Enhancing skills, extending current capabilities, and preparing for job promotions are all ways that successful business professionals look to achieve their goals. The Retailing and Consumer Science (RCS) program in the Department of Human Development and Consumer Sciences (HDCS) offers five certificate programs designed to offer professional advancement or an academic foundation for transitioning into the bachelor’s degree program.
Haley Freytag, retailing and consumer science (RCS) student, is the program’s first student to successfully complete all certificates in retailing and consumer science. Each certificate requires a specific set of five full courses. The five certificates are available in apparel merchandising, e-tailing, retail organizations, retail promotion, and technology entrepreneurship. Each certificate includes five semester-long courses offered online and face-to-face on a rotational basis.
“Haley’s completion of not just one, but all five is a huge investment in time and money she made in her career potential”, said Dr. Barbara Stewart, human development and consumer science professor and program coordinator.
“I decided to pursue, and complete, all five aspects of the Retailing and Consumer Science certificate program to expand my knowledge of the industry from all areas,” says Freytag who serves as a lead copywriter for Stage Stores. “Considering the ever-evolving nature of retail, learning how pieces intertwine and come together is an invaluable asset to acquire. I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career in retail, but I never had my heart set on a specific path. With a thoroughly developed curriculum that included real world application and professional development, I feel prepared to take on the challenges of the field no matter where my career takes me.”