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A student giving a presentation in the Fastenal Sales Lab

Professional Sales - Undergraduate Certificate

The Professional Sales undergraduate certificate provides a broad spectrum of employment opportunities when combined with many different majors. It gives students the added edge in job hunting for sales related positions.

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The Professional Sales Undergraduate Certificate at Kent State equips students with essential sales skills, giving them a competitive edge in the job market. It complements a wide variety of majors and helps Kent State students stand out against the competition.

The Kent State Sales Team

Many students in the Professional Sales Certificate Program are also members of the Kent State University Sales Team. The Sales Team has competed internationally, nationally, and regionally since Fall 2013.  Since that time, over 100 students have represented Kent State at competitions in Orlando, Atlanta, Cleveland, Toledo and Bloomsburg, PA.   The team has consistently placed in the top 20% of universities and has won the National Sales Case Competition, been in the Final Four and in the top 10 at several competitions.

Membership on the Sales Team is open to all students, regardless of major. 

Learn More | The Sales Team

Program Information for Professional Sales - Undergraduate Certificate

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will gain the skills necessary to succeed in a career in Professional Sales. The Sales certificate is also important to differentiate KSU students competing for jobs with students from other universities.

Admissions for Professional Sales - Undergraduate Certificate

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Coursework

Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Certificate Requirements
ECON 22060PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS (KSS) 3
MKTG 25010PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING 3
MKTG 35046PROFESSIONAL SELLING 3
or ENTR 37045 SALES IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURE
MKTG 45047ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL SELLING 3
MKTG 45192SALES INTERNSHIP (ELR) 13
Minimum Total Credit Hours:15
1

An internship application and faculty approval are needed prior to registration for this course. MKTG 45192 may be substituted by a specific, department-approved course if the student has two or more years of full-time experience as a salesperson that includes completion of a rigorous, formal training program. The courses selected may not be double-counted; that is, the selected course must be outside the course requirements for any major or minor the student is pursuing.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Certificate GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus
    • Stark Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Professional Sales - Undergraduate Certificate

Advertising sales agents

-6.5%

decline

139,200

number of jobs

$54,940

potential earnings

First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

-8.3%

decline

409,800

number of jobs

$78,560

potential earnings

First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

-5.5%

decline

1,476,400

number of jobs

$41,580

potential earnings

Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

6.0%

faster than the average

1,070,500

number of jobs

$58,770

potential earnings

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

0.9%

little or no change

1,399,700

number of jobs

$62,070

potential earnings

Additional Careers
  • Account Representative
  • Consultant
  • Sales manager
  • Sales executive
  • Inside sales representative
  • Business development manager or representative
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.