Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management at UMPI

Discover our 100% online certificate

Are you ready to step into (or level up in) a people-focused leadership role? The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s (UMPI) YourPace program offers a fully online Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management built for working professionals who want practical, in-demand HR skills.

This 18-credit, graduate-level certificate draws on courses from UMPI’s Master of Science in Business program and delivers targeted expertise in talent acquisition, employee development, and strategic HR management. You’ll strengthen your ability to lead with integrity, make data-informed decisions, and align HR practices with organizational goals – without committing to a full master’s degree.

Designed with today’s learners in mind, this competency-based certificate lets you progress at your own pace. Whether you want to move quickly or take one course at a time while balancing work and life, UMPI’s YourPace learning model supports your goals with a student-first approach.

As part of UMPI’s commitment to flexible, career-ready learning, this certificate helps you build specialized credentials you can apply immediately – preparing you to design strategic workforce plans, use HR analytics to improve performance, evaluate engagement and performance systems, and demonstrate ethical, inclusive leadership in diverse workplaces.

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2026 RFI Revision

YourPace is a flexible, competency-based degree program with 8-week sessions and a flat tuition rate for students who must be 20 years old at the time of application

On-campus students also have the flexibility to take a variety of online courses in many of our programs.

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Select a program: YourPace Undergraduate Certificate

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What Is Competency-Based Education?

Designed to leverage your previous knowledge, college coursework, and work experience, competency-based education enables you to earn your degree at your pace as you demonstrate mastery of relevant academic content.

How our YourPace online programs save you time and money:

Prove your knowledge, move ahead—the faster you advance, the more you save
Flat tuition rate per 8-week session, no matter how many courses you complete
With no weekly deadlines, you control the speed of completion*

*Time to completion varies by student and is based on several factors including prior college coursework, relevant work experience, amount of time dedicated to studying, and the number of courses completed each session.

Upcoming Session Dates

The Dates YourPace Students need to know

There are six opportunities throughout the year to begin our YourPace online program. Find the start date below that works best for you and apply before the application deadline. Please note, application and document deadlines are the same. UMPI must receive all documents including official transcripts by the document deadline to be considered. Transcripts can often take 10 or more business days from the request date to be received by UMPI, please plan accordingly.

Term	APP DEADLINE (4:00 PM ET)	DOCUMENT DEADLINE	CONFIRMATION DEADLINE (4:00 PM ET)	REGISTRATION DEADLINE	TUITION DEADLINE	CLASS START DATE	CLASS END DATE	Term Length
Summer 1	04/13/26	04/21/26	04/28/26	05/05/26	05/07/26	05/11/26	07/02/26	8 weeks
Summer 2	06/08/26	06/16/26	06/23/26	06/30/26	07/02/26	07/06/26	08/28/26	8 weeks
Fall 1	08/03/26	08/11/26	08/18/26	08/25/26	08/27/26	08/31/26	10/23/26	8 weeks
Fall 2	09/28/26	10/06/26	10/13/26	10/20/26	10/22/26	10/26/26	12/18/26	8 weeks
Spring 1	12/14/26	12/22/26	12/29/26	01/05/27	01/07/27	01/11/27	03/05/27	8 weeks
Spring 2	02/08/27	02/16/27	02/23/27	03/02/27	03/04/27	03/08/27	04/30/27	8 weeks

YourPace Human Resource Management Graduate Certificate Offering

UMPI’s Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management focuses on the strategies and practices that shape effective workplaces. Explore how HR supports organizational success through talent planning, performance and engagement systems, and ethical, inclusive leadership.

Explore Our Online Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management

Human resource leaders help organizations navigate change, strengthen culture, and make better decisions about people and performance. This graduate certificate provides a focused pathway to deepen your HR management expertise and connect best practices to real organizational needs.

With 18 credits of graduate-level coursework, you’ll examine how HR strategy supports workforce goals and organizational priorities, with an emphasis on responsible leadership and equitable decision-making. The learning outcomes below highlight the specific skills you’ll build through the certificate.

Graduates who earn this certificate will be able to:

Design strategic talent acquisition and workforce development plans aligned with organizational objectives.
Apply human resource analytics to inform decision-making and enhance organizational performance.
Evaluate employee engagement strategies and performance management systems to support workforce effectiveness.
Demonstrate ethical, inclusive leadership practices in managing and developing diverse workforces.

YourPace Tuition

Learn more about our affordable tuition

The YourPace Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management offers an affordable flat tuition rate, ensuring you pay the same amount per session regardless of how many courses you complete. With no hidden fees or additional textbook costs, this flexible competency-based education certificate allows you to save more the faster you finish. Whether you’re looking to accelerate your degree or complete courses at your own pace, you’ll benefit from transparent pricing and a cost-effective learning experience through the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Tuition breakdown:

$2,450 per session

Flat-Rate Tuition

Have questions or need more information about competency-based education?

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Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from UMPI?

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UMPI is ranked as one of the top 10 Regional Colleges in the North for graduates with least debt—UMPI is the top institution in Maine and all of New England to appear on this list. – U.S. News & World Report, 2024.

EXPECT to Finish at YourPace

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YourPace Admissions

Requirements for this Human Resource Management Graduate Certificate

We’ve made the admission process simple and streamlined so it’s easier for you to get started. Those interested in earning their competency-based education Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management should have an undergraduate degree and possess some prior college credit and/or work experience.

Admission Requirements:

No Application Fee

Minimum 3.0 GPA

We’ve streamlined the admission process so it’s easy for you to get started. Here is the information you need to apply:

Admission Requirements (Graduate)

Eligibility:

Admission to YourPace graduate degree programs and non-degree graduate coursework is open to applicants who are 20 years of age or older at the time of application. Graduate applicants (degree seeking and non-degree) under the age of 20 may be considered by exception, provided they meet specific criteria.

Graduate Applicants (under the age of 20) must meet all of the following:

Have a conferred bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent international institution
Are at least 18 years of age at the time of application

Required Documents for Eligible Applicants:

Completed YourPace Graduate Application
Official college transcripts verifying college credit earned from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent international institution.
- UMS Transcripts are accessible to UMPI and do not need to be submitted by the applicant
- Official transcripts from any institution from which you have earned graduate credit are required for credit transfer evaluation. A maximum of six credits can be applied to graduate programs. Graduate-level credit may be evaluated provided the credits were earned from an accredited U.S. university or a comparable international university.
- Official transcripts must be submitted by the issuing institution directly to the Shared Processing Center: edocs@maine.edu or by an approved transcript service such as Parchment or the National Student Clearing House.
Applicants whose GPAs are less than 3.0 are required to submit a personal statement.
- The personal statement (not to exceed 500 words) should reflect the applicant’s ability to write at the graduate level, with attention to appropriate grammar, spelling, form, and structure in preparing the statement.
- Applicants are asked to respond to the following: Explain how you will ensure your academic success in this graduate program and overcome challenges you may have experienced with your undergraduate program of studies.
A clear copy of a valid, government-issued photo ID that includes date of birth

International students are eligible to apply and enroll; however, an I-20 will NOT be provided as this is a fully online degree program. In addition to the standard admissions requirements, international students must also meet the additional requirements specific to international applicants.

Specific Requirements for International Students

Students from around the world are eligible and welcome to apply. Please note that additional requirements related to English Proficiency and international transcripts may be applicable. For full International Students YourPace Admissions requirements, please use the button below.

International Requirements

YourPace Human Resource Management Graduate Certificate Courses

UMPI’s YourPace Human Resource Management Certificate curriculum is designed to cover the full HR lifecycle – from talent acquisition and development to performance management, employment law, and leading organizational change.

Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management Courses

A look at the Human Resource Management Graduate Certificate

Human resource leaders shape how organizations hire, develop, support, and retain people—and how they navigate change. UMPI’s Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management offers a fully online, focused graduate-level study in the core areas that drive effective workforce strategy and day-to-day HR practice.

Across the courses below, you’ll explore talent management and acquisition, strategic HR alignment, employee training and development, performance management systems, employment law and ethics, and organizational change. Together, these topics provide a strong foundation for professionals who want to strengthen HR decision-making and lead people initiatives with confidence.

Certificate Requirements – 18 Credit Hours

This course focuses on talent acquisition and management strategies. Topics include recruitment techniques, talent retention, and workforce planning.

This course explores the strategic role of human resource management in organizations. Topics include HR planning, strategic alignment, and the integration of HR practices with organizational goals.

This course focuses on employee development and training programs. Topics include needs analysis, training design, and the evaluation of training effectiveness.

This course examines performance management and appraisal systems. Topics include goal setting, feedback mechanisms, and strategies for improving employee performance.

This course explores employment law and ethical considerations in human resource management. Topics include legal compliance, employee rights, and ethical decision-making in HR.

This course focuses on managing organizational change and development. Topics include change models, organizational culture, and strategies for leading change initiatives.

View Course Catalog YourPace Course Search

NECHE

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

University of Maine System

UMPI is a respected member of the University of Maine System.

C-BEN

UMPI is proud to be a member institution in the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN).

What can you do with a SED Graduate Certification?

Next Step: Admissions

We’re so excited that you’re considering the University of Maine at Presque Isle! As a student at UMPI, we want your experience to be anything but ordinary! So what makes UMPI extraordinary? Our Learning Environment, Our Student Engagement and Our Location!

No matter what stage of life you are in, we can help you take the plunge into higher education and put you on YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS!

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Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management at UMPI

Discover our 100% online certificate