We are building this Certificate with three objectives in mind: 1) Enable engineering undergraduates to gain one of the hardest things to acquire early in a career: experience in applied business judgment; 2) Equip you with a highly valuable asset when entering the job market — a portfolio of real projects, experiences, and outcomes you can demonstrate to employers; 3) Help you strengthen your finance, communication, and strategy capabilities — skills that employers consistently identify as underdeveloped in many new engineering graduates.

Engineering drives the worlds most important decisions — from launching new technologies to allocating capital and leading organizations. The Springer Engineering Business Experience Certificate prepares students to operate at the intersection of engineering and business, developing the judgment needed to make decisions that create value in real-world contexts.

Engineering decisions shape organizations. The engineers who thrive early in their careers aren't just technically strong — they can frame tradeoffs, build a business case, lead a team under pressure and communicate with stakeholders at every level. The Springer Engineering Business Experience Certificate prepares you to do exactly that.

Through a combination of executive engagement, applied coursework and team-based challenges, students learn how engineering work translates into financial, strategic and organizational outcomes. Participants build practical experience in making decisions under uncertainty, working across functions and communicating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

The Certificate is in the approval process and is proposed to launch in 2027. Get a head start in your journey by taking the courses available in 2026-2027 - see below for more information. A great starting point is to take ENGR 30301 (Engineering Executive Forum) or one of the two courses that satisfy the Foundational Logic requirement: ACCT 205 in the Fall or FIN 205 in the Spring.

The 9-10 credit Certificate will be open to all engineering students and is designed to complement technical depth with business insight, preparing graduates for roles in engineering leadership. It will be offered by the Purdue College of Engineering and enabled by the Charles E. and Louise W. Springer Endowment.

1. Complete the Engineering Executive Forum (ENGR 30301 – 2 cr.) — an interactive forum featuring engineering and technology leaders who share the decision-making logic behind real strategic challenges.
2. Complete 7-8 credit hours of applied experiential coursework:
   • Choose one course in Business of Engineering Foundational Logic (2 cr.): Finance for Engineers (FIN 20500) or Accounting for Engineers (ACCT 20500).
   • Choose one course in Communicating and Leading Self & Teams (2-3 cr.): options include leadership, communication, data storytelling, and entrepreneurial confidence.
   • Choose one course in Making the Business Case (3 cr.): options span entrepreneurship, consulting, marketing, strategy, and venture investing.
3. Participate in at least one approved Competition or Challenge (0 cr.) — team-based, time-compressed challenges that build judgment and execution under pressure. Curate a Leadership Portfolio (0 cr.) throughout the program documenting your growth as a business-minded engineering leader.

Get a head start in your journey by using the tool below to find available classes in 2026-2027 that you can take now until the Certificate is fully approved in 2027.