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Home ― Gateway to Business Certificate

Gateway to Business Certificate

Kickstart your business career journey while in high school

Explore your interests in business and jumpstart your path to becoming a business professional –while still in high school. The need for business professionals, including but not limited to marketing managers, sales managers, financial managers, human resources managers, agricultural managers, financial and investment analysts, and accountants in South Dakota is estimated to increase between 8.22% and 19.73% by 2030.* At the national level, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that “overall employment in business and financial occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033.”** The Gateway to Business Certificate allows high school students to begin learning business fundamentals through dual-credit college courses.

The certificate is available on DSU’s campus, online, and as In-District High School Dual Credit delivery in approved school districts. Students can take the courses at the reduced dual-credit rate if qualified, saving time and money to spark their teaching profession path.

*South Dakota Occupational Employment Projections 2020-2030, Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, July 2022.
**U.S. Department of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (August 29, 2024)

Emerging business leaders

This certificate is intended for high school students considering pursuing majors or degree programs in business. The certificate does not lead to licensure or certification but is stackable with Business Administration (BBA) programs or could be used as stackable general education electives for other major programs.

Students can apply up to 12 credits to DSU’s BBA program with six specialization options, or Professional Accountancy (BS), or Computer Information Systems (BS).

Next Steps

College of Business and Information Systems

Learning outcomes

  • Learn basic economic concepts as they relate to consumer, worker, and business decisions.
  • Learn how the economy interacts as a whole and how monetary and fiscal policy can influence economic factors.
  • Develop critical thinking and effective communication skills in business.
  • Learn to make sound financial decisions related to all areas of personal finance.
  • Learn about the organization and component areas of a modern business.
  • Use application software to manipulate and communicate information effectively.
  • Learn the theory and application of functions and algebraic operations to solve problems and think logically.

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