across today’s most relevant topics. Each offering provides real-world takeaways you can apply in your current position or as you plan your next step.

At UAB Collat, Professional Education means:

Practical, career-relevant programs taught by industry experts and experienced faculty
Flexible learning formats for busy professionals
Short, focused courses that make continuing education manageable
Training designed to support real workplace needs and responsibilities

Why Choose Collat Professional Education

It’s never too late to pursue your personal and professional goals. It just takes finding the right partner to help you get there. Every learner — and every organization — deserves continuing education opportunities that are accessible, relevant, and built for real-world impact.

As your partner in this, Collat Professional Education offers:

Access to a nationally recognized research university and AACSB-accredited business school
Programs created with industry experts to ensure immediate workplace relevance
Flexible learning formats, including online courses, in-person workshops, Saturday classes, and more
A supportive, professional environment for motivated adult learners
Courses aligned to high-demand fields across Alabama and beyond

Learn About the Collat School of Business

Explore Our Professional Education Programs

From individual courses to custom programs and leadership development opportunities, Collat Professional Education offers multiple learning options that fit your goals, schedule, and experience.

Career Advancement Courses

Build new competencies, sharpen your expertise, and stay competitive in the workplace. Our year-round professional education courses support development in areas like artificial intelligence, management, and communication, and they are open to both individuals and groups. Explore available courses to learn more about cost and how to enroll.

Find Professional Education Courses

Custom Programs for Organizations

UAB partners with businesses and organizations to design custom training programs that address real workplace challenges. Our team works closely with you and tailors each learning experience to your business goals, team, and industry.

Learn About Our Custom Programs

Leadership Consortiums

Created for leaders at all levels, our Leadership Consortiums offer a cohort-based approach to leadership development. Individuals or groups can enroll to strengthen decision-making, communication, conflict resolution, and other core leadership skills.

Explore Leadership Consortium Options