Gain the expertise, experience, and connections to race ahead in the athletic and outdoor industry.
Portland is one of the athletic and outdoor industry’s most dynamic hubs—and Portland State University ranks among the industry’s most dynamic sources of talent.
Our Athletic and Outdoor Industry Graduate Certificate puts you on the fast track to a career in this exciting sector. Designed and led by seasoned pros from Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Yakima, Gerber Gear, and other Portland-based companies, the program has a 100% job-placement rate.
This flexible program can be accessed remotely, attracting participants from across the United States and around the world. Whether you’re just entering the workforce, changing careers, or looking for a specialized edge that equips you to advance into leadership roles, you can’t get better professional training than PSU offers in the Athletic and Outdoor Industry certificate program.
- 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 recruit PSU graduates aggressively. Hundreds of our alumni work in the industry, and they have a long track record of high-impact achievements. The Athletic and Outdoor Industry certificate program has a perfect job-placement record—every graduate who’s sought work in the industry has found a job.
- 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’s flexible format allows you to participate from anywhere in the country or the world—even if you’re working full-time. Our interactive digital course platform simulates the camaraderie of an on-campus classroom, enabling you to collaborate with peers and form relationships with faculty.
- 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 Industry Certificate explores the unique challenges and competitive issues within the industry. The Athletic and Outdoor Industry Graduate Certificate consists of four core courses plus an elective. Each course is worth 4 credits, totaling a required 20 credits including one elective.
Required Courses:
- MKTG 514 - Sales and Sales Leadership/Storytelling in the Athletic and Outdoor Industry (4)
- MKTG 536 - Competitive Dynamics in the Athletic & Outdoor Industry (4)
- MKTG 537 - Product Management in the Athletic & Outdoor Industry (4)
- MGMT 535 Principles of Sustainability in the Athletic & Outdoor Industry
- GSCM 511 Principles of Strategic Global Sourcing or GSCM 513 Principles of Strategic Global Logistics
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.