Change is in the air. Whether it’s the turn of a new season, evolving economic landscapes or global uncertainties, one thing is certain — investing in your own growth is a safe bet.
Check out UW Professional & Continuing Education’s newest lineup of programs to help you thrive in this season of change and beyond.
1. Nonprofit Administration
GRANT MANAGEMENT
- Type: Specialization
- Duration: 11-12 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
Grant managers are indispensable micro-to-macro thinkers in their organizations. “Whether you manage grants for a small nonprofit or a large philanthropic organization, you must be able to understand what's required at every step in the grant cycle, from inception to closeout,” says Megan Ward, a senior grant manager for Swedish Health Services and one of the instructors for this new specialization.
This program teaches you the essential steps of grant management, starting with evaluating whether a grant opportunity is a good fit for your organization. Also, we’ll cover interpreting administrative and cost regulations and creating monitoring systems to track performance, timelines and deliverables. You’ll walk away with the ability to meet grant objectives, nurture funder relationships and strengthen your organization’s ongoing impact.
Learn More
BUDGETING & FINANCE FOR NONPROFITS
- Type: Specialization
- Duration: 3 months
- Where: Online Synchronous
Responsibility for the financial stability of a nonprofit is no small matter. “It’s about enabling your nonprofit to become more sustainable and effective in meeting your mission,” says Joyce Lee, vice president of finance at Vale Group (formerly known as Vulcan), one of the instructors of this new specialization.
In this program, you’ll learn the nonprofit accounting principles and budgeting practices you need for your organization’s long-term viability. “Even if you have accounting or finance experience in the business world, you may be surprised to learn that nonprofit financial management is a very different niche,” explains Anne Mace Deines, the chief financial officer for the nonprofit organization Public Health Advocates and another instructor.
The specialization also covers topics like strategic financial planning and analysis, grant compliance with government regulations and donor restrictions, financial reporting, managing cash flow and diversifying revenue sources.
Learn More
2. Business
BUSINESS WRITING FOUNDATIONS
- Type: Course
- Duration: 9 weeks
- Where: Online Asynchronous
Whether it’s an email to your manager, a presentation to a client or another form of business communication, clear, persuasive writing is extremely important in the workplace. Learning to write well in a business context can pay dividends throughout your career.
In this foundational course, you’ll learn the essential principles for becoming a more skilled, confident writer. You’ll brush up on your grammar and punctuation knowledge, discover what makes writing “consumable,” and find out how to avoid common bad writing habits.
You’ll also explore issues of inclusivity, accessibility, and voice and tone that have become increasingly relevant in the modern workplace. And you’ll practice strategies for leveraging the latest artificial intelligence (AI) tools and other writing aids to produce compelling, error-free content.
Learn More
UX Research
- Type: Specialization
- Duration: 9 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
User experience (UX) research — the process of gathering information about the needs, behaviors, and pain points of customers to inform product design and development — is a crucial aspect of business strategy in many industries today. With high-quality UX research, companies can create products and experiences that better match customer expectations and generate higher sales and engagement.
This specialization will teach you how to use industry-standard tools and techniques to produce valuable, actionable UX insights. You’ll investigate a variety of user research methods, including usability tests, interviewing, surveys, sampling techniques and more. We’ll explore the factors that influence user preferences, needs, frustrations and other phenomena of human behavior. You’ll also develop a UX research portfolio to demonstrate your skills and knowledge.
Learn More
3. Software & Technology
SOFTWARE ALGORITHMS & DATA STRUCTURES
- Type: Course
- Duration: 11 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
Algorithms are one of software development’s secret weapons. Knowing how algorithms work — and how to craft them — can help developers create faster and more efficient software. Algorithms support ongoing technical innovation, which never stops, and that’s one of the great things about a career in the software world, says course instructor Sanjeev Qazi, a senior software development engineer for Microsoft: “You’re not bound by physical dimensions — the possibilities are endless.”
In this course, you’ll examine, create, compare and test the major types of algorithms and data structures. Discover how to conduct a Big-O analysis to assess the complexity and runtime of your code and understand the tradeoffs of using different algorithms and data structures. Plus, you’ll learn to identify different problem-solving approaches and how to forge solutions for optimal performance and efficiency.
Learn More
SOFTWARE DESIGN PATTERNS & SYSTEM DESIGN
- Type: Course
- Duration: 9-10 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
In software engineering, a software design pattern is a general, reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem. Knowing how to apply design patterns can help you build software that’s fast, extensible and scalable.
This new course focuses on design patterns as building blocks of software architecture. We’ll start with an introduction to code design patterns — such as Factory, Singleton and Adapter — and the SOLID design principles used to build extensible designs efficiently. You’ll explore common system design components such as databases, caching and different architectural patterns. This course also delves into the techniques used to scale software systems like database sharding, distributed transactions, load balancing and asynchronous communication.
Learn More
VISUAL DESIGN FOR DIGITAL MEDIA
- Type: Course
- Duration: 9 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
In today’s hyperactive digital media environment, brands and organizations have mere seconds to capture your attention before you scroll past or click away. That's why engaging visual design is a must to stand out from the crowd.
In this course, you'll get the skills to develop compelling design assets for use on various digital marketing platforms. Learn proven tools and techniques for creating content for web and social media channels that delight users and lead to further engagement and conversion. Explore content hierarchy and composition, discuss issues of brand consistency, and investigate iconography, animation, interactive design elements and more. You’ll also practice using generative AI tools in your design workflow.
Learn More
WEB & DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY
- Type: Specialization
- Duration: 12 weeks
- Where: Online Asynchronous
Making websites and other digital content accessible isn’t just a good idea — it’s the law. An April 2024 federal ruling gives state and local governmental entities two years to make their digital content compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. At the same time, companies and other private and nonprofit organizations are striving to make their digital content and software more inclusive for everyone, which promises to spark increasing demand for roles related to accessible content.
In this specialization, you’ll apply techniques and strategies for developing digital content that meets accessibility standards and reaches the widest audience possible. As you learn with instructor Sheryl Burgstahler, you’ll explore the concept of disability justice and study the web and mobile accessibility standards that are part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “Students will learn from reports by people with disabilities who share how inaccessible technology impacts them, and how accessible technology opens doors,” Burgstahler says.
▸ Get a preview in Burgstahler’s video covering 10 tips for digital accessibility.
You’ll also study universal design, assistive technologies and different accessibility tools and resources. The specialization provides hands-on exercises, including creating a real-world accessibility plan that meets the latest legal standards.
Learn More
NEW TECH OFFERINGS FROM CIRCUIT STREAM
Technology changes faster than almost any industry and priming yourself for career growth means one thing — keeping your skills fresh. With that in mind, we’re excited to announce a new partnership with Circuit Stream, a leading tech-education provider.
Find new bootcamps and courses in areas like:
- Game Development
- Product Management
- Software Development
- Interaction Design & Prototyping for XR
- XR Development With Unity
Learn More
4. Marketing
PRODUCT MARKETING
- Type: Specialization
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
In today's crowded marketplace, building a great product doesn’t guarantee success. To claim an ideal market position, you also need a compelling story. That’s why product marketing starts with knowing everything about your product — and your target audience.
In this one-course specialization, you’ll explore how to identify and effectively communicate a product’s value to maximize customer adoption and sales. We’ll cover how to design product marketing strategies that are steeped in customer, company and competitive market research. In addition, the program offers insights into the critical role of product marketing plays in the tech industry and shows you how to influence any product roadmap. You’ll also examine product lifecycles, pricing, packaging and real-world go-to-market strategies, and learn about marketing in the age of AI.
▸ Want to sample the topics covered in this specialization? Check out these expert insights from instructor Eric Shuai about how to unlock success in product marketing.
Learn More
MARKETING FOUNDATIONS
- Type: Course
- Duration: 11 weeks
- Where: Online Synchronous
Are you thinking about pivoting your career toward marketing? Or maybe your role suddenly includes pitching in on marketing efforts? If you’re new to the field, getting professional training can make all the difference.
In this introductory course, you’ll dive into the fundamentals of marketing. We’ll explore different marketing channels and frameworks, discuss consumer behavior and investigate market segmentation techniques. You’ll also develop creative marketing collateral and learn how to write an effective marketing plan.
Learn More
5. Health Care
Speech, Language & Hearing Foundations
- Type: Certificate
- Duration: 12 months
- Where: Online Asynchronous
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help people of all ages and backgrounds cope with speech, language, hearing and swallowing impairments. Given the growing awareness of these challenges faced by everyone from young children to aging adults, there is increasing demand for well-qualified SLPs across various educational and health settings.
This nine-course certificate program enables you to complete the undergraduate coursework and clinical observation hours needed to apply for graduate study in speech-language pathology. You’ll get an in-depth overview of the social, behavioral, physical and biological bases of speech, language, hearing and swallowing. You’ll also study the clinical processes used to identify, prevent and treat the various conditions that people experience related to communication and swallowing disorders, including evidence-based and ethical clinical practice methods.
Learn More
Keep Learning
Check out all our certificates, specializations and courses starting in 2025 and find a program that’s perfect for you.