Professional Education
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

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 CommunicationsHudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL
Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Programs
Learn more about our custom employee training programs.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Professional Education Faculty
At Collat, you’ll learn from faculty who blend scholarly insights with practical application. They are business practitioners, entrepreneurs, consultants, and thought leaders who bring firsthand experience and teaching expertise to every course.
Meet our FacultyGet in Touch
If you’re exploring professional education opportunities for yourself or your organization, we can help you find the program that aligns with your interests and needs. Connect with us to get started!
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