Certificate Programs
The Office of Research Administration (ORA) and the Sponsored Programs Accounting & Compliance (SPAC) are committed to providing guidance to the university community on Federal, State, and University policies and regulations for sponsored research. To enhance this effort, our offices have developed the Certificate in Research Administration program.
The Certificate in Research Administration program consists of four learning tracks, a beginner track, an intermediate track, a soft skills track, and master classes. The Beginner track is designed for early-to-mid career research administrators, and follows the lifecycle of a sponsored project from proposal development through closeout. The Intermediate track is open to mid-to-advanced career research administrators, and is geared towards helping experienced administrative staff navigate the complexities of managing and administrating sponsored projects. The Soft Skills track helps individuals gain or enhance professional abilities like critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration, the essentials for navigating and managing projects. The Master Classes are for sponsored research professionals in leadership, in-depth discussions are had to resolve best practices for obscure policies, procedures, and practices. Please note that the Intermediate track is only for those who have previously completed the beginner track.
Read more about each track below. Please be aware that the courses are open to UMCP faculty and staff only.
Beginner Track
The beginner track certificate consists of a series of eight classes. The first class is completely online, and each subsequent class includes both online and in-person elements. All classes in this track must be taken in sequence over the course of a single semester. The beginner track is offered twice per year, once in the fall and again in the spring.
Please read our Beginner Track Policy carefully for additional information about program requirements.
Online registration is required. Registrations must be submitted at least 24 hours before the first course date. The Beginner Track program costs $200 and is limited to 25 students per semester.
Registrations may be cancelled up until 48 hours before the start of the first online class. Cancellations may be submitted to certprog@umd.edu. Please note, charges will still be incurred for those registrants who do not attend class and who have failed to cancel with sufficient notice.
The classes included in the beginner track are as follows:
- Introduction to Sponsored Research at the University of Maryland
- Developing and Submitting the Proposal
- Research Compliance
- Establishing an Award
- Project Management I
- Project Management II
- Closeout and Beyond
- Beginner Track Final Project
Intermediate Track
The Intermediate Certificate in Research Administration track is designed to help sponsored projects administrative professionals navigate the complexities of managing and administrating awards. The program is open to experienced Research Administrators, Principal Investigators, Department Administrators, Research Coordinators, Effort Coordinators, Grants Managers, and other experienced administrative staff involved with research who have previously completed the Certificate in Research Administration Beginner track (at least one year prior to registration) and the Kuali Research Proposal Development trainings.
Each class provides in-depth discussion and activities around UMD policy, federal and state laws, sponsor requirements, award terms and conditions, and provides useful how-tos, information, and insight into the management of sponsored projects for pre-awards. In addition, participants will have opportunities to ask questions of the people best equipped to answer them. Please read our Intermediate Track Policy carefully for additional information about program requirements.
Online registration is required. Registrations must be submitted by the outlined deadline. The Intermediate Track program costs $200 and is limited to 25 students per semester.
Registrations may be canceled up until 48 hours before the start of the first online class. Cancellations may be submitted to certprog@umd.edu. Please note, charges will still be incurred for those registrants who do not attend class and who have failed to cancel with sufficient notice.
The classes included in the Intermediate track are as follows:
- Fundamentals of Sponsored Research
- Budget Development
- Application Routing, Submission,Sponsor Review, and Award Overview (P.1 & P. 2)
Master Classes
These classes are by invitation only. Master Classes allow leaders across the campus who oversee sponsored research to partake in in-depth conversations about complicated policies, procedures, and practices, and to collaborate on best practices.
Soft Skills Track
The ORA/SPAC Soft Skills track certificate consists of a series of four classes. Classes are virtual and can be taken as a track or individually. The soft skills track is offered twice per year, once in the fall and again in the spring.
Please read our ORA/SPAC Soft Skills Track Policy carefully for additional information about program requirements.
Online registration is required. Registrations must be submitted at least 24 hours before the first course date. The ORA/SPAC Soft Skills Track program costs $100 for the series or $35 per class and is limited to 25 students per semester.
Registrations may be cancelled up until 48 hours before the start of the first online class. Cancellations may be submitted to certprog@umd.edu. Please note, charges will still be incurred for those registrants who do not attend class and who have failed to cancel with sufficient notice.
The classes included in the ORA/SPAC Soft Skills track are as follows:
- Well-Being in the Workplace:
Master the art of managing stress! Our course guides you through practical techniques to enhance your performance under pressure. Boost your productivity and maintain a calm, focused mindset in any workplace scenario. - Emotional Intelligence:
Elevate your emotional intelligence to new heights! Learn how to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions effectively. Gain insights into others' feelings, fostering a harmonious and empathetic work environment. - Communicating with Others:
Transform the way you communicate! This module equips you with advanced interpersonal skills, ensuring your message is clear and impactful. Enhance listening, speaking, and non-verbal communication to build stronger professional relationships. - Managing Workplace Conflict:
Navigate workplace conflicts with confidence! We will provide you with strategies to resolve disputes constructively, maintaining a positive and productive workplace atmosphere.