Acquisition and Contract Administration Graduate Certificate

Program Details

Next Start Date: January 8

Credit Hours: 9

Course Length: 8 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 2 semesters

The University of West Florida’s online Acquisition and Contract Administration Graduate Certificate prepares you to build a solid foundation for a rewarding career in public sector purchasing and acquisition management, with coursework that can create additional opportunities for career professionals.

Why Study Acquisition and Contract Administration at UWF?

UWF's online Acquisition and Contract Administration Graduate Certificate acquaints you with contracting from pre-award to contract close-out, providing both practical and theoretical knowledge to create a solid foundation for a rewarding career in government contracting, nonprofits or with civilian contractors who engage in public sector contracts.

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What You Will Learn

In your coursework, you will study the entire public contracting life cycle, including planning, solicitation, selection, negotiation, award, post-award administration and close-out. Your classes will also examine the underlying legal and theoretical basis of public purchasing, considering the place and importance of acquisitions within the larger government structure. Through individual work products and team-based interactions, you and your classmates will apply your knowledge to real-world circumstances. Ultimately, your ability to see a contracting situation from various perspectives will be invaluable, because you will achieve outcomes that are fair to all parties with the best value for your client.

By completing this certificate, you will be able to:

Work with expert faculty to choose topics of interest for class assignments
Apply classroom material in real-life scenarios
Generate a more thoughtful, considered approach to contracting and procurement decisions

Courses

Program Details

Next Start Date: January 8

Credit Hours: 9

Course Length: 8 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 2 semesters

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The Acquisition and Contract Administration Certificate is one of two certificate options included in the MSA in Public Administration program. Graduate non-degree seeking students may also opt to complete the certificate independently. Students selecting this path who later enroll in the degree program may be able to apply the credits to the degree.

Courses & Requirements

The 9 credit hour certificate program is offered completely online and may be applied to the certificate requirement of the MSA - Public Administration degree program. The certificate is also available to those students wishing to expand their knowledge and skills in relation to government acquisitions and contract administration without completing the full Master of Science in Administration degree program.

Required Courses (9 credit hours)

PAD 5635 - Government Contract Law
PAD 5855 - Contract Planning and Formulation
PAD 5862 - Contract Award and Administration

Course Availability

Courses are offered in the Summer and Fall semesters. There are no certificate courses offered in the Spring semester.

Acquisition and Contract Administration Academic Learning Plan: MSA-Acquisition-Contract-Administration-ALP (PDF)
Acquisition and Contract Administration Curriculum Map: MSA-Acquisitions-and-Contract-Administration-CMGR (PDF)

To be considered for admission into the University of West Florida’s online Acquisition and Contract Administration Graduate Certificate program, you must be admitted into the University as a graduate non-degree seeking student.

How to Apply

To begin a certificate program, interested students need to fill out a Graduate Non-degree Seeking Application. Once accepted as a graduate non-degree seeking student, students should contact the Department of Business Administration and speak to an advisor about course availability and scheduling. Then, complete the online Graduate Certificate Declaration Form on MyUWF.

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@uwf.edu. If you are a current UWF student, please reach out to the department academic advisor.

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

Careers & Outcomes

With an Acquisition and Contract Administration Certificate, you can work in an acquisition position or pursue career advancement.

Job Titles

Contract Specialists
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
Contract Negotiators
Contract Negotiators
Contracting Officers
Industrial Property Specialists
Cost Analysts
Financial Management Analysts
Budget Analysts
Purchasing Managers
Administrative Service Managers

Career Outlook

The national median salary for Purchasing Managers is $131,352
Job openings in this field are projected to increase by 8% by 2034
Median annual salary for acquisition and contract administration occupations is $71,887

Source: Lightcast, 2024

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Acquisition and Contract Administration Online Graduate Certificate Tuition
Component	Cost	Total
In-state Tuition	$384.60 per credit hour	$3,461.40
Full Out-of-state Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$9,398.16
90% Out-of-state Tuition	$478.83 per credit hour	$4,309.47

Tuition waivers cover up to 90% of the non-resident portion of your tuition and are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online campus programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees. The renewal of Online Campus Out-of-State Tuition Waivers is not automatic. Waiver requests must be submitted every semester and are not retroactive for previous semesters. Review Tuition Waiver Information to learn more.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama, Military & Financial Aid

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. To verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar. See more about Tuition Waivers.

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida provides eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See more about Financial Aid and Education Funding Opportunities.