Combine your passion with your career, and gain the experience and connections you need to race ahead in the athletic and outdoor industry.
Portland is the global hub of the athletic and outdoor industry—and Portland State University ranks among the industry’s top sources of diverse and quality talent.
Our Athletic and Outdoor Industry Certificate puts you on track to a career in this exciting sector. A specialized course sequence that complements your undergraduate business concentration, the Athletic and Outdoor Certificate was designed in partnership with Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Yakima, Gerber Gear and other Portland-based leaders in the athletic and outdoor industry.
You’ll gain hands-on experience, exposure to real-time case studies, and valuable connections to industry employers and fellow students who aspire to careers in the athletic and outdoor industry. Whether you’re majoring in marketing, supply chain, human resource management, and leadership, or another discipline, the Athletic and Outdoor Industry Certificate equips you with a marketable skill set, experience, and network that will open career opportunities.
- Superior instructors. Our athletic and outdoor industry courses are taught by seasoned faculty who have strong connections and first-hand experience in the athletic and outdoor industry. They bring a real-world perspective into the classroom.
- Practical know-how. You’ll learn the ins and outs of the athletic and outdoor industry, acquiring skills and expertise that set you apart in the job market. The program focuses on sales, merchandising, retailing, product management, and other industry-specific subjects.
- Career connections. PSU’s athletic and outdoor industry program has a high profile in Portland and beyond. Industry leaders helped develop the curriculum, are actively engaged, and seek to hire our graduates. Hundreds of PSU alumni work in the athletic and outdoor industry.
- Strategic outlook. PSU graduates stand out in the job market and the workplace for their big-picture perspective. You’ll develop an understanding of the athletic and outdoor industry’s cycles and trends, terminology, culture, and an ability to keep ahead of the curve.
- Hands-on experience. As part of our proving ground mission, the Center for Retail Leadership at PSU sponsors summer immersion programs and trips to the industry’s largest trade show, Outdoor Retailer, in Denver, Colorado. You can also get involved on campus with A&O Connect, a student organization that works with industry leaders to organize on- and off-campus events like tours, networking get-togethers, seminars, workshops, and more.
Athletic and Outdoor Industry 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
- Aligned with business concentrations in marketing, supply chain, advertising, HR, management and other fields
- 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.
Pathways
Communications, Psychology and Graphic Design, and Textile Arts students: you can combine your major and passion to explore a diversity of career opportunities in the exciting and dynamic athletic and outdoor industry. Certificate courses deliver current industry insights, trends, and case studies. You'll develop project work and a network of industry contacts that you can leverage during your job search. View pathways requirements and schedules.
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:
- Marketing
- Retailing
- HR/Recruiting
- Distribution
- Supply Chain
- Sales
- Strategic planning
- Product management
CURRICULUM
Download the Athletic and Outdoor Industry Certificate sequence sheet (PDF).
ACCREDITATION & PATHWAYS
Portland State University is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
One of less 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.