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Certificate program examines winemaking in the U.S.

Interested in enhancing your knowledge of wines produced in the United States?

Cornell’s new Wines certificate program, guided by Cheryl Stanley, lecturer at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, takes an in-depth look at the wines produced in the U.S.’s four major wine-producing states: California, Washington, Oregon and New York.

Ideal for current and aspiring hospitality professionals, wine distributors, retailers and wine enthusiasts, this online program offers participants the opportunity to develop a more nuanced knowledge of and appreciation for wine by exploring the winemaking process from grape to glass. Participants will learn how to interpret wine labels and navigate wine selection.

They will also connect grape varietals with the influences of geography effects and production factors to anticipate expected flavors and aromas.

“There is so much to be learned about wine,” Stanley said. “This program will build a foundation for professionals and enthusiasts alike to expand their knowledge of regions and varietals to ultimately prepare them to make better selections and pairings.”

This program consists of three three-week courses:

Wine Essentials;
Grape Varietals of California, New York and the Pacific Northwest; and
Experiencing Wines of California, New York and the Pacific Northwest.
Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and 60 professional development hours. Visit the eCornell website to learn more about this program.

– Bailey Karfelt

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Cornell launches online entrepreneurship program

To bring a startup business to market, an entrepreneur needs to assess the viability of their concept, develop a strategic framework and navigate the due diligence required to finance it.

On Nov. 19, National Entrepreneurs Day, Cornell launched a new Entrepreneurship certificate program, designed to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to take a new idea from theory to realization.

“Ideas are easy to come by, but the real challenge comes in getting them off the ground,” said Tom Schryver, program author, visiting lecturer in the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, and executive director of the Center for Regional Economic Advancement. “This program will help students understand how startups raise capital to execute on their plans, both from the perspective of an entrepreneur seeking to raise money as well as from the point of view of an investor looking to make an investment in a startup.”

The program will enable participants to structure a business model to protect their interests, assign fair valuation to an opportunity and secure funding. Participants will also explore many types of funders, from equity and angel investors to venture capitalists, crowdfunders and grant programs. Courses in this program include:

  • Assessing Startup Viability and Funding Options
  • Pitching Your Business Opportunity
  • Protecting Your Interests
  • Financial Planning, Valuation and Dilution
  • Company Structure and Due Diligence
  • Post-Investment Best Practices

After completing the six courses, participants will receive an Entrepreneurship certificate and 60 professional development hours. Visit the eCornell website to learn more about this program.

— Bailey Karfelt

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Certificate course helps develop front-end web design skills

For organizations large and small, having a great website is no longer a novelty – it’s a requirement. And building a website with a standout design and user-friendly digital experience has become increasingly critical to success.

In response to this need, the Faculty of Computing and Information Science and eCornell have developed an online certificate program, Web Design and Development. This front-end web development certificate focuses on designing and building websites that focus on the need of users, striking the optimal balance between form and function.

“Too often, we encounter websites developed to achieve a specific purpose, but without the end user in mind,” said Kyle Harms, program faculty author and lecturer in information science. “The goal of this program is to meet the needs of the end user with a web experience that is attractive, functional and accessible.”

This certificate program establishes a framework for success in front-end web development, and is designed to adapt to the ever-evolving digital world. Its courses are tailored toward aspiring programmers and web designers, but ideal for any self-taught individuals or entrepreneurs looking to design static websites.

Courses in this program include: Framing Front-End Web Development; Structuring Content with HTML; Styling Web Content with CSS; Composition and Responsive Design; Improving User Experience with Interactivity; Collecting Data with Forms.

After completing the six courses, students will earn an executive web design and development certificate. Visit the eCornell website to learn more about this program.

– Bailey Karfelt

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Certificate program combines tech, financial services

Financial institutions are increasingly using new technologies to deploy existing resources to deliver transaction, payment and asset-management services.

To capitalize on these rapidly expanding innovations in financial technology, Cornell has established a new FinTech Certificate Program. Participants will not only identify key advances in the fintech landscape, but also analyze opportunities in financial technology and blockchain.

“Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley are … leading the charge into fintech with blockchain technology and machine learning,” said program author Ari Juels, the Weill Family Foundation and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Professor at Cornell Tech. “Those working in financial services should take heed.”

“Advances in technology have revolutionized the way the financial sector does business, and, by extension, how we all do business,” said Drew Pascarella, associate dean for MBA programs and senior lecturer of finance at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. “It is imperative that everyone within the financial services ecosystem understands these key trends.”

Financial services professionals, consultants, software companies who sell to financial services and others in the banking and financial sectors will find value in this certificate program, available online through eCornell.

The FinTech Certificate program consists of four two-week courses, including:

  • FinTech Disruptions;
  • Trends in FinTech;
  • Cryptocurrencies and Ledgers;
  • Cryptography Essentials.

After completion of the four courses, participants will earn a fintech certificate from Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and 40 professional development hours.

– Kristi Gaylord

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Business college launches accounting certificate program

In response to increasing demand for financial professionals, Cornell has developed an online certificate program in accounting and auditing.

The program is relevant for people seeking a career in corporate finance, as well as for pre-MBA students looking to obtain a core foundation in accounting.

Available online through eCornell, the program’s four courses include essential principles and best practices of accounting, including how to interpret and report financial statements and accounts, understand the conceptual framework and rules, and identify potential gaps in financial reporting.

“This course was designed to develop the critical skills for those exploring a career in accounting or navigating the financial world, and enable them with the fundamental knowledge necessary to succeed,” said Rob Bloomfield, faculty program author and professor of accounting in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

Participants will benefit from expert instruction and established best practices, and will learn to confidently construct and interpret accounts of revenue, accounts receivable, inventory, long-term assets and debt, and equity.

Whether looking to enter the financial world as an accountant, investor, entrepreneur or student, this program will equip participants with the indispensable skills and understanding to enrich their journey.

  • Courses for the certificate program include:
  • Foundations of Financial Statements
  • Accruals and Cash Flows
  • Sales Accounting
  • Investments, Capital and Financial Forecasting

After completion of the four courses, participants will receive an accounting certificate. Go to the eCornell website to learn more about this program.

– Bailey Karfelt

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Digital photography certificate program to begin in October

Capturing great photographs takes more than a good camera or the right Instagram filter. One must master a variety of observational and artistic techniques, and become familiar with photography’s technical elements and professional workflows.

The College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP) is launching a digital photography certificate program, aimed at building professional photography skills and knowledge. Available online through eCornell, the program will explore everything from the mechanics of the camera to the digital programs used for editing, and help students strengthen the self-discipline, concentration and critical-thinking skills essential to good photography.

This certificate program will cover the fundamentals of photography; explain how to choose the right camera and use it; explore the digital tools available today; and discuss lighting, style and expression, and best practices. Participants will examine standard camera features and develop a toolkit of techniques for creating different types of photographs.

“This certificate program is designed to build essential photography skills, learn best practices and develop a professional approach to photography, whether using it commercially or for personal reasons,” said Barry Perlus, associate professor in AAP, program author and artistic photographer.

Courses include:

  • Photography Fundamentals
  • Camera Selection and Mechanics
  • Digital Asset Management
  • Lighting
  • Style and Expression Through Photography
  • Building a Photography Portfolio
  • Professional Photography

After completion of the seven courses, participants will receive a digital photography certificate. Go to the eCornell website to learn more about this program.

– Bailey Karfelt

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Certificate program aims to empower female professionals

Women comprise 44% of the overall labor force among S&P 500 companies, but hold just 25% of executive and senior-level positions and represent only 6% of CEOs. Even the most experienced, capable women can struggle to rise to leadership positions.

To empower accomplished professional women to reach their full potentials, Cornell has launched the Executive Women in Leadership certificate program. Available online through eCornell, this certificate program equips participants with the tools to identify and reduce the gender bias and power dynamics in their own organizations, and to bring greater parity to workplace culture.

“Research shows that when both women and men think of a leader, they think of a man,” said faculty co-author Deborah Streeter, the Bruce F. Failing Sr. Professor of Personal Enterprise at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business. “This certificate program allows learners to create a personalized action plan using recommended strategies to understand the gendered environments in which they are operating and then navigate the most effective path to leadership, status, and power in their organization.”

Women leaders in mid- to senior-level positions, women who hold or are interested in seeking board positions, women entrepreneurs and founders, and male leaders seeking to better understand gender dynamics in their organizations will find value in this program. Participants will refine their executive presence to improve interactions with people at higher levels, improve their approach to negotiations, explore the strategies needed to develop a strong professional network, and assess the core competencies needed for board membership.

“In order to become a senior leader, an individual must first be perceived as one,” said Susan S. Fleming, faculty co-author, executive educator and former senior lecturer at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and the Johnson Graduate School of Management. “This requires demonstrating myriad skills such as being an effective negotiator, a visionary, and an excellent networker, as well as personal characteristics such as gravitas, authenticity and the right mix of authority and warmth.”

Once participants complete the program, they will be better-positioned to navigate institutional dynamics and achieve higher levels of leadership. Courses include: Power and Gender Dynamics; Developing Executive Presence for Women Leaders; Gender Bias and Negotiation Strategies; The Network Effect; and Decoding the Gender Gap in Board Membership.

Upon successful completion of all five courses, learners earn an Executive Women in Leadership Certificate from Cornell SC Johnson, 40 professional development hours and four Continuing Education Units.

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eCornell offers Psychology of Leadership certificate

eCornell is offering a new, all-online certificate in the Psychology of Leadership, a program that distills complex leadership behaviors and more than 50 years of empirical research into a concrete set of tools professionals can use to cultivate their ability to influence and lead in all settings.

“Professionals have limited time for development, and it’s not practical for them to try everything to find what works. This new program is the result of a lifetime of work, rendering a broad range of behavioral theories and research down to a set of 15 to 20 core ideas that reap results quickly, across multiple contexts,” said program author Allan Filipowicz, clinical professor of management and organizations at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

The Psychology of Leadership certificate consists of six interactive online courses that can be completed over three months with three to five hours of study per week in an engaging, small-class setting. Each course unpacks key behaviors like goal setting, managing personal and team performance, emotional intelligence and influencing others. Filipowicz uses worksheets, physical activities and simulations to provide students with a visceral understanding of the concepts.

Students also benefit from Filipowicz’s diverse academic and professional background; he teaches MBA students and global executives, has worked in finance and consulting, and holds advanced degrees in engineering, international affairs, social psychology, business and organizational behavior.

One of 12 Leadership and Strategic Management certificates offered by eCornell, Psychology of Leadership is relevant for professionals regardless of level, industry or sector, and ideal for current leaders seeking to improve personal and team performance. It’s also for organizations to use in developing new leaders and managers, and for anyone who needs to get things done through others. Students who complete this program receive a professional certificate from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

Sarah Thompson is a freelance writer for eCornell.