Gain the expertise, experience, and connections to stand out in the Athletic and Outdoor industry.
Portland is one of the industry’s most dynamic hubs—and Portland State University is among its most trusted sources of talent.
The Athletic and Outdoor Industry Graduate Certificate equips you with real-world skills, direct access to a powerful alumni network, and a competitive edge to advance your career. Courses are taught by seasoned pros from Nike, UnderArmour, Columbia Sportswear, Yakima, and other Portland-based leaders.
Designed for working professionals, the program offers late-afternoon and evening classes, flexible hybrid options, and rolling admissions. Whether you’re entering the workforce, changing careers, or preparing for leadership, PSU delivers the professional training that sets you apart in the Athletic and Outdoor industry.
- Superior instructors. You’ll take courses from athletic and outdoor industry leaders who have years of experience. In addition, you’ll get to interact with entrepreneurs and risk-takers who developed innovative products, established new markets, built iconic brands, and otherwise moved the industry forward.
- Access to jobs. Athletic and Outdoor employers actively recruit PSU graduates, and hundreds of our alumni are already shaping the industry. Their proven record of high-impact achievements reflects the strength of our program. In addition to this powerful alumni network, you’ll gain access to the School of Business Career Center’s resources—from career coaching to employer connections and recruiting events—giving you a direct path to opportunity.
- Industry-specific expertise. You’ll learn the tools and techniques that drive the outdoor and athletic industry, with coursework in product management, consumer behavior, analytics, sourcing, logistics and more.
- Strategic outlook. PSU graduates stand out in the job market (and the workplace) for their big-picture perspective. You’ll have a feel for the athletic and outdoor industry’s ever-changing dynamics, and an ability to keep ahead of trends and set new directions.
- Accessibility and convenience. The program is designed with working professionals in mind—offering late-afternoon and evening courses, along with hybrid options that keep participation flexible and manageable. At the same time, it’s rooted locally: courses connect you to the region’s industry leaders and alumni, creating opportunities to apply your learning, build relationships, and advance your career right here in the center of it all.
- Institutional excellence. The Athletic and Outdoor Industry graduate certificate is offered by PSU’s nationally ranked School of Business. Bloomberg Businessweek, US News & World Report, and other outlets have included PSU on various “best of” lists.
Athletic and Outdoor Industry Graduate Certificate Highlights
- Developed in collaboration with global leaders in the athletic and outdoor industry
- Offered by the PSU’s nationally-ranked School of Business and the Center for Retail Leadership
- Can be taken paired with a graduate program such as our Master’s in Global Supply Chain Management, MBA and MSF, or taken as a stand-alone certificate.
- PSU holds elite dual-accreditation in business and accounting from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Alumni have an outstanding job-placement record with world-renowned brands, including adidas, Columbia Sportswear, Cascade Designs, Gerber Gear, Keen, REI, and Nike
Portland has one of the world’s largest concentrations of athletic and outdoor headquarters, retailers, and manufacturers, complemented by an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities. Coupled with a passionate community and fast-growing industry led by Oregon-based global giants, PSU’s athletic and outdoor program offers a rich proving ground for career exploration.
Our Athletic and Outdoor Industry Certificate prepares you for a variety of career roles, including:
- Supply Chain
- Marketing
- Retailing
- Distribution
- Sales
- Strategic planning
- Product management
Questions? Contact Center for Retail Leadership Executive Director Lindsey Morse at lindseym@pdx.edu
ATHLETIC AND OUTDOOR INDUSTRY CURRICULUM
From concept to consumer, the Athletic and Outdoor (A&O) Industry Certificate explores the unique challenges and competitive issues within the industry. The A&O Graduate Certificate consists of two core courses plus two electives. Each course is worth 4 credits, totaling a required 16 credits.
Required Courses: (16 credits total)
2 Core Courses
- MKTG 536 - Competitive Dynamics in the Athletic & Outdoor Industry (4)
- MKTG 537 - Product Management in the Athletic & Outdoor Industry (4)
Choose 2 complementary electives from Supply Chain (GSCM), Management (MGMT), or Business Analytics (BTA).
- GSCM 511 - Principles of Strategic Global Sourcing (4)
- GSCM 513 - Principles of Strategic Global Logistics (4)
- GSCM 514 - Reverse Logistics and Closed Loop Supply Chain (4)
- GSCM 515 - Global Information, Systems and Data Analytics (4)
- MGMT 521 - Design Thinking For Social Innovation (4)
- MGMT 523 - Storytelling and Impact Measurement for Social Innovation (4)
- MGMT 513 - Pioneering Innovation (Entrepreneurship) - non MBA only (4)
- BTA 511 - Business Data Management with SQL (4)
- BTA 512 - Business Data Analytics with Python (4)
- BTA 553 - Enterprise Data Visualization for Decision Making (4)
ACCREDITATION
Portland State University is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
One of fewer than 200 business schools worldwide — top 1% — to be accredited in both business and accounting by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB is the elite business school accreditation known internationally.
Learn more about how to be successful in graduate programs.