FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2007

CONTACT: Steve Dolan
(619) 594-5664
sdolan@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Friday, August 3, 2007 - In today's fast-paced world, professional certificate programs can be an effective educational option for those who are training for a new career, or looking to advance in their current job.

Certificates are recognized by most employers as significant, practically-focused, professional accomplishments which can be completed in a much shorter period of time than academic degrees.

Following are examples of the more than 35 certificate programs available through San Diego State University's College of Extended Studies:

The Professional Certificate in Casino Gaming can be taken on location at SDSU, or completed online. The online version is the first of its kind offered by an accredited university. In this program, you will obtain a strong basic background in Indian gaming history, regulations, gaming law, supervision, customer service, and leadership. As with all of the certificates offered by the College, courses are taught by industry experts and reflect real-world curricula.

SDSU is also rolling out its Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming in the fall 2007 semester, which is the first degree program ever offered in tribal gaming. It focuses on research, policy studies, and education related to the area of tribal gaming management. The institute, centered in the largest tribal gaming region in the world, is geared to studying tribal gaming within the broader industry of hospitality and tourism management.

Another popular certificate offered by the College is the amTEFL (Americans teaching English as a foreign language) program, which is taught through the SDSU American Language Institute, a division of the College of Extended Studies. The amTEFL program is a 120-hour certification program specifically designed for teachers who want to live and teach abroad. Graduates of the program now teach or have taught English in 34 countries around the globe.

For those who are interested in learning how to improve business processes, the College offers the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. This program teaches students how to achieve the fastest rate of improvement in customer satisfaction, quality, process speed, and invested capital in both manufacturing and transactional business processes. Lean Six Sigma combines the speed and agility of Lean with the statistical predictability of Six Sigma to create solutions for better business practices and dramatic bottom line improvements.

Another one of the College's most popular programs is the Professional Certificate in Contract Management, which is authorized by SDSU's College of Business and is offered in cooperation with the San Diego Chapter of the National Contract Management Association. This SDSU professional credit certificate program provides information on specific facets of contracting including: legalities, regulations, policies and procedures, clauses, pricing, and socioeconomic factors.

SDSU's College of Extended Studies offers a wide variety of certificate programs as well as lifelong learning classes and seminars, and English for non-native English speakers, customized professional development workshops, and many other face-to-face and online learning opportunities. Career advancement courses are offered in many areas of management, leadership, and quality improvement while self-enrichment courses range from astronomy to web design. For more information on the cutting-edge opportunities offered in career training, or other programs, visit the College's web site at www.NeverStopLearning.net.