Earn your Open University Certificate and gain the career expertise you need to move forward.

Join the many students who have benefited from completing an SDSU certificate program through Open University. Designed to meet the needs of today’s workforce, these unique certificate programs can help you gain the knowledge you need to boost your résumé, move your existing career forward, or transition into a new field.

Why Earn a Certificate?

SDSU’s Open University certificates are also closely aligned with current industry trends and the latest market demands, which can help you acquire specialized, highly-relevant knowledge that you’ll need to move your career forward. Our certificates can be completed in a much shorter period of time than most academic degrees, and they offer the flexibility for working professionals to learn at their own pace.

Start Your Certificate Today

Select from the following certificate programs:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to be a matriculated student to take Open University Certificate programs?
No, you don’t have to be a matriculated student at SDSU to enroll in Open University certificate programs. These certificates are open to all, and no application is required. Please ensure that you’ve satisfied any necessary prerequisites prior to registration.

What are the financial aid options?
Unfortunately, no financial aid is available for Open University students at this time. We encourage you to check with various banks, credit unions, and lending institutions, many of which now offer private alternative loan programs for continuing education. For more information, please visit our Financial Aid page.

Are the courses for credit, and can they be applied toward a degree?
The credit earned for Open University classes is non-matriculated resident credit. You can apply up to 24 units of non-matriculated resident credit toward an SDSU undergraduate degree.

How do I sign up?
To learn how to register for Open University courses, please visit our Open University Registration page. However, if you plan on taking courses towards an Open University Certificate, please contact the SDSU department academic advisor identified on your specific certificate page before you enroll in courses to determine a plan of study.

All available certificate classes are published in the University's class schedule by department, as well as your specific certificate webpage. A $35 application processing fee will be charged. Please make checks payable to SDSU Foundation.

Are Open University Certificate programs available for international students?
International students who have satisfied the prerequisites may apply for admission to an Open University Certificate program. A TOEFL score of 550, or its equivalent, is required. However, Open University Certificate programs are not available to international students with an I-20 visa issued by another university. Please contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (uscis.gov) for more information.

What is the cost?
Please see current semester fees.

For more information on Open University Certificates, please call (619) 594-3376 or email openu.ces@sdsu.edu.

If you have registration questions, please visit our Open University Registration webpage.