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The Certificate in Professional Sales

Course Requirements for the Certificate: 21 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this certificate.

Applicants must qualify for admission to the program. For all students (e.g. existing CSU, Chico students, transfer students, exchange students), a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 is required for admission to the certificate program. Candidates for the certificate must be accepted by the University, but it is not necessary to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree in order to receive the Professional Sales Certificate. Please consult with the chair of the Department of Finance and Marketing or the Undergraduate Business Advising Office for additional admissions criteria.

A grade point average of 2.5 must be earned for courses required for the certificate, with at least a "C" earned in each course.

Foundation Courses: 3 units

1 course required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Introductory study of the information system that measures, records, and communicates the economic activity of an entity, in monetary terms, to stakeholders outside of the organization. The study of assets, liabilities, owners' equity, revenues, expenses, gains, and losses as they relate to the preparation of financial statements communicating an entity's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. 3 hours lecture. (000077)

Certificate Core Courses: 15 units

5 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Nature and functions of marketing systems and marketing in the individual firm. Study of the marketing mix, marketing institutions, and the environments in which marketing decisions are made. 3 hours lecture. (005872)
Prerequisite: MKTG 305.
Study of the decision processes of individuals and groups toward consumer products and the implications to marketers. Emphasis on both individual, group, and external determinants of consumer attitudes and behavior. 3 hours discussion. (005873)
Prerequisite: MKTG 371.
Management of the sales force and sales process including account management, sale force organization, sales forecasting and budgeting, quota setting, territory management, recruitment and selection, training, motivation and compensation systems, evaluation and control of sales performance. Role of customer relationship management systems in managing sales information and the customer interface. Current issues in sales management. 3 hours discussion. (005877)
Prerequisite: MKTG 371.
Principles and practices of strategic personal selling, including relationship strategy, customer strategy, product strategy, and presentation strategy. The role of personal selling in the marketing mix and the current business environment. 3 hours lecture. (005886)
Prerequisites: MKTG 371, MKTG 473, or faculty permission.
Emerging techniques and issues in sales negotiation, persuasion, and customer relationship management. Financial, ethical and sales leadership issues are also examined. 3 hours lecture. (020786)

Elective Courses: 3 units

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: FINA 307.
Nature of risk and risk management; fundamentals of property, liability, and life contracts; types of companies; government regulation. 3 hours lecture. (003734)
This course explores creative, integrative approaches to conflict resolution. Includes bargaining games, role-plays, cases, issues in conflict management, interpersonal influence processes, cultural, and ethical implications of bargaining problems and personal negotiating styles. 3 hours lecture. (005703)
Prerequisite: MGMT 303.
An examination of the knowledge, skills, and values that foster personal and managerial success. This course presents a multidimensional approach to success that emphasizes reflective thinking, including ethical considerations. 3 hours discussion. (005693)
Prerequisite: MGMT 303 or faculty permission.
Creating team effectiveness and developing project management skills. Includes coverage of the nine project management body of knowledge areas required for professional certification by PMI, the professional code of ethics, and the benefits of diversity on team performance. The course requires use of information technology including spreadsheets, Web-based file storage and sharing, electronic presentations and use of project management software. 3 hours lecture. (005731)
Prerequisite: MGMT 303.
The purpose of this course is to develop an understanding of leadership and motivation in organizations. This course explores contemporary leadership thought, including approaches to leadership development, leadership models, leadership in specific contexts, and the relationships between leadership and organizational power, authority, and management. We also investigate the connection between leadership and motivation, motivation theories, and motivational programs for complex organizations. 3 hours lecture. (005729)
Study of fundamental database design principles and techniques, including data modeling with Entity-Relationship diagrams and normalization. Study of SQL (Structured Query Language) database management systems capabilities. Study of the relational data model and relational operations. Study of database security mechanisms. Introduction to PL/SQL. Application of concepts and techniques to practical business scenarios. 3 hours lecture. (005814)
Prerequisites: MKTG 371 or MKTG 380, Senior standing, faculty permission.
This course is an internship offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. For students who wish to gain practical work experience with participating firms/organizations. This course enables a student to study policy, control, and decision-making in a specialized work environment. See advisor for student's performance requirements, assignments, and methods of evaluation prior to undertaking the internship. 3 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (005881)
Prerequisites: MKTG 305, MKTG 371.
After completion of this course, students are expected to: acquire a working knowledge of CRM in the various business contexts, understand the importance of information technology in marketing and sales, enhance ability to analyze customers heuristically and financially, and develop an understanding of the marketing and sales processes used to improve customer experiences. 3 hours lecture. (021808)
Prerequisites: MKTG 305, MKTG 371.
The purpose of this course is to provide a review of the theoretical foundation of personal selling and an opportunity to build practical sales experience. Specific attention is paid to the development of role playing skills and the ability to analyze complex case problems. Particular emphasis is placed on relationship-building skills, problem analysis, solution-based presentations, and closing/follow-up techniques. Students compete in at least one sales competition. 3 hours lecture. (021802)

Note: Upper division courses which are related to professional sales and which are offered by other academic departments (e.g. CMST 354, Persuasion; PSYC 395, Social Psychology; REAL 301, Principles of Real Estate; RHPM 371, Customer Service/Sales Recreation Operations) may also be taken but require prior approval by the chair of the Department of Finance and Marketing or the Director of the Professional Sales Program.

Catalog Cycle:20