A joint offering by the College of Engineering and the School of Business
The Technical Leadership Certificate FAQ
Q.) If I’m interested in enrolling in the series, what’s the first step?
A.) Visit the TL certificate website (http://uwtechleadership.com) and either
download or fill out online the TL certificate enrollment form.
Q.) Does enrolling in the TL cert, automatically register me for courses?
A.) No, you will need to register separately for the courses you are interested in. The TL staff will be happy to do this for you if you let them know the courses you are interested in, or you can register for each course on a one-by-one basis, picking courses from the TL certificate menu that meet your schedule and content needs.
Q.) I’ve already taken some of the courses listed in the TL certificate menu prior to enrolling formally in the series. Can those earlier completed courses be applied towards completing the series?
A.) In most cases the answer is yes. Contact the TL certificate staff for more information.
Q.) I’ve already taken some courses from the University of Wisconsin that aren’t in the TL certificate menu, but I feel are applicable toward my career development. Can those other courses be applied towards completing the series?
A.) In some special circumstances course substitution has been allowed, albeit in a limited form. Contact the TL certificate staff for more information.
Q.) What’s the difference between the TL certificate and a graduate degree program such as an MS or MBA?
A.) The TL certificate is a non-credit continuing education career development solution. It is not as lock-step as most graduate for-credit programs and each course is completed in a much quicker timeframe. For example all TL certificate courses are 2-3 full 8 hour days, while most graduate degree courses are 4-24 weeks long for 60-90 minutes. The amount of outside work is considerably different too. Most TL certificate courses have no assigned work outside of class, while most graduate for-credit courses have considerable outside work. Finally, most for-credit courses have examination requirements, while most TL certificate classes have no exam or testing requirements.
Q.) Can the TL certificate courses be used for professional development credits for national association or state accreditation and licensing?
A.) All TL certificate courses completed have C.E.U (continuing education unit) value which is used by most national association and state accreditation councils for licensing.
Q.) What are the classroom demographics of a TL certificate course?
A.) Participants in the courses that make up the TL certificate are full-time business professionals. Most participants have over 5 years of career experience, and may have over 20 years of career experience. The industry make-up is broad in all of the courses and so is the career specialization. Courses attract a national audience, however most participants are located in the Midwest.
Q.) What is the class size of a typical program?
A.) Class size ranges from 15-35 participants
Q.) Will I be grouped with other TL certificate participants and go through the series together?
A.) No. We’ve found that you get greater networking and class experiences by having a variety of people in each of the courses you register for. However if there are logistical reasons why you would like to be registered with specific people in a course, we will try to accommodate.
Q.) Do I pay for each course separately or all at once?
A.) Payment is handled on a by-course basis, making it easier for you if your schedule or content needs change over time.
Q.) Where are courses held? What about lodging?
A.) All courses are located within the University of Wisconsin – Madison campus. The primary buildings used for TL certificate courses are the Fluno Center, 601 University Ave, Madison, WI, or the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St, Madison WI. The Fluno Center offers excellent lodging facilities that have been ranked in the top 10 nation-wide since the building opened in 2000. Additionally, the campus offers convenient lodging at Lowell Hall or the Fredrick Center. Finally, there are a number of commercial lodging facilities located within walking distance.