Essential Skills

Instructor(s)

Sheronda Glass:  Sheronda Glass has worked for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside since 2016 and is currently the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Employee Engagement. She is a human resources executive with 25+ years of HR experience having worked in a variety of industries, including healthcare, consumer products/manufacturing, and most recently, K-12 education. She has extensive experience in the areas of HR strategic planning, conflict resolution, performance management, labor relations, and diversity management. She has also worked as a consultant for over six years, consulting in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. She is a certified trainer/facilitator in the areas of conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, performance management, and cultural competency.  

Sheronda received her Ph.D. in Business Management with a specialization in Human Resources from Capella University. She has taught human resources courses including Performance Management, and Introduction to Human Resources Management, and currently teaches Essential Personal Skills for Project Management and Staffing Organizations. She has also achieved the Professional in Human Resources certification awarded by the Society for Human Resources Management and the HR Certification Institute. She is a facilitator for the prep course for SHRM professional certifications and SHRM Essentials for non-HR managers. She is the recipient of the 2018 Milwaukee Business Journal HR Award and the UW System 2019 Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award. 

Jordania Leon-Jordan: Ms. Leon-Jordan received her bachelor's degree from UW-Stevens-Point and her master's degree in Business Administration from UW-Parkside. Ms. Leon-Jordan is a certified project management professional (PMP), teaches project management for the College of Business, Economics and Computing (CBEC), and leads UW-Parkside's IT strategic planning efforts.

As the CIO, Ms. Leon-Jordan serves as the head of the Campus Technology Services (CTS) department reporting directly to the Provost.

Ms. Leon-Jordan's responsibilities include overseeing the Applications Development, Client Services, Desktop Support, Networking, and Web Management teams; developing and communicating the vision and strategic technology goals supportive of all University entities engaged in the deployment and use of information technology; actively participating in and providing leadership in UW System and statewide information technology needs, among others.

Objectives

This certificate uses projects to simulate the types of experiences you might face in the workplace. This applied learning format ensures that you master the key concepts in action, and it prepares you with a portfolio of work that prospective employers will find valuable. 

Throughout this certificate, you will learn the skills needed to manage a project from conception to close.

• PMGT 315X: A System for Value Delivery 

  • You’ll explore a system of value delivery and how projects operate within a system to produce value for organizations and their stakeholders. You’ll also learn to recognize value delivery components and how these components work together to deliver value that is aligned with an organization’s strategy.

• PMGT 316X: Principles of Project Management

  • Master the foundational principles of project management as they relate to strategy, decision-making, and problem-solving. You’ll also apply these principles (as well as ethical principles) to a case study, where you’ll have to consider several factors including the organization, project, deliverables, project team, stakeholders, and more.

• PMGT 317X: Stakeholder and Team Project Performance Domains 

  • Gain an understanding of the Stakeholder and Team domains and the essential interpersonal, leadership, and critical thinking skills necessary to achieve desired project outcomes. This course is one in a series that will look at the Project Management Institute’s eight project performance domains.

• PMGT 318X: Development Approach and Life Cycle Project Performance Domain 

  • This course will explore the Development Approach & Life Cycle Performance Domain. Students will be introduced to activities and functions associated with the development approach, cadence, and life cycle phases of the project. Assessments will evaluate students’ understanding to assess project deliverables to determine the most appropriate development approach such as a predictive, adaptive, or hybrid approach, and the ability to develop the appropriate life cycle for a project.

• PMGT 319X: Planning Performance Domain 

  • This course covers the Planning domain. You’ll learn the activities and functions associated with the initial, ongoing, and evolving organization and coordination necessary to deliver project deliverables and outcomes. Moreover, you’ll determine the delivery, estimating, and scheduling methods for a project and create plans for communication, resource procurement, change management, and measuring project success. This course is one in a series that will look at the Project Management Institute’s eight project performance domains.

• PMGT 320X: Project Performance Domains 

  • This course covers two domains: Work and Delivery. You’ll be introduced to the activities and functions associated with establishing project processes, managing physical resources, and fostering a learning environment. You’ll also learn ways to ensure that the scope and quality of a project are achieved. This course is one in a series that will look at the Project Management Institute’s eight project performance domains.

• PMGT 321X: Measurement and Uncertainty Project Performance Domains 

  • Learn how to assess and maintain project performance throughout the life of a project and, importantly, how to assess and manage uncertainty and risk. This course is one in a series that will look at the Project Management Institute’s eight project performance domains.

• PMGT 322X: Tailoring 

  • Project management professionals deliberately adapt projects throughout their life cycles to make them more suitable for a given environment or type of work. In this course, you’ll learn about tailoring, the four parts of the tailoring process, and how to select and adjust project factors to ensure value for an organization.

• PMGT 323X: Models, Methods and Artifacts 

  • Various models, methods, and artifacts are used in project management to achieve success. In this course, you’ll examine how leadership, communication, motivation, change, complexity, team development, and other models are applied in project management, as well as about common methods and artifacts for achieving specific goals within a project life cycle.

• PMGT 324X: Agile Framework

  • Gain an understanding of the agile framework—its tools, situational guidelines, and various approaches—to successfully achieve the expected outcomes of any project. If you’re new to project management, you’ll be introduced to the agile approach and how it can be adapted to fit any project. For experienced project managers, you’ll learn how to integrate agile values and principles with approaches you might already be familiar with, like waterfall.

Reviews

"I wanted to let you know that doing the project management certificate has really paid off for me.  I was able to frame my existing skills in new ways, and think outside the box when it came to what I might want to pursue.

I am starting a 1/2 time position, which will still allow me to continue my singing career, through the UW extension program.  I'll be working as a regional coordinator for a grant funded farmer's market project.  I'm really excited for this new experience and feel like my confidence in applying for the position came in a large part from doing the project management certificate." - Emily Fons

FAQ

Competency-based education explained

Simply put: In competency-based education, it’s about what you know and are able to do, not how long it takes you to master the course materials.

In the traditional higher education model, you must spend a fixed amount of time in the classroom – usually fifteen week semesters – regardless if you know the material and want to move ahead, or if you don’t quite grasp it and needed extra time. We believe that not all student learning can – or should – fit within a rigid timetable.

Competency-based education turns that traditional model on its head. Your progress through your coursework is based on your ability to prove you have mastered competencies—the skills, abilities, and knowledge required in an area of study. You do this by passing assessments after you’ve reviewed the learning resources. However long it takes you to master the material is unique to you.

What are the benefits of competency-based education?

By focusing on what you know rather than how much time you spend learning, competency-based education puts you in control of your education like never before. Instead of working at an instructor’s pace, you can use your existing knowledge to work at your own pace. You prove mastery of competencies whenever you’re ready to do so.

The idea is especially appealing for the millions of American adults with busy schedules who already have significant knowledge or even some college credits, but no degree. Many of our students tell us that the flexibility provided by UW Flexible Option programs allowed them to finally complete their degree and fulfill a lifelong personal goal.

The competency-based UW Flexible Option is:

• 100% Online. Complete your coursework from your living room, a coffee shop, or the office. The only time you need to come to campus is to walk in the graduation ceremony when you finish!
• Flexible. No scheduled log-on times, no commutes. The UW Flexible Option lets you start any month and work toward your degree on your own time. Want to take breaks in between courses? Go for it. Your coursework won’t get in the way of the rest of your busy life.
• At Your Own Pace. Take assessments whenever you are ready. As soon as you prove mastery, you receive credit and can move on, without having to wait for the next lesson or semester. Move quickly through material you know or take more time if you need it.
• Accredited. The UW Flexible Option builds on the University of Wisconsin System’s reputation for quality and innovation. All UW Flexible Option programs are accredited and are built by the same faculty who teach on UW System campuses.
• Supportive. The programs are at your own pace, but you’re not alone. Receive personalized advising from a Success Coach who is there from when you start the program through your graduation. They help make sure you have the resources to be best setup for success.
• Affordable. Instead of paying by course or by credit, the UW Flexible Option lets you pay a flat rate for a subscription period. If you are highly motivated and have significant experience related to your degree, you may be able to accelerate your progress and shorten your time to graduation. This structure saves you time and money.

Is competency-based education right for you?

Although competency-based education offers returning adult learners like yourself a real opportunity to earn professional skills while balancing work and family, this innovative model is not for everyone. But if you are the right kind of student—experienced, self-directed, and motivated to succeed—then the competency-based UW Flexible Option may be just the right fit.

Additional Notes: Earning the non-credit Agile Project Management certificate is a great choice for someone with a bachelor’s degree—or higher—seeking professional development and is not interested in earning additional academic credits. With fixed start and end points, this non-credit certificate gives you 24 weeks to complete the program, so plan your start date at a time that works best for you.

This program has a one-time tuition cost of $1,995.00, which covers the full 24 week program.

Still unsure if this is the best option for you? Call one of our advisers at 608-800-6762, they are happy to answer any questions.

Objectives

Topics covered in the course:

• Managing Real World Projects
• Project Management Team Leadership
• Ethics for Project Managers
• Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers
• Effectively Managing Project Stakeholders
• Integrating Agile into a Waterfall Environment

Download the complete syllabus with learning outcomes here.

Courses Included in this Certificate

• Managing Real World Projects
• Ethics for Project Managers
• Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers
• Effectively Managing Project Stakeholders
• Project Management Team Leadership
• Integrating Agile Into a Waterfall Environment
• Project Management Introduction Course (ACE CREDIT®)
• Project Management Final Exam (ACE CREDIT®)

Reviews

All project managers should participate in this course. - Lucky C.

The course was very insightful and educative. Learnt a whole lot about project management. - Diana D.

I found the course very complete and very well explained. - Diego Armando R.

This was a great training to learn about PM tools, processes, and how to be a successful PM. I appreciated the whys behind which tools to use and when, why they are important, how to use them. I would recommend this training to someone who wants to improve their PM knowledge. - Breanna M.

I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It was engaging and easy to follow with interesting feedback from the professionals. I refreshed my past knowledge on ethics and learned some new things. Thank you. - Gordana A. 

FAQ

• This course has been evaluated by The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT®) with a recommendation of 3 credits, lower division, in project management or fundamentals of project management.

• A student's grade in the course will be based on their performance on a final, cumulative exam. The final exam is composed of 50 multiple-choice questions. Students will have 2 hours to complete the exam. The exam is proctored. For more information, please see the syllabus.

• If students do not earn a passing score of 70% on their first attempt, they will have the opportunity to take the exam 1 additional time (2 total attempts). Students must wait 24 hours between exam retakes. A passing score of 70% of above is required to request college credit for this certificate.

• Estimated Time to Complete: 44 hours

• Access Time: 730 days

• Rating: 98%

CREDITS EARNED IN THIS COURSE INCLUDE: 

• 4.1 IACET CEUs
• 37 SHRM PDCs
• 44 ATD CI Credits
• 41 PMI PDUs
• 16.5 Ways of Working PDUs
• 18 Power Skills PDUs
• 6.5 Business Acumen PDUs
• 37 HRCI Credits
• 3 ACE Credits

KEY FEATURES

• Mobile-friendly
• Audio-enabled
• Badge and credit-awarding
• Real-world case studies
• Fully accessible
• Expert-supported
• Games & Flashcards
• Video content

Instructor(s)

Wallace Wang is the author of over 40 computer books including "Microsoft Office 2019 For Dummies." In addition to writing computer books, he has also co-authored "Breaking Into Acting for Dummies" and ghostwritten several books about investing in real estate, day trading stocks, and becoming an entrepreneur.

Chad Wambolt has spent his entire professional career in the finance field, working for both private and publicly-held companies with sales ranging from $500 million to $5 billion. Through the course of his career, Wambolt became an expert user of Microsoft Excel. Since 1997, he has taught Excel to students of varying skill levels and helped organizations streamline internal processes. He is a graduate of Boise State University, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in accounting.

Tracy Loffer holds a Master's degree in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She has been involved in education for twenty years, as a music educator and technology trainer of students and teachers. She has also worked in the private sector as a trainer of domestic and international technology franchisees as well as a writer and developmental editor of educational technology materials using Office and Publisher.

Objectives

1. Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2019/Office 365

1. Excel Basics
2. Creating a Worksheet
3. Time-Savers
4. Relative, Absolute, Mixed, and Circular References
5. Three-Dimensional Workbooks
6. Sorting, Subtotaling, and Filtering
7. Charting Basics
8. Advanced Charting Techniques
9. Intro to Excel's Statistical Functions
10. Financial Functions
11. Worksheet Automation
12. Mastering Excel's IF Function

2. Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint 2019/Office 365

1. The PowerPoint 2019 Interface
2. Creating Presentations
3. Working With Files and Creating and Editing Tables
4. Creating Professional Presentations
5. Working With the Images Group
6. WordArt and the Illustrations Group
7. All About Charts
8. Making Global Changes to a Presentation
9. Creating Links
10. Applying Animation to Slides, Text, and Objects
11. Adding Advanced Animation Effects to Text and Objects
12. Sharing and Saving Your Presentations

3. Introduction to Microsoft Word 2019/Office 365

1. Getting Started
2. Typing and Navigation
3. File Management
4. Editing Text
5. Working With Multiple Documents
6. Text Formatting and Alignment
7. Printing
8. Margins, Tabs, and Page Numbering
9. Paragraph Formatting
10. Language Tools
11. Customizing Word
12. Making a Word Document Pretty and Organized

FAQ

Class Schedule:

Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You will have access to all the released lessons until the course ends.

You do not have to be present when lessons are released. An interactive discussion area accompanies each lesson and automatically closes two weeks after the lesson is released.

The final exam is released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you have two weeks to complete all coursework, including the final exam. A 10-day extension is available if you fall behind.

Instructor(s) Interaction:

The instructors look forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites to complete these courses.

Hardware Requirements:
This course must be taken on a PC. Macs are not compatible.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge is also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
• Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2019 (desktop versions) Available to download with a subscription to Microsoft 365, or with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019. (not included in enrollment)
• Note: The "Starter Version" and "Web App" versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will not work with the full versions of the software taught in this course.

Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Objectives

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify strategies for making professional connections
• Cultivate strong relationships at work
• Consider how to network over the course of a career
• Identify potential resources for networking
• Explain how to use business cards effectively
• Explore the importance of networking during the job search process
• Describe strategies for effective cold call emailing
• Examine networking strategies for introverts
• Consider the role that gender can play in networking
• Describe tips for handling awkward conversations
• Explore strategies for conquering networking anxiety

Reviews

"I really enjoyed this class. I learned some new tips on how to properly network and cold call and cold email. This is information I can put to use right away. Thank you!"

FAQ

What are the minimum technical requirements?
Software: 

• Any modern Office suite: Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice
• The latest Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader ( free download available at https://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

Web Browser:

• An updated version of one of the major modern browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 11
• Cookies must be enabled
• JavaScript must be enabled

Reliable internet connection:
Broadband cable or highspeed DSL is recommended for optimal experience.

Note: Some courses may have additional hardware and/or software requirements. Any additional requirements will be listed in the course description and course syllabus.

What is your refund policy?
You may request a refund up to 7 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed.

How do I contact technical support?
To report technical issues please email us at support@mindedge.com.

What are badges?
We now issue Badges, an online standard to recognize and verify learning, for more than 100 courses and simulations offered here online.

Badges allow students and professionals to publicly share their skills, knowledge, and accomplishments online, which may help with future career and education opportunities. Learners can manage and share badges across the web from their Badgr. (You can set up a free Badgr at https://badgr.com/.)

Learners who successfully complete their course or simulation will earn Badges. They can share their credentials online through social media and display them on resumes and transcripts.

Objectives

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize key career development questions to ask before beginning a job search
• Employ a written goal-setting process to establish career development and job search priorities
• Recognize the purpose of tailoring a resume and cover letter
• Develop a more effective resume
• Develop a more effective cover letter
• Identify the five stages of the interview process
• Conduct industry and company research efficiently using web-based resources
• Brainstorm potential interview questions and answers
• Understand what constitutes a good answer in the mind of a hiring manager
• Anticipate some of the most common interview questions
• Explain to a hiring manager how the past successes represented on your resume will translate to future success in your desired position
• Recognize whether a job aligns with your career objectives

Reviews

"Very well organized, easy for navigating and moving along one step at a time!"

"The course was well put together."

FAQ

What are the minimum technical requirements?
Software: 

• Any modern Office suite: Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice
• The latest Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader ( free download available at https://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

Web Browser:

• An updated version of one of the major modern browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 11
• Cookies must be enabled
• JavaScript must be enabled
• Reliable internet connection:
• Broadband cable or highspeed DSL is recommended for optimal experience.

Note: Some courses may have additional hardware and/or software requirements. Any additional requirements will be listed in the course description and course syllabus.

What is your refund policy?
You may request a refund up to 7 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed.

How do I contact technical support?
To report technical issues please email us at support@mindedge.com.

What are badges?
We now issue Badges, an online standard to recognize and verify learning, for more than 100 courses and simulations offered here online.

Badges allow students and professionals to publicly share their skills, knowledge, and accomplishments online, which may help with future career and education opportunities. Learners can manage and share badges across the web from their Badgr. (You can set up a free Badgr at https://badgr.com/.)

Learners who successfully complete their course or simulation will earn Badges. They can share their credentials online through social media and display them on resumes and transcripts.

Objectives

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the basic concepts of home computing and networking
• Be empowered to make informed and effective choices regarding products and services
• Utilize different tools and resources to troubleshoot common computing problems
• Identify the key steps to having your own domain for web or email services
• Effectively identify and use cloud computing resources
• Identify common pitfalls and expenses in home technology
• Effectively secure home resources

FAQ

What are the minimum technical requirements?
Software: 

• Any modern Office suite: Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice
• The latest Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader ( free download available at https://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

Web Browser:

• An updated version of one of the major modern browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 11
• Cookies must be enabled
• JavaScript must be enabled
• Reliable internet connection:
• Broadband cable or highspeed DSL is recommended for optimal experience.

Note: Some courses may have additional hardware and/or software requirements. Any additional requirements will be listed in the course description and course syllabus.

What is your refund policy?
You may request a refund up to 7 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed.

How do I contact technical support?
To report technical issues please email us at support@mindedge.com.

What are badges?
We now issue Badges, an online standard to recognize and verify learning, for more than 100 courses and simulations offered here online.

Badges allow students and professionals to publicly share their skills, knowledge, and accomplishments online, which may help with future career and education opportunities. Learners can manage and share badges across the web from their Badgr. (You can set up a free Badgr at https://badgr.com/.)

Learners who successfully complete their course or simulation will earn Badges. They can share their credentials online through social media and display them on resumes and transcripts.

Objectives

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize when it's appropriate to use an email, a memo, or a letter
• Explain the parts of an email, a memo, and a letter, and format each so that the communication is effective
• Consider primary and secondary uses for the email, memo, or letter
• Explain how to facilitate both primary and secondary uses
• Create a sample email, memo, and letter employing best practices

Reviews

"This was a wonderful refresher course for those of us who have been in the business world for many years. I would highly recommend this to anyone coming into the workforce or those, like myself, who have been in it a while. It teaches you how to know when to use a letter, a memo, or an email when corresponding with various business associates. It also teaches you when to use and not to use certain salutations and, finally, the proper method of using PS (post script)."

"This course was very informational, and I learned way more than I thought I would. I went in thinking I knew how to write emails, memos, and letters, but I was willing to learn some new tips to make my writing better. I went through the course and found out there was a lot of information I was doing incorrectly and learned many ways to make my writing better!"

FAQ

What are the minimum technical requirements?
Software: 

• Any modern Office suite: Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice
• The latest Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader ( free download available at https://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

Web Browser:

• An updated version of one of the major modern browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 11
• Cookies must be enabled
• JavaScript must be enabled
• Reliable internet connection:
• Broadband cable or highspeed DSL is recommended for optimal experience.

Note: Some courses may have additional hardware and/or software requirements. Any additional requirements will be listed in the course description and course syllabus.

What is your refund policy?
You may request a refund up to 7 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed.

How do I contact technical support?
To report technical issues please email us at support@mindedge.com.

What are badges?
We now issue Badges, an online standard to recognize and verify learning, for more than 100 courses and simulations offered here online.

Badges allow students and professionals to publicly share their skills, knowledge, and accomplishments online, which may help with future career and education opportunities. Learners can manage and share badges across the web from their Badgr. (You can set up a free Badgr at https://badgr.com/.)

Learners who successfully complete their course or simulation will earn Badges. They can share their credentials online through social media and display them on resumes and transcripts.

Objectives

Courses Included in this Certificate

• Effective Business Writing
• Effective Presentations
• Effective Public Speaking
• Communicating Collaboratively
• Effective Emails, Memos, and Letters

Reviews

"Great learning experience! I have become conscious of avoiding jargon! The presentations were clear and precise! Thank you!"

"This course provided useful information and exercises that aid in grasping key concepts while at the same time being able to apply what was learnt."

FAQ

What are the minimum technical requirements?
Software: 

• Any modern Office suite: Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice
• The latest Adobe Reader/Acrobat Reader ( free download available at https://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

Web Browser:

• An updated version of one of the major modern browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 11
• Cookies must be enabled
• JavaScript must be enabled
• Reliable internet connection:
• Broadband cable or highspeed DSL is recommended for optimal experience.

Note: Some courses may have additional hardware and/or software requirements. Any additional requirements will be listed in the course description and course syllabus.

What is your refund policy?
You may request a refund up to 7 days from the purchase date. The registration fee will only be refunded if less than 10% of the course has been completed.

How do I contact technical support?
To report technical issues please email us at support@mindedge.com.

What are badges?
We now issue Badges, an online standard to recognize and verify learning, for more than 100 courses and simulations offered here online.

Badges allow students and professionals to publicly share their skills, knowledge, and accomplishments online, which may help with future career and education opportunities. Learners can manage and share badges across the web from their Badgr. (You can set up a free Badgr at https://badgr.com/.)

Learners who successfully complete their course or simulation will earn Badges. They can share their credentials online through social media and display them on resumes and transcripts.

Instructor(s)

Chad Wambolt

Chad Wambolt has spent his entire professional career in the finance field, working for both private and publicly-held companies with sales ranging from $500 million to $3 billion. He is a graduate of Boise State University, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in accounting. Through the course of his career, Wambolt became an expert user of Microsoft Excel. Since 1997, he has taught Excel to students of varying skill levels and helped organizations streamline internal processes.

Objectives

Week One

Lesson 01 - Excel Basics - Wednesday

In this lesson, you'll develop a solid understanding of the Excel interface. You'll become fluent in the secret language spoken only by Excel users, you'll discover the best way to correct just about any mistake you might make in Excel, and you'll find yourself gliding effortlessly from cell to cell, leaving behind expertly written labels, numbers, and formulas.

Lesson 02 - Creating a Worksheet - Friday

In this lesson, you'll learn five simple steps you should always follow to ensure that your worksheets are always well-planned, well-constructed, and beautifully formatted.

Week Two

Lesson 03 - Time-Savers - Wednesday

This lesson will teach you the tricks of the Excel masters: a wide variety of useful shortcuts guaranteed to save you time, energy, and frustration. You'll also spend some time working with the Quick Analysis and Flash Fill tools. By the time you finish this lesson, you'll really start to feel like an Excel pro.

Lesson 04 - Relative, Absolute, Mixed, and Circular References  - Friday

Do you know the difference between a relative reference, an absolute reference, a mixed reference, and a circular reference? You will after this lesson. In this lesson, you'll learn to write sophisticated formulas that can help ease you through some rather sticky scenarios.

Week Three

Lesson 05 - Three-Dimensional Workbooks - Wednesday

With enough practice, most Excel users quickly become adept at organizing their worksheets across two dimensions: rows and columns. But only a select few will learn how to take their worksheets into the third dimension. In this lesson, you'll join that exclusive group. Prepare to have your socks knocked off as you gain hands-on experience in the construction of three-dimensional workbooks.

Lesson 06 - Sorting, Subtotaling, and Filtering - Friday

No Excel course would be complete without a discussion of Excel's amazing data-crunching capabilities. In this lesson, you'll learn how to build a table in Excel as well as how to subtotal, sort, and filter.

Week Four

Lesson 07 - Charting Basics - Wednesday

In this lesson, you'll explore the exciting world of charts. You'll build your first graph and learn how easy it is to adjust the chart type, labels, titles, colors, and other aspects of your chart.

Lesson 08 - Advanced Charting Techniques - Friday

In this lesson, you'll dig deep into Excel's charting capabilities. You'll explore everything from bar charts and line charts to more prosaic graphs like the pie chart and 3D charts. You'll find out how to personalize your charts with photographs, text labels, and drawings. You'll also discover the best ways to format your chart for print or otherwise display the truly impressive charts that you'll be creating.

Week Five

Lesson 09 - Intro to Excel's Statistical Functions - Wednesday

Excel includes many powerful functions that can automatically perform some very complicated tasks for you. In this lesson, you'll learn some very interesting ways to put these functions to work for you. You'll find out how to ask Excel to magically derive averages, modes, maximums, minimums, and other useful statistics from nothing more than a column or two of numbers.

Lesson 10 - Financial Functions - Friday

You'll continue your exploration of Excel functions with an in-depth look at Excel's handy financial functions. By the time this lesson is over, you'll be able to figure out how much money you'll have when you retire, when your kids reach college, or just before your next vacation. You'll be able to calculate the monthly payment on just about any type of loan, and you'll know how to figure out how long it will take to pay off your credit cards. You'll even create an amortization table of your very own, just like the one lenders use to track a loan's payoff amount over time.

Week Six

Lesson 11 - Worksheet Automation - Wednesday

In this lesson, you'll find out how to automate just about any task you find tedious or time-consuming. You'll discover how to move your most frequently used commands from their present, obscure locations to a much more convenient place: the toolbar that's always perched at the very top of your screen. You'll also learn how you can use macros to reduce just about any complex task to a single keystroke.

Lesson 12 - Mastering Excel's IF Function - Friday

You'll be intrigued by the final lesson, in which you'll learn how to use Excel to aid you in decisdecision-making'll use a special function in Excel that allows it to make comparisons and use those comparisons as the basis for important decisions.

FAQ

Class Schedule: 

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your coursework, including the final exam. 

Instructor Interaction:

The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Hardware Requirements:
This course must be taken on a PC. It is not suitable for Chromebook and Mac users.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge is also compatible.
• Microsoft Excel 2019 (desktop version), available to download with the desktop version of Microsoft 365, or Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019 (not included in enrollment).
• Note: The "Starter Version" and "Web App" versions of Microsoft will not work with the full version taught in this course.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.